Unlike Rutherford B. Hayes, you may actually stand a chance at being familiar with Andrew Jackson, 7th president of the United States. Jackson was also a military hero, thus elevating his status in the history books.
The Hermitage is a rather popular tourist/road trip/field trip destination 20 minutes from downtown Nashville TN, with its own welcome center, food court and snacks, exhibits, events and tours. It's open from 9-4 in the off season. General admission for an adult is $20; kids are $10 each and a family pass is $54. Admission includes a museum exhibit pass, guided tour of the house and a self-guided audio tour of the grounds, which you can stroll through at your own leisure.
The guided house tour was very quick, in my opinion. We were given a memorized spiel about each room, asked if we had any questions, and then shooed on to another tour guide waiting in the next room. We also (understandably) weren't allowed to take pictures, but that's okay because you can find them online... I mean, in case the tour goes so fast that you forget what the house looked like.
The Hermitage was definitely built to impress, inside and out.
The Hermitage is a rather popular tourist/road trip/field trip destination 20 minutes from downtown Nashville TN, with its own welcome center, food court and snacks, exhibits, events and tours. It's open from 9-4 in the off season. General admission for an adult is $20; kids are $10 each and a family pass is $54. Admission includes a museum exhibit pass, guided tour of the house and a self-guided audio tour of the grounds, which you can stroll through at your own leisure.
The guided house tour was very quick, in my opinion. We were given a memorized spiel about each room, asked if we had any questions, and then shooed on to another tour guide waiting in the next room. We also (understandably) weren't allowed to take pictures, but that's okay because you can find them online... I mean, in case the tour goes so fast that you forget what the house looked like.
The Hermitage was definitely built to impress, inside and out.
Hubs hanging out on the back porch.
The self-guided tour of the grounds was much more relaxed. On one side of the house is Rachel's (the First Lady) garden and the Jackson family burial plot. Although it was cold outside, we also went out back to look through the slave cabins and got to learn about some of the plantation dynamics. One slave, "Uncle Alfred" stayed at the Hermitage his whole life, even after emancipation. He took it upon himself, after Andrew's death, to be self-appointed museum guide and curator. He even made and sold photographs of himself, and had himself buried beside the Jacksons in the family plot. Quite the guy.
The smoking/meat house.
After strolling the grounds, Hubs let me spend some time in the rather large gift shop, which was full of cool interesting stuff. I love gift shops. :)
This is a fun stop if you're in or around Nashville TN and like history.
This is a fun stop if you're in or around Nashville TN and like history.
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