Historical Society
1. Rattle and Snap
Perhaps the most widely known and most acclaimed antebellum home in Maury County bears the name "Rattle and Snap". The name came from the method by which William Polk acquired 5000 acres of the finest land in Tennessee. The story is that Polk, a wealthy land speculator in North Carolina, engaged the Governor of that state in a dice-like game called "Rattle and Snap" and that the stakes got very high. The Governor placed the deed to a large Tennessee property on the table. Polk won the game and took possession of the land. The land lay in the heart Maury County, about half way between the county seat, Columbia, and the town of Mt. Pleasant. Polk divided the property among four of his sons, all of whom moved to Tennessee and build imposing homes on their land. One of these, George W. Polk, called his estate "Rattle and Snap", thus preserving the name of the game by which the property was acquired. From 1843 to 1845 he engaged in builing this lovely structure. The house has been called "the grandest of its style in Tennessee to which only a handful in the nation are comparable." Over the years the house received a number of architectural changes as successive owners sought to adapt it to their own use. In 1979 it was purchased by Mr. and Mrs. Amon C. Evans who spent several years in restoring it , as near as possible, to its original form and appearance. It is furnished with Period pieces, some of which was originally owned by Lucius Polk, brother of George. The place is listed as a National Historic Landmark and is open to tours upon contact with the owners. The Evans family continues to reside in the house.
2. Rippavilla
Most travellers who drive down the Nashville\Columbia Highway (Hwy. 31) are impressed by the majestic antebellum house just across the road from the Saturn Corporation factory. This is Rippavilla, the house built in the 1850's by Nathaniel Cheairs and used as the family residence until about 1920. One observer called the structure, "A majestic reminder of the past and a showplace of Maury County." When Saturn purchased the land upon which it built its automobile plant, Rippavilla was included in their acquisition. Company officials soon announced that the landmark would be restored and preserved, perhaps even turned into a museum. Steps were quickly taken by Saturn to repair and repaint the exterior of the house and its out buildings and plans prepared for the restoration of the structure, adding such modern aminities as air conditioning, heat, new electrical system, etc. Later, the house and grounds were turned over to Maury County. The County has completed the work of restoration and has sought to return the place to its original condition. During this process, the old wallpaper patterns and paint shades were discovered and have been duplicated, insofar as possible. The carriage house has been turned into a book and souvenir shop and a competent manager employed to oversee the operation of Rippavilla. Throughout this process, the Maury County Historical Society has been actively engaged, both from a financial and a personnel standpoint. Several grants have been made by the Society to help with specific phases of the work. The Society restored an original one-room, log school building that had once served as a Freedman's School. It may now be visited at Rippavilla. Most of the period furniture that had been used in Vine Hill (formerly property of the Society) was placed in Rippavilla. Many hours of volunteer labor were contributed by Society members in the renovation of the mansion. Rippavilla is the headquarters of the Antebellum Trail Bureau and is one of the stops on the tours this group promotes. Little by little a nice museum display is being organized with authentic artifacts of Rippavilla's past history. The house is open to the public on a regular basis. A modest fee is charged for the guided tour. Nathaniel Cheairs, builder of Rippavilla, came to Maury County from his native Montgomery County, N.C. early in life and settled in the Spring Hill neighborhood. He married Susan McKissack in 1841 and they first lived in the old McKissack place in Spring Hill. Cheairs inherited the land just south of the village about 1850 and almost immediately began building Rippavilla. The house was not finished until 1855, largely due to Cheairs' obsessive desire for perfection in the construction. He tore the walls down twice because he felt that they had been weakened by climatic conditions or inferior materials. The actual construction was done by slaves furnished by William McKissack, Nathaniel's father-in-law. When Nathaniel marched off in 1861 to become a Major in the Confederate Army, Susan and the children remained at Rippavilla. As military control of the area changed during the following years, Rippavilla was often used by the troops as a headquarters building. Although often abused, the structure was not destroyed. One of the last times it was used for these purposes was in 1864 when Gen. John Bell Hood and his Army of Tennessee occupied it for an outpost during their unsuccessful attempt at bottling up the Federal forces under Gen. John Schofield who were, supposedly, camped in Columbia. For still debated reasons, Schofield's troops passed down the pike toward Franklin during the night and escaped the trap. Hood and his officers, several of whom had spent the night at nearby Oaklawn, met at Rippavilla the following morning, had breakfast with Mrs. Cheairs, and then proceeded to follow Schofield toward Franklin. There, the Federal troops had prepared their defenses and in the terrible battle that followed, thousands of Federal and Confederate troops lost their lives. Among these were several of the officers who had started the day at Rippavilla. After the war, Major Cheairs returned to his plantation where he spent much of the remainder of his life. A very public service-minded man, he served as the Mayor of Spring Hill for some years. His beloved wife, Susan, died in 1893 and he died in 1914. The Cheairs family sold Rippavilla in the 1920's and over the following seventy years it was occupied by various owners. Additions and changes were made by some of these owners but it continues as one of the most imposing and authentic antebellum sites in Maury County. For more about Rippavilla and tourist informtion link to: ?????????
