Home of the People's President

Maybe I shouldn't leave you guessing about this title, or maybe you do know your United States history!  The people's president was Andrew Jackson. From 1819 until 1821 he and his wife Rachel built the Hermitage (meaning of that word is a retreat or refuge). We toured that building during our stay in Nashville. It is one of our nation's oldest and largest historic site museums. The museum includes, besides the manor home; slave cabins and other out buildings, as well as gardens and the Jackson family graveyard. Outside of the immediate area of the mansion is the Hermitage church. 

Hermitage

Andrew Jackson purchased the above property in 1804, but the family initially lived in a two story log cabin until 1821 when the main center part of the mansion pictured above was completed. Rachel Jackson was able to live in the Hermitage until 1828, when she died. That same year Andrew Jackson became president (he served as President from 1829 until 1837). He died at the Hermitage in 1845.

 

Second Story of the First Farm Home 

Andrew Jackson's life encompassed some very tumultuous times in our nation's history. At the age of 13 he was a messenger boy for the Americans during the Revolutionary War. He fought in the War of 1812 as well as the battle of New Orleans. His farm was located in what was then the territory of Tennessee, designated at that time as the "wild west".  Native Americans during that time fought back to keep what they thought was their land, and initially there were also border battles with the Spanish who had purchased the territory. Jackson was revered and reviled by many. He built  his plantation on the backs of slaves. He started producing 200 acres of cotton on his farms, and the more he was able to produce on his own, the more cash he was able to invest in land, slaves, and luxury furnishings for his home.
Speaking of the latter, the wallpaper of the front hall immediately caught our eyes as we began our tour of the Hermitage. Andrew Jackson and his wife bought it when they visited France. The wallpaper, which extends up the stairs and to the second floor, tells the story of the "Odyssey" (a Greek epic poem by Homer). All of the mansion was decorated in 19th century period furnishings and also had a few artifacts used by President Jackson. Quite the place to visit!

 

President Jackson deeded some of the land on the Hermitage as a graveyard for his family. Pictured above is his tomb. The biggest sorrow in his life was the fact that his first wife Rachel did not live in the White House with him. Some claim that she died of a broken heart. She had been married before she married Andrew, and the divorce to her first husband was shrouded with controversy. Divorce was unusual in the late 1700s, as well as the required paperwork. Rumor had it that she was not divorced when she married Andrew, which she and Andrew contested to no avail. Politicians made the most of that scandal, and she realized that the nasty gossip would never stop once she became the First Lady of the land. From what I have read ( "The President's Lady" by Irving Stone) she probably died of a heart attack. Another interesting fact here was that their only son Andrew was adopted; he was a boy from a set of twins fathered by her brother. As she had not been able to produce, her brother and his wife were most generous sharing one of their own with her. I will conclude this posting with a picture from the Hermitage garden, which had some  springtime plants starting to bloom.

 

Trumpet Honeysuckle and Virginia Bluebells