Travellers Rest (Nashville, Tennessee) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Travellers' Rest
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 Location in Tennessee
Location in the United States
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| Location | Franklin Rd., Oak Hill, Nashville, Tennessee |
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| Area | 9 acres (3.6 ha) |
| Built | 1799 |
| Architectural style | Vernacular Federal |
| NRHP reference No. | 69000179 |
| Added to NRHP | December 30, 1969 |
Travellers Rest is a historic house and former plantation located in Nashville, Tennessee. It was once known as Golgotha. The first owner was John Overton, who started building his family home there in 1799. For many years, this large farm was maintained by enslaved Black people who were forced to work there.
Travellers Rest has been recognized as an important historical site since December 30, 1969. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places because of its importance to farming, politics, and military history from the 1700s.
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History of Travellers Rest
Building the First Home
In 1799, a two-story house with four rooms was built by a man named John Overton. He was a politician and a judge, born in 1766 and passing away in 1833. John Overton was a close friend and advisor to Andrew Jackson, who later became president. Overton also served as a judge in Tennessee's highest court and helped start the city of Memphis, Tennessee.
Why the Name Changed
John Overton first named his property Golgotha. This name came from the many ancient skulls found when the house's cellar was being dug. Today, archaeologists know these remains were part of a large village site from the Mississippian culture.
Later, in the early 1800s, Overton changed the name of his plantation to Travellers Rest. He chose this name because his home felt like a peaceful place to relax after his long journeys. As a circuit judge, he traveled a lot on horseback. John Overton lived at Travellers Rest until he passed away on April 12, 1833.
Expanding the House
The house was made bigger in 1812 to make room for more of Overton's family members. After 1820, when Overton married a widow who had five children, a long addition was built onto the house.
Overton's wife lived in the home until she passed away in 1862. After her death, her son John and his wife Harriet, along with their children, continued to live there. At that time, the plantation's farm covered 1,050 acres. About 80 enslaved people were forced to work on this farm. In 1887, John Overton II added two more rooms to the house, one on the first floor and one on the second.
Travellers Rest as a Museum
In 1954, the historic plantation building was saved from being torn down. It was carefully restored and turned into a museum. More archaeological discoveries were made on the property as recently as 1995. This happened when construction for a new visitors center uncovered more ancient human burials.
As of today, the Travellers Rest Plantation & Museum has exhibits that show what life was like for John Overton. They also tell the story of the Overton Plantation and Nashville during the American Civil War. The museum is located at 636 Farrell Parkway in Nashville.
See also
