Milky Way Farm facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Milky Way Farm
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Milky Way Farm Manor House, May 2014.
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 Location in Tennessee
Location in the United States
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| Nearest city | Pulaski, Tennessee |
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| Area | 1,130 acres (460 ha) |
| Built | 1931 |
| Architect | James F. Drake |
| Architectural style | Tudor Revival |
| NRHP reference No. | 84003537 |
| Added to NRHP | September 27, 1984 |
Milky Way Farm is a famous historic estate in Giles County, Tennessee. It used to belong to Franklin C. Mars, who started the company that makes Mars Candies. The farm got its name from the popular Milky Way candy bar.
During the Great Depression, a tough time when many people didn't have jobs, Milky Way Farm was the biggest employer in Giles County. Today, this special place is used for fun events like weddings, tours, and trail runs. It is also listed on the National Register of Historic Places, which means it's an important historic site.
The Farm's Story
Franklin Mars and his second wife, Ethel V. Mars, bought this huge 2,800-acre (11 km2) property in 1930. They had just opened a Mars Candies office in Nashville. They hired an architect named James F. Drake to design the main house and all the farm buildings.
The farm was built to raise special animals. These included Thoroughbred horses for racing and Hereford cattle. Construction was busiest between 1931 and 1933. About 800 workers helped build the farm. Many of these workers and their families even lived on the farm. Franklin Mars was known for being kind to his workers. He gave them free candy bars, small loans, and other help.
Franklin Mars passed away in 1934. He didn't get to see how successful his farm would become. His wife, Ethel Mars, then took charge of the animal operations. Milky Way Farm became famous for its award-winning Hereford cattle. Its thoroughbred horses also won many races.
In 1936, the farm's horses won a total of $206,450. This made Milky Way Farm the most successful horse owner in the U.S. that year! In 1940, one of Milky Way Farm's horses, named Gallahadion, even won the famous Kentucky Derby race.
In 1945, Ethel Mars wasn't feeling well, and the farm was sold. Over the next few years, the farm started to fall apart. Luckily, new owners later bought the property to save this historic place.
What Milky Way Farm Looks Like
The main house at Milky Way Farm is a large, 25,000-square-foot (2,300 m2) building. It is built in the Tudor Revival style. The house has 35 rooms, including 21 bedrooms and 12 bathrooms. It was designed for hosting many guests. Because of this, many of the rooms are very big.
The living room has cool exposed wooden beams and a ceiling that is 40-foot (12 m) tall. The Mars family's dining room table was said to be the biggest private dining table in all of Tennessee. Outside the house, there were beautiful gardens with magnolia trees. There was also an outdoor swimming pool and tennis courts.
The farm also had many other buildings. These included 70 small cottages, 30 barns, and a horse-racing track. Most of the farm buildings were made from local limestone. They were said to have a Spanish-inspired look. In Ethel Mars' time, the property had 35 miles (56 km) of fences and 20 miles (32 km) of roads.
Some of the original buildings are still there today. These include the groundskeeper's cottage and several barns. One barn is even shaped like an octagon! There are also stables and well-houses. Franklin Mars' remains were later moved to a cemetery in Minnesota. But his special burial building, called a mausoleum, is still at Milky Way Farm.
Milky Way Farm was added to the National Register of Historic Places on September 27, 1984. It was recognized for helping the local economy during the Depression. It was also important because of its connection to Franklin Mars and its special architecture.
Milky Way Farm Today
In 2007, the property was sold for a lot of money. The buyer planned to build a fancy neighborhood with homes, an equestrian club, a horse track, a polo field, a golf course, and horse trails. However, the buyer became ill, and the property went into foreclosure in 2009.
Starting in 2010, a father and daughter bought parts of Milky Way Farm. They slowly put together over 1100 acres of the original property. With help from the Tennessee Land Trust, the front part of the land was set aside for farming forever. Slowly, improvements began to protect the property again. The historic Manor House, barns, roofs, roads, and stone walls have all been worked on.
In 2017, the daughter and her sister took over caring for this important Tennessee landmark. Money from weddings, tours, events, meetings, trail runs, farming, guided hunts, and seasonal festivals helps to keep the property running and restore it. The farm has hosted many outdoor events. These include the Warrior Dash, Tough Mudder, Green Beret Challenge, and the Spartan Race in 2018. Right now, they are working on improving the ShowBarn and some of the roads.