3. Polk Home.
James K. Polk, 11th President of the United States, spent most of his childhood in Maury County and in Columbia for several of those years. He was born in North Carolina in 1795, but accompanied his parents to Maury County at the age of 11 years. The Samuel Polk family first settled on a track of land about five miles north of Columbia, on what was to become known in later years as the Nashville Highway (Hwy. 31). After completing his basic studies under local teachers, young Polk returned to his native state to study at the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill. During the time he was living in Chapel Hill his parents erected a home in the city of Columbia. It is this house to which he returned when he graduated from the University and began to practice law in Maury and surrounding counties. This is the house that we today know as the "Polk Home". Samuel Polk also built a house next door which was occupied by his daughter, Jane Mariah, and her husband, James Walker until they built a new residence on West Eighth Street in 1848, calling it Rally Hill. (See item below.) After James K. Polk married in 1824, he built a house of his own--located a block north of his parents' home--and never again resided at his parent's home. He constantly visited there, however, during the years when he lived in Nashville or Washington, D.C. Upon the termination of his term as President, Polk returned to his residence in Nashville, dying there only three months after leaving public office. His former residence in Columbia had been sold several years before and the Nashville house sold upon the death of Mrs. Polk in 1891. Thus, the Polk Home in Columbia is the only house still standing in which James K. Polk actually resided. Today the Polk House is one of our Nation's treasures. It is listed on almost everybody's list of important historical sites. It is now a museum of Polk memorabilia and is administered by the Polk Association. It is open almost every day of the year for tourists who come by the thousands each year to view the house, Polk family portraits, the household furniture, silver and china, personal items used by the Polks, and the well-kept grounds around the house. 
4. Rally Hill
5. Elm Springs
Elm Springs is the name of one of the lovely antebellum houses in Maury County. It is located on Mooresville Pike about two hundred yards of where this road intersects with Highway 50. Located on a hill, it is plainly visible to all who pass by this way. The house was built aout 1837 by Mr. James Dick, a wealthy New Orleans merchant, for his sister, Sarah Todd, wife of Christopher Todd. The Todd family here until the couple passed away and then the property was inherited by a daughter, Susan, who was the wife of Abram M. Looney, a prominent attorney in Maury County. During the Civil War, Looney served the Confederacy as a Captain, later promoted to Colonel, in Company H, 1st Tennessee Infantry. He was an outspoken Southerner and this almost resulted in the loss of Elm Springs. In November, 1864, the Federal Army, which had occupied Maury County for several months, was preparing defensive positions ahead of the oncoming Confederate troops under Gen. John B. Hood. Their line of defense extended from the Mooresville Pike to the Mt. Pleasant Pike. One of the defensive tactics used was the destruction of important buildings along the line. Elm Springs anchored the eastern flank of their line. Many houses were burned during those days and Elm Springs was slated to be destroyed too. Fires were started that might have burned the house except for the opportune arrival of Confederate troops who extinguished the flames. The Akin family acquired the property about 1910 and in 1985 the Gillham family purchased it and restored it to near- original state. In 1992 it was acquired by the Sons of the Confederacy for its national headquarters.
