Architectural Evolution of The Hermitage -- The Hermitage, Hermitage TN - Signs of History on Waymarking.com

This sign of history stands in the tourist lineup area, where folks up to go into the mansion itself. The sign reads as follows:

Architectural Evolution of The Hermitage
A matter of style and substance

[drawing]
the brick residence, completed in 1821, was the only version of the mansion ever occupied by Andrew Jackson's beloved Rachel. Although not part of the original version, Jackson also added a small entry port of in the late 1820s.

[drawing]
this image comes from a Nashville map that featured illustrations of some of the city's prominent buildings and is the only known contemporary image of the second version of the Hermitage mansion. Nashville architect David Morrison added the front porch in the "Palladian" style that strictly follow details and proportions of classical buildings, particularly Roman architecture. At the same time, Morrison also designed Rachel Jackson's tomb.

[drawing]
Rather than re-creating Morrison's design, builders Joseph Reiff and William Hume followed the newly fashionable Greek Revival style that use details and designs from classical architecture. Although called "Greek "Revival," the basic architecture was American and adapted to each region of the country.

[drawing]
Jackson's builders replied heavily on the pattern books of New England architect Asher Benjamin, who was largely responsible for much of the popularity of the Greek revival style. The builders took the mansion's front door design directly from Benjamin's "The Architect or Practical House Carpenter" published in 1830. Andrew Jackson owned a copy of this book.

Like its landscape, so to have the homes of the Hermitage been touched by time and circumstance. Andrew and Rachel Jackson's first Hermitage home was a substantial and well furnished two-story log farmhouse, where they lived from 1804 until well after Jackson's rise to national fame at the Battle of New Orleans in 1815. After his victory, the first Hermitage reflected neither Jackson's status as a national hero, nor the fashions of the time. In 1819, he began construction of a federal style brick home, a style nearing the end of its popularity, but a great step up from the log farmhouse. In 1831, during Jackson's first term as president, he enlarged the mansion by adding library and dining room wings. The home used visit today is the third version of Jackson's brick mansion. When fire significantly damaged the Hermitage mansion in 1834, Jackson remodeled the house for the third and final time. Remodