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Don loves to sing the song, “The Battle of New Orleans” which tells the tale of Andrew Jackson’s stand against the British during the War of 1812. General Jackson (as he preferred to be called) lived on a large parcel of property in Nashville known as The Hermitage. This morning’s forecast promised sunny skies and temperatures in the 60s. A perfect day to take advantage of the natural beauty of our 7th President’s estate. We took the short drive from our hotel to the farm.
A visitor’s center is your first stop. There you get a brief orientation to the estate then you pick up your map and audio tour headset. You can opt for a film about Jackson’s life or plunge into the museum exhibits that are housed in the visitor’s center. We decide to start with the video. It knocks the cobwebs loose in my brain and I remember/learn some of Jackson’s history. When the film is over we decide to go outside and walk to the mansion which gives us a chance to explore some of the grounds. There is no photography allowed inside the main house where you meet a costumed guide who provides an interpretive tour. We arrive at the entrance and await admittance. The house is a two-story brick building in the Greek Revival style.
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The house has an amazing amount of furnishings, wall coverings, personal articles, lighting fixtures and flooring that is original. The home was kept in the family for generations before it became a museum. The Ladies Hermitage Association (now called the Andrew Jackson Foundation) was responsible for procuring many of the items that had been disbursed throughout various family members and descendants. They also reacquired parcels of the land that had been sold off when the family fell on hard times during the Civil War period. The tour guides are very well informed and paint a vivid picture of what life was like on this working plantation for both family and slaves. Once you are finished inside the house you get to follow the trails along the property and listen to the audio tour. A nice supplement of information, which includes a version for adults, kids and a special section that pertains to Mrs. Rachel Jackson. The tour guides you through the slave areas, archaeological excavations and the formal garden which is also where the family burial plot is located.
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We covered a lot of ground at The Hermitage and when we completed our tour of the property we went through the museum exhibits. These focused on Jackson’s military and political careers. A picnic lunch was the ending to a perfect day at The Hermitage.
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The temperature climbed up to 70 degrees so we decided to continue with outdoor activities. We cruised over to the West side of town past the campus of Vanderbilt University to go see The Parthenon. This full scale replica of the Athens original is located in Centennial Park and was built in 1897. It is now home to an art museum which apparently is closed on Mondays.
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There was even a playground across the street that gave Damian a chance to play with kids who had also been cooped up all Winter with adults. He had a great time playing freeze tag, hide and seek and climbing all over the playground equipment.
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As rush hour approached we figured it was time to get outta Dodge and head back to our neck of the woods. Speaking of which, I need to give a shout out to the management staff at our Holiday Inn. I’ll preface this by disclosing that Don holds platinum status in the IHG Rewards system and we paid for this vacation stay entirely with points he accumulated through the rewards program. We selected the hotel we are staying at specifically because their website said they were undergoing renovations to their indoor pool which would be open the end of this month. When we arrived we discovered that the pool would not be ready in time. Don explained to the front desk associate, Mailynn Meeks, that it was a big disappointment for Damian that there was no pool. Ms. Meeks conferred with the manager, Aaron Mitchell and a plan was put in place so that we would have pool access at our discretion. They would provide free shuttle service to the nearby Sheraton hotel whose management is graciously allowing us to use their facilities. They have a lovely pool and hot tub which we have been able to enjoy anytime we want. Damian has met new friends each time we have visited the Sheraton and those experiences have greatly enhanced his vacation, which otherwise would be spent entirely in the company of a couple of old fogies. Thank you Holiday Inn for going the extra mile. We appreciate all of your efforts. So, all you Carmageddon fans go book a stay at a Holiday Inn and tell them we sent you.
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