6. Webster House
Jonathan Webster, native of Wilkes Co., Ga. and veteran of the Revolutionary War, cut his way through the cane brakes of Maury County in 1807 and occupied a 1000 acre spread along a creek called Tombigbee, now shortened to Bigby Creek. The rich soil of the valley produced abundant crops after being cleared of its natural vegetation. Within a few years Webster dammed the waters of the creek and built a grist mill to grind his own grain and a saw mill to produce lumber from the abundant hardwoods in the surrounding forests. A village began to grow up around the mill and soon became known by the name "Webster" or "Webster's Mill". The name was later changed to "Lipscomb" and still later to "Cross Bridges", the name by which the village is known today. Prior to leaving his native state, Jonathan Webster had married Mary Williams. She had borne three children but died sometime before 1805. That year the widower Webster married Miss Sarah Jossey. She was to bear him eight more children over the years. She must have been "great with child" during the rigorous trek to Maury County, for in a matter of months, James H. Webster was born. James, born in 1808, was the one of the first children to be born in Maury County after it was created. In 1810 Jonathan built his house about a mile from his mill on Bigby Creek. In the day when log houses were the style, Jonathan constructed a brick house--the first, it is said between Bigby Creek and the Mississippi River. The house was sturdily built and continues to serve as a dwelling today. A few hundred yards away is the family cemetery which contains the remains of dozens of family members. Several of the Webster children became prosperous farmers, millers and merchants in the neighborhood and as they grew into manhood, Jonathan deeded a part of his property to several of them. Among these were James H. Webster (the builder of the Vine Hill Mansion), and George Pope Webster, (builder of Liberty Hall). Many of these properties stayed in the family for several generations but, with time, they passed into other hands. Happily, historic Webster House has recently been acquired by Mr. and Mrs. Mike Webster, a direct descendant of pioneer Jonathan Webster. They are now engaged in a project that will see the old mansion restored to a near-original state.
7. Oaklawn
Absalom Thompson came to Maury County from his native Williamson County sometime prior to 1830 and acquired a plantation about 3 miles south of Spring Hill. He quickly became one of the important citizens of the area, being a Trustee of Jackson College and of the Presbyterian Church. Although Thompson was the largest slave owners in Maury County (having more than 80), he was what, at the time, was called "a slave spoiler" because of his kind treatment of his slaves. He permitted no abuse of his slaves, held weekly prayer meetings and church services for them provided relatively good housing for them, and never permitted that a slave family be separated. In 1843 the farm reported that about 25,000 pounds of cotton was produced. Thompson built his mansion in 1835, calling it Oaklawn. When originally built, the house had but one floor. The ceilings were 16 ft. high and the rooms large (20' by 20'). A large fireplace heated the hugh front parlor and a wide hall led to dining room and bed rooms. About ten years later a second floor was added, as was the front porch, second-story balcony and tall, square columns. When finished, it was, and still is, one of the most imposing structures in the county. Three of the Thompson sons marched off to fight for the Confederacy during the Civil War. Thomas was killed in battle; Elijah died soon after the close of the war of Tuberculosis that he had contracted during his years of military duty and imprisonment; and James T. S., a medical doctor who had served on the staff of Generals Joseph E. Johnston and John Bell Hood. It was he who invited his commanding officer, Gen. Hood, to use his family home as his headquarters on the night of 29 Nov 1864 and thus provided the ambient for one of the Civil War's most enduring debates. After the terrible defeats suffered by the Confederates in the Georgia Campaign, Gen. Hood withdrew to reorganize his troops and to make one last effort to free Tennessee from the grasp of the Union forces. He felt that he could divide the Federal troops camped in Columbia under Gen. Schofield, from the main army of Gen. Thomas, headquartered in Nashville. Hood by-passed Columbia and drove northward to Spring Hill. It was here that he planned to intercept Schofield. Both the railroad and the Nashville Pike converged at this place and Hood calculated that should these two arteries be controlled, Schofield would be bottled up and easily defeated. Thus, when Hood received the invitation from his physician to spend the night at the Oaklawn, just two miles out of Spring Hill, he readily accepted. Here is where the debate takes form. Hood had been horribly wounded in battle, had lost a leg and had to be tied to his saddle. Some feel that he was heavily doped with laudanum, administer to kill the pain. Others think that Hood was intoxicated with an over indulgence in whiskey. In any case, he failed to make his plans for the campaign clear to his subordinates and while he slept the night away in the high, postered bed on the lower floor of Oaklawn, the Federal troops marched north on the Nashville Pike and escaped, almost intact, to Franklin. When Hood was appraised of the fact on the following morning, the irate General blamed everybody else for the occurrance and ordered that the Confederate troops move out to overtake their enemies. This they did in Franklin--but that is a completely other story. Oaklawn passed by inheritance into the possession of Dr. J. T. S. Thompson and, later, to his descendants. In 1911 the family disposed of it, however, and the mansion passed through several owners. For some years it was abandoned as a dwelling place and was even used for hay storage for some time. In the 1950s the Allen Sloans acquired the house, restored it and added such modern facilities as a heating system, bathrooms, electric lights, etc. In 1973 it was acquired by singers George Jones and Tammy Wynette who disposed of it the following year to Tower Real Estate Development Corp. who in turn sold it to Dr. John and Martha L. Smith. The Smiths sold the property in recent years to Mr. and Mrs. Marvin Parker who make it their home and from time to time open the house as a part of the Society's Fall Parade of Historic Homes. The property has also been the site for a several Civil War reinactments featuring the Battles of Spring Hill, Franklin and Nashville.
