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, also known as Golgotha, is a historic home in Nashville, Tennessee. It was once part of a large farm called a plantation. The first owner was John Overton, who built the main house in 1799. For many years, people who were enslaved were forced to work on this plantation.
Travellers Rest is important because of its history from the 1700s. It shows us about farming, politics, and military events of that time. Because of its importance, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places on December 30, 1969. This list helps protect special places in the United States.
Contents
The Story of Travellers Rest
Building a New Home
In 1799, a man named John Overton built the main house at Travellers Rest. He was a politician and a judge. This means he helped make laws and also decided legal cases. The house had two floors and four rooms.
John Overton (1766–1833) was a close friend and advisor to Andrew Jackson, who later became president. Overton was also a judge in Tennessee's highest court at the time. He even helped start the city of Memphis, Tennessee.
Why the Name Changed
When Overton first built his home, he called it Golgotha. He chose this name because many ancient human remains were found when they dug the cellar. Archaeologists now know these were from a large village of the Mississippian culture.
Later, in the early 1800s, Overton changed the name to Travellers Rest. He was a circuit judge, which meant he traveled a lot by horseback to different towns for court cases. His home felt like a peaceful place to relax after his long journeys. John Overton lived at Travellers Rest until he passed away on April 12, 1833.
Growing the House and Farm
In 1812, more rooms were added to the house for Overton's family. After 1820, when Overton married a widow who had five children, a long section called an "ell" was added. An ell is a part of a building that sticks out, often at a right angle, making the house look like the letter "L".
Overton's wife lived in the home until she died in 1862. After her death, her son John and his family continued to live there. The farm was very large, covering about 1,050 acres. Many enslaved people were forced to work on this farm. In 1887, John Overton II added two more rooms to the ell section of the house.
Travellers Rest Today
The Travellers Rest house was saved from being torn down and was fixed up in 1954. It then became a museum. A museum is a place where important historical items are kept and shown to the public.
In 1995, during construction for a new visitors center, more ancient burials were found. Today, the Travellers Rest Plantation & Museum teaches visitors about John Overton's life and work. It also shares the history of the Overton Plantation and Nashville during the American Civil War. You can find it at 636 Farrell Parkway in Nashville.
Images for kids
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The Travellers Rest house.
See also
