Yesterday, I had the pleasure of debating Harvard Professor Randall Kennedy at Vanderbilt University in Nashville. Before returning to Washington, I made a pilgrimage to Andrew Jackson’s Hermitage and wanted to share a few pictures. Nashville is a favorite city that has been featured on this blog previously. However, no trip would be truly complete without a trip out to Hermitage.
While I was only in town for a short trip, I was able to walk around the lovely Vanderbilt campus, listen to country music in a couple honky-tonks on Broadway, and stop by Jack’s for some incredible bar-b-que.
The trip to the Hermitage takes about 30 minutes from downtown, and it is worth the Uber ride (it is also on the way to the airport). The grounds are beautiful, featuring old cabins, smokehouses, gardens, and open fields.
The mansion is gorgeous. In comparison to such legendary homes as Mount Vernon, there is something particularly appealing about the flow and large rooms of the home. It has been lovingly preserved and has one of the greatest collections of original artifacts and furniture of such homes. (No photos are allowed inside the house.)
The museum is small but worth a visit. There is a short film that is an excellent production, doing a fair job of presenting Jackson’s contributions and controversies, including his ownership of slaves.
My only minor complaint is that much of Jackson’s life is presented in wall displays. It is a shame that there are no short films with more substantive content focusing on the Battle of New Orleans, the Indian Wars, and the estate itself. Nevertheless, it is great to see Jackson’s carriage, swords, glasses, and other items. Everyone is very knowledgeable and friendly at the museum.
This is a great way to spend a few hours on the tour, simply walking around the estate. Jackson is an intriguing figure. I wrote about him in my book “The Indispensable Right: Free Speech in an Age of Rage.” It is a fairly critical account of his treatment of free speech, particularly in New Orleans. However, he had a fascinating life and held the union together as fractures appeared before the Civil War.
Here are a few pictures of the Hermitage on a lovely sunny day in Tennessee:
I visited there for the celebration of the Battle of New Orleans. Jon Meachem gave a presentation at this event. It was memorable. I will post the link to his talk. It was a pleasant experience walking at our own pace throughout the grounds, looking into each building and finding out how it fit in. The Hermitage was grand and inspiring. I grew up spending time in old farm houses and some old mansions with well water. It reminded me of those times.
Professor, I applaud you for your willingness to engage in these debates, as even academic debates seem to be a thankless task. In a historical throwback, I wish there was some way to stage a modern series of Lincoln/Douglas type debates. They could use a variety of formulas from academic to nakedly political, feature different representatives from the left and right and be simulcast by CNN and FNC.
In a short visit to Vermont one of my favorite activities was a tour of an old style maple syrup production house. In the same way, I’d love to see the smokehouses the Prof depicts here. He and I appear to share a love for our history, warts and all.
I lived in Nashville for over 25 years before I took the time to visit The Hermitage. When I finally went there I had an amazingly beautiful and memorable experience.
Prof. thanks for the pictures. Many decades ago I visited the Hermitage and of course came away impressed. One simple thing that fascinated me was the length of one of the beds for adults – it was quite short and provided a visual indication that the average height of Americans has increased over the years. President Jackson was then and now quite controversial. John Quincy Adams, Davy Crockett, and Simon Kenton all had their physical or political scraps with Jackson. But by defeating the British at New Orleans, Jackson did boost the nation’s morale which endured the embarrassment of the burning of the White House by the British. Jackson also handled the Nullification affair facing down John C. Calhoun setting a precedence of strong national presidential leadership for Abraham Lincoln. It was under Jackson that our nation finally became debt free – something most current politicians don’t even consider a desirable objective. He also expanded eligibility for voting being part of a progression of voting eligibility expansions that much later in our republic ultimately included the 15th and 19th amendments. And finally, Jackson founded the modern Democrat party. I will not enumerate his numerous failures since they tend to be emphasized by the currently fashionable “presentism” minded historians. In my view, he is a fascinating character and represents an inflection point away from the Virginia-Massachusetts axis of founders and towards a more Western outlook.
Andrew Jackson is not someone, in myopinion, who should be lauded, celebrated, or promoted.
And yet he is a major figure in our nation’s history. Should any memory of him be erased? As the Prof noted, the Hermitage does cover his unsavory (even for his times) features. Should those features be the only portions of his life rehashed, or should his life be fairly recalled as neither all villain or saint?
Smashing wonderful pictures, thank you very much.
“All the rights secured to the citizens under the Constitution are worth nothing, and a mere bubble, except guaranteed to them by an independent and virtuous Judiciary.”
– Andrew Jackson
_____________________
The singular American failure is the partial and iniquitous judicial branch, with emphasis on the Supreme Court.
John Marshall has made his decision. Now let him enforce it.
I went there, too. It was winter not any people there. I was free to walk around as I wanted. I thought it should have been more perfectly kept and pristine as United States history is so important. Large open fields surround it.
Nashville was a very friendly city. Everyone was helpful. It seemed there were churches with tall spires every few blocks.
Thanks for sharing.
Great to see! I’m on my way to Nashville later this week.
Can you send a link to the debate please?
I searched and it does appear to be online yet.
Hardscrabble, unpolished, American Expansionist, Central Bank-killing, child of the Revolution, tough-as-nails man and president who defied his critics to an extreme at times. Perhaps most controversial in his dealings with “Civilized Tribes” and defiance of the Supreme Court in regard to Cherokee Nation and Indian Removal. This mass and rapid takeover of lands could be fingered as the key in prolonging and domestically expanding the institution of Legal Slavery which led to miserable compromises, Congressional infighting, regionalistic rift, and eventual dissolution of the Union and Civil War. A. Jackson, truly an example of Americanism in all aspects of his era.
I visited The Hermitage in 2022. The young adults who guided my group were a disappointment, as all they could focus on was how slaves were kept and lived on the grounds, to the exclusion of everything else. I left there feeling the future is lost; those young indoctrinated souls are too far gone in their beliefs—-with the future of this once great nation belonging to them.
Sad.
I am in my 70’s. Decades ago my wife and I toured the antebellum mansions of Natchez and we were disappointed that while the slave quarters were preserved they were off limits to the tour. I can understand anyone young or ancient like me being concerned that this shameful but key feature of our history is being ignored.
I lived in Nashville for 44 years. In 2021, I returned to my home state of North Dakota. Whenever I had
out of state visitors the Hermitage was always high on the list of places to visit.
Thank you for sharing your visit!
I grew up in Nashville and lived across the street on old Hermitage grounds until we moved to Naples FL in 2011. The Hermitage was our favorite school trips growing up. Thank you so much for sharing!
Great place to visit and it is a beautiful home and estate.
Thank you for doing it, and doing it with such elan, Professor. It’s more important than ever, likely in our country’s history.