Rattle and Snap

Columbia, Tennessee's Rattle and Snap was built by George Knox Polk in 1845. Polk was a cousin to the eleventh president of the United States, James K. Polk. George Polk's father was a Revolutionary War veteran from North Carolina. The elder Polk had been appointed surveyor-general of the Middle District of Tennessee in 1784. The land that encompasses Rattle and Snap most likely was either given to the elder Polk due to his military service, or he laid the land aside for himself and his heirs. The most common theory is that the Polk family acquired the land in a game of chance known as "rattle and snap" with the Governor of North Carolina. The mansion was constructed using slave labor. The bricks used in its construction were fired on site and then sheathed in stucco. Its main facade features a full height entry porch, supported by limestone columns. The columns have ornamentation at the top and the base, and were shipped from Cincinnati, Ohio. The mansion features an "L-shaped" footprint.  The George Polk family resided at Rattle and Snap for fifteen years. Following the Civil War, the family went bankrupt and could not afford the mansion or the land anymore. Rattle and Snap was sold to Joseph Granbery. The estate stayed in the Granbery family for over fifty years. Rattle and Snap remains privately owned and is currently open for tours. In 1971 Rattle and Snap was added to the National Register of Historic Places. It was designated a National Historic Landmark at the same time due to its connection to the Polk family, and the fact that it is one of the finest examples of Greek Revival style architecture in the United States. Rattle and Snap is yet another great example of historic preservation gone right. At Moore Historical Consulting my #1 priority is historic preservation. Do you own an historic home, commercial building, or farm? If so contact me today to learn more about the historic preservation strategies I offer. These include nominations to the National Register of Historic Places, nominations for a Permanent Conservation Easement, and nominations to the Century Farms program. At Moore Historical Consulting I make exploring and preserving your past fun and easy.

The rear elevation of Rattle and Snap is constructed in the Federal architectural style. It houses the kitchen, servants quarters, etc.

Tennessee Historical Commission historic marker at Rattle and Snap. At Moore Historical Consulting, I am proud to offer services to groups that would like to obtain one of these markers. 

Be sure and visit next week for another Throwback Thursday.