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:
