Mitchell House (Lebanon, Tennessee) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Mitchell House
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The Mitchell House, June 2010
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 Location in Tennessee
Location in the United States
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| Location | 106 N. Castle Heights Ave., Lebanon, Tennessee, Wilson County, Tennessee |
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| Area | 2 acres (0.81 ha) |
| Built | 1910 |
| Architect | Thompson, Gibel & Asmus |
| Architectural style | Neo-Classical Revival |
| NRHP reference No. | 79003435 |
| Added to NRHP | 1979 |
The Mitchell House is a beautiful building in Lebanon, Tennessee. It was built as a home for Dr. David Mitchell and his wife, Elizabeth. The house was designed by architects Thompson, Gibel & Asmus.
Construction on the house started in 1906 and finished in 1910. It had a huge living space of about 10,600 square feet. At that time, Dr. Mitchell was the president of Cumberland University. He also helped start Castle Heights Military Academy. Special workers were brought in to create the detailed wood designs, panels, and floors. Fancy lights called chandeliers came all the way from Italy, and rugs were imported from Austria.
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The Mitchell Family's Time
While the Mitchell family lived in the house, it was a busy place. They hosted many community events and even weddings there.
In 1919, a sickness called typhoid spread in the area. Both of the Mitchell children got sick. Mrs. Mitchell took care of them until they got better. Sadly, she then became ill herself and passed away at age 42.
Dr. Mitchell was very sad and moved to California. He left his children with their grandparents, Rev. and Mrs. Arthur Smith. The grandparents lived in the house until 1923. After that, they moved the children to Florida. The Mitchell House then stayed empty for many years, until 1936.
A New Life as a School
While Dr. Mitchell was in California, he gave the house to his children. This was to prevent it from being taken by people he owed money to. The children never lived in the house again. In 1936, they sold it to Castle Heights Military Academy.
Castle Heights turned the large home into a junior school. The upstairs was changed into living areas for the students. The downstairs became classrooms. During this time, a kitchen, restrooms, and an apartment were added. This made the building even bigger, reaching 11,500 square feet. The house became known as MacFadden Hall.
The young boys who lived in the hall were playfully called "goobers." Because of this, the students often called the house "Goober School." The building served as a junior school for fifty years. It remained a school until the academy closed down in 1986.
Restoration and New Owners
After Castle Heights Military Academy closed, the house was left empty for twelve years. Then, in 1997, a company called Cracker Barrel Old Country Store, Inc. bought it. The founder of Cracker Barrel, Dan Evins, had actually gone to Castle Heights himself. He had also been in charge of the school's board of directors when his son attended.
Dan Evins and Cracker Barrel decided to restore the house. They even found the original building plans! However, these plans didn't show details for the inside of the house. So, the restoration team used old photos from yearbooks and newspapers. They also talked to former students and teachers to remember how the inside looked.
The restoration took less than a year to finish. Many parts of the house, like windows, wood panels, ceilings, and porches, had to be replaced. Mike Manous was the architect who led this big project. The restoration cost about $2 million.
After the house was beautifully restored, it became the main office for Cracker Barrel Old Country Store.
In 2013, Cracker Barrel sold the building to Sigma Pi Fraternity. This group now uses the house as its international headquarters. The first floor of the house has a museum and meeting rooms. The second floor holds their offices.
A Historic Landmark
The Mitchell House is a very important building. In 1979, it was officially listed as a historic landmark by the State of Tennessee. It was also added to the National Register of Historic Places. This means it's recognized as a special place that should be protected.