8.Ferguson Hall (Located in Spring Hill, Tennessee.)
Ferguson Hall is one of the fine sights that may be seen while traveling down Hwy. 31 in Spring Hill. It was built by Dr. John Haddox, one of the early physicians who practiced in this area for many years. Dr. Haddox sold the property to Martin Cheairs about 1854. Ferguson Hall is most noted for an incident that transpired there in 1863. After the Battle of Murfrees-boro, Confederate General Bragg's troops drew back to occupy more secure bases to the South. Gen. Earl Van Dorn, a native of Mississippi, was commander of Bragg's cavalry. He brought his troops to Spring Hill, and chose Ferguson Hall (called the Chairs Home at the time) as his headquarters. Whether his reputation as a "womanizer" was true or not has been the subject of much discussion over the years but one of his affairs brought about his death. It was rumored that he was carrying on an affair with Jesse McKissack Peters, the wife of Dr. George B. Peters, local physician, and it was commented that Mrs. Peters could be seen coming and going from the Cheairs house at odd hours. Dr. Peters became aware of these rumors and on the morning of 7 May 1863 was waiting at the house when Gen. Van Buren arrived. Details of the events of that day are few but at the conclusion of it all, Van Dorn lay dead on the floor and Dr. Peters had fled the area. Evidence collected by army investigators seemed to point to justifiable murder and the doctor was never brought to trial. In 1897 William C. Branham and William Hughes opened a school in Spring Hill. The following year they acquired the property of what had been Spring Hill Male College and in 1905 purchased the old Martin Cheairs place with its 57 acres of land and the mansion. It was given the name "Ferguson Hall" in honor of a relative of the Branhams. Branham and Hughes School became known far and wide as an excellent educational institution. When the Depression hit the country in the 1930s, however, the school was forced to close its doors. In 1934 the property was deeded to the Trustees of Tennessee Orphans Home and became an institution for the care of needy children. The name has been changed to Tennessee Children's Home and today is as an arm of the Churches of Christ.
9. Haynes Haven
10. Hunter House (Located eight miles east of Columbia, just off of Hwy. 412.)
11.Walnut Grove (Located in the City of Mount Pleasant.)
12. Whippoorwill Hills (Located in the town of Culleoka.)
13. Vine Hill (Near Cross Bridges)
Johathan Webster (See Webster House for biographical sketch) was the father of a number of children and to several of them he gave portions of his property upon which to build their homes. One of them, James, was the first child born in Maury County after it was created. When James reached legal age, he built his home on a high hill on the road from Cross Bridges to Willamsport, giving it the name "Vine Hill". It is a large two-story structure with massive entrance hall and an equally sized hall on the upper floor. Twin stairways connect the two levels. Porches on three sides provide comfortable areas for relaxation and a pleasant escape from the heat on summer days. A detached kitchen still reveals many touches of antebellum lifestyle. Mrs. Charles Deere Wiman was the last of the Webster line to reside in the home. She resided in other places and did extensive travelling for many years but always desired to return to Vine Hill. In her travels she accumulated many valuable articles of furniture, table wear, art objects, etc. and used these to furnish Vine Hill when she did return. Since she had no children, she bequeathed the old historic house and its furnishings to the Maury County Historical Society. For more than twenty years the Society used the house as a meeting place (at least during the summer months). It became clear in the 1990's, however, that the Society was not able to continue with the costs of maintenance and would have to dispose of it. Forunately, about this time, Mr. and Mrs. S. Randolph Jackson, were planning to return to their native county to live during their retirement years. They purchased Vine Hill and have made extensive repairs to the house since they acquired it in 1993. They have completely furnished it with antique furniture and Vine Hill is once again inhabited and is often opened to the public during the Spring and Fall Tour of Historic Homes.
14. Liberty Hall (Located near Cross Bridges)
15. William McKissack House (In Spring Hill)
William McKissack, son of Revolutionary
War soldier, Thomas McKissack, came to Maury County from North Carolina
in 1834. He soon opened a prosperous business in Spring Hill and,
within a few years, built one of the finest houses in the town. One
of his business ventures was a brickyard. It is recorded that when
Nathaniel Cheairs, McKissack's son-in-law, built Rippavilla, the brick
came from the McKissack Brickyard. It is not known whether or not
McKissack manufactured the brick for his own house or not but it is likely
that he did.
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