13 Things Concerning the Hermitage....Home of Andrew Jackson

I found myself in Nashville, Tennessee for the Fourth of July so Mr. Elementaryhistoryteacher and I ventured over to the Hermitage, the home of President Andrew Jackson to wander about and brave the heat.

Here are 13 thoughts concerning Jackson’s home I brought home with me……

1. The Hermitage has been open as a public museum since 1889 and is the fourth most visited presidential mansion falling in behind the White House, Mt. Vernon, and Monticello.

2. As we walked the grounds it was hard to realize Jackson actually took a step down moving from his place on the Cumberland River called Hunter’s Hill.   The Hermitage property was less valuable than his previous place, but facing bankruptcy because of a bad investment Jackson was forced to sell.   Amazingly, a Jackson descendant owns Hunter’s Hill today and recently was successful in making sure that farm remains in a trust free from development.

The grounds surrounding the house are breathtaking.   I’m sure it was a bit more rustic when the property was working farm.

3. The Jackson’s moved into a two-story cabin located on the property Jackson first dubbed “Rural Retreat.”   The docents advised the cabin was nicely furnished with carpets and Jackson’s books and other furnishings.    The cabin walls were  even adorned with wallpaper. 

4. At some point Jackson dropped the “Rural Retreat” name and began to call the plantation “Hermitage.”Researchers aren’t sure why he changed the name but it actually means the same thing and sounds fancier, I suppose.

5. The Jackson’s lived in the cabin until 1821 when they moved to a Federal-style brick home on a spot Rachel had chosen for their new home.   The gardens were designed by William Frost, a gardener from Philadelphia.   The original log home was stripped of its wallpaper and dismantled.   Two slave cabins were fashioned from the structure.

6. Pictures are not allowed in the house but there are a few online here and here.   The main entry has a graceful curved stairway and the walls are covered with block-printed wallpaper by Joseph Dufour et Cie of Paris showing scenes from Telemacus’ visit on the island of Calypso.    The background color in the wallpaper is bright blue, and it’s very striking as you enter the home.

7.  In 1831, additions were made to the house by adding wings designed by David Morrison to each side including the dining room shown below.   The bright blue paint is original as are the dining chairs.  One of the docents remarked like Jefferson, President Jackson enjoyed large meals attended by as many people as possible.   For this reason he had 24 of the dining chairs.

If you haven't picked up on it yet....bright blue was Jackson's favorite color.

8. David Morrison also designed the “temple and monument” for Rachel Jackson which is now the resting place for President Jackson as well.

 9. In 1977 when workers renovated the Jackson’s tomb they moved the limestone markers.   While Rachel’s marker was resting on dirt, President Jackson’s was not.   They found a four foot empty shaft.   At the bottom was another marker stating simply “Andrew Jackson”.   The find confirmed the rumors that Jackson had declared no dirt should ever rest on top of him.

10. In 1834, a fire gutted the central and eastern portions of the house leaving only the foundation and exterior walls intact.   President Jackson hired Joseph Reiff and William Hume to transform the home into a Grecian style temple but looks can be deceiving as you can see from the side view of the home below.   Many planters wanted the Greek style, but didn’t want to spend what was necessary to create a “total” look.

11. Since the Ladies’ Hermitage Association took over the home it has been restored to its 1837 appearance and is filled with original pieces belonging to the Jackson family.   Many of President Jackson’s personal items are in the home including his swords and books.   I especially enjoyed viewing his many leather bound volumes of newspapers.   Jackson subscribed to at least 15 different newspapers from all over the world.

12. Over the past 40 years archeologists have pieced together the history of the slaves who lived and worked at the Hermitage.   They have found nearly 800,000 articles representing the largest archaeological collection from an enslaved community in the New World.   The visitor’s center has an extensive display regarding many of the African Americans who lived on the property.

This image of Alfred is from the visitor’s center.   Alfred’s duties included taking care of the carriages and wagons.   After Emancipation he stayed and never left eventually serving as a caretaker and first tour guide.   He is buried in the garden near the President’s tomb.

13. It is said that Jackson’s pet parrot, Poll, screamed curse words from the front porch during Jackson’s funeral.

Head on over to History Is Elementary for a quick little guessing game regarding three items and what they were used for during Jackson's time here.

Eisenhower and Statehood

I was watching "How the States Got Their Shapes" tonight and saw the piece on Ohio. Turns out that during Ohio's sesquicentennial there was a big uproar over if Ohio really was a state because they never had a formal proclamation. So this comes to a head and President Eisenhower ends up signing one to end the debate!

