Drouillard House facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Drouillard House
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 Location in Tennessee
Location in the United States
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| Location | Off TN 48, Cumberland Furnace, Tennessee |
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| Area | 1 acre (0.40 ha) |
| Built | 1868 |
| Architectural style | Italianate |
| NRHP reference No. | 77001267 |
| Added to NRHP | December 27, 1977 |
The Drouillard House is a special old house in Cumberland Furnace, Tennessee. It was built a long time ago, around 1868 to 1870. This big, three-story house was a summer home for a famous lady from Nashville named Mary Florence Kirkman and her husband, Captain James Pierre Drouillard. The house is so important that it was added to the National Register of Historic Places on December 27, 1977.
Contents
History of the Drouillard House
The area around the Drouillard House has a rich history. In 1795, the first iron-making factory in Middle Tennessee, called Cumberland Iron Works, was started here.
Early Owners and Iron Works
After a slow start, a man named Montgomery Bell bought the iron works and 640 acres of land in 1804. He was very good at making the business successful. In 1825, he sold it for three times what he paid to Anthony Wayne Van Leer.
Van Leer and his business partners ran the iron works for about 40 years. They kept it going until the start of the American Civil War. At that time, Van Leer closed the business and moved to Nashville.
The Kirkman and Drouillard Families
For a few years, Van Leer's son-in-law, Hugh Kirkman, managed the Cumberland Furnace. Hugh was married to Van Leer's daughter, Eleanora.
When Anthony Van Leer passed away in 1863, his grandchildren inherited the furnace and the land. These grandchildren were Mary Florence Kirkman and her brother, VanLeer Kirkman.
Florence Kirkman married Captain James Pierre Drouillard in 1864. This was during the Civil War, and it was seen as unusual in Tennessee because Captain Drouillard was part of the Union Army. Because of this, none of her friends or family attended the wedding.
Life at the Drouillard House
After the war, Captain Drouillard reopened the iron furnace. He ran it until 1889, when it was sold to the Southern Iron Company.
The Drouillard House itself was finished in 1870. It was designed to look like another beautiful house in Newport. The Drouillards used it to host many fancy summer parties. Guests would come from Nashville and even New Orleans.
The Drouillards lived in the house until 1886, when they moved back to Nashville. During their time there, they did a lot for the community. They built a church and a school for local children. The school welcomed both white and black children. The St. James Episcopal Church is also listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Architecture of the Drouillard House
The Drouillard House was completed in 1870. It is built in the Italianate style, which was popular at the time.
Outside the House
The house has a wooden outer layer called clapboard siding. A large porch, called a veranda, wraps around the front of the house. This porch is 10 feet deep and over 100 feet long! The house also has two separate sections, or wings. The kitchen is located in the east wing.
Inside the House
One of the most interesting parts inside the house is a three-story spiral staircase. This staircase goes all the way up to an observation deck, where you can look out over the area.
