City: Nashville, TN

Category: Tours & Attractions

Telephone: (615) 832-8197

Address: 636 Farrell Pkwy.

Description: Travellers Rest was built in 1799 by Judge John Overton, a land speculator, lawyer, cofounder of Memphis, and presidential campaign manager for lifelong friend Andrew Jackson. The Federal-style clapboard farmhouse offers a glimpse of how wealthy Nashvillians lived in the early 19th century. The well-maintained grounds feature magnolia trees, gardens, and outbuildings. The house began as a 2-story, 4-room house, but additions throughout the 1800s increased its size. Changes in architectural styles are evident in the expansions. It has been restored to reflect the period of the original owner and features a large collection of early-19th-century Tennessee furniture. The home served as headquarters for Confederate general John B. Hood just before the 1864 Battle of Nashville. Overton’s son John had financed a Confederate regiment during the war. The Overton family owned the house until 1948. Its last owner, the Nashville Railroad Company, gave the home to the Colonial Dames of America in Tennessee, which manages it as a historic site. Today Travellers Rest is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Travellers Rest is open daily except Thanksgiving, Christmas Day, and New Year’s Day.