While I was looking around at this, I happened to notice that Eisenhower brought in both Alaska and Hawaii as states. So I was looking through the Alaskan documents (as my grandparents remember voting on this decision!) and notice a memo on the subject from Ted Stevens! This quite amused me!

2nd of July

Well, he got the date wrong or history did - you decide! I put the sentence in question in bold for you. This is a letter from John Adams to Abigail:

Philadelphia July 3d. 1776

Had a Declaration of Independency been made seven Months ago, it would have been attended with many great and glorious Effects . . . . We might before this Hour, have formed Alliances with foreign States. -- We should have mastered Quebec and been in Possession of Canada .... You will perhaps wonder, how such a Declaration would have influenced our Affairs, in Canada, but if I could write with Freedom I could easily convince you, that it would, and explain to you the manner how. -- Many Gentlemen in high Stations and of great Influence have been duped, by the ministerial Bubble of Commissioners to treat .... And in real, sincere Expectation of this effort Event, which they so fondly wished, they have been slow and languid, in promoting Measures for the Reduction of that Province. Others there are in the Colonies who really wished that our Enterprise in Canada would be defeated, that the Colonies might be brought into Danger and Distress between two Fires, and be thus induced to submit. Others really wished to defeat the Expedition to Canada, lest the Conquest of it, should elevate the Minds of the People too much to hearken to those Terms of Reconciliation which they believed would be offered Us. These jarring Views, Wishes and Designs, occasioned an opposition to many salutary Measures, which were proposed for the Support of that Expedition, and caused Obstructions, Embarrassments and studied Delays, which have finally, lost Us the Province.

All these Causes however in Conjunction would not have disappointed Us, if it had not been for a Misfortune, which could not be foreseen, and perhaps could not have been prevented, I mean the Prevalence of the small Pox among our Troops .... This fatal Pestilence compleated our Destruction. -- It is a Frown of Providence upon Us, which We ought to lay to heart.

But on the other Hand, the Delay of this Declaration to this Time, has many great Advantages attending it. -- The Hopes of Reconciliation, which were fondly entertained by Multitudes of honest and well meaning tho weak and mistaken People, have been gradually and at last totally extinguished. -- Time has been given for the whole People, maturely to consider the great Question of Independence and to ripen their judgments, dissipate their Fears, and allure their Hopes, by discussing it in News Papers and Pamphletts, by debating it, in Assemblies, Conventions, Committees of Safety and Inspection, in Town and County Meetings, as well as in private Conversations, so that the whole People in every Colony of the 13, have now adopted it, as their own Act. -- This will cement the Union, and avoid those Heats and perhaps Convulsions which might have been occasioned, by such a Declaration Six Months ago.

But the Day is past. The Second Day of July 1776, will be the most memorable Epocha, in the History of America.

I am apt to believe that it will be celebrated, by succeeding Generations, as the great anniversary Festival. It ought to be commemorated, as the Day of Deliverance by solemn Acts of Devotion to God Almighty. It ought to be solemnized with Pomp and Parade, with Shews, Games, Sports, Guns, Bells, Bonfires and Illuminations from one End of this Continent to the other from this Time forward forever more.

You will think me transported with Enthusiasm but I am not. -- I am well aware of the Toil and Blood and Treasure, that it will cost Us to maintain this Declaration, and support and defend these States. -- Yet through all the Gloom I can see the Rays of ravishing Light and Glory. I can see that the End is more than worth all the Means. And that Posterity will tryumph in that Days Transaction, even altho We should rue it, which I trust in God We shall not

Four Freedoms

So we've all heard about the Four Freedoms (and probably seen Norman Rockwell's pictorial version!), but have you heard the entire speech? You can read or hear it here.

Here are the four freedoms:
In the future days, which we seek to make secure, we look forward to a world founded upon four essential human freedoms.

The first is freedom of speech and expression -- everywhere in the world.

The second is freedom of every person to worship God in his own way -- everywhere in the world.

The third is freedom from want, which, translated into world terms, means economic understandings which will secure to every nation a healthy peacetime life for its inhabitants -- everywhere in the world.

The fourth is freedom from fear, which, translated into world terms, means a world-wide reduction of armaments to such a point and in such a thorough fashion that no nation will be in a position to commit an act of physical aggression against any neighbor -- anywhere in the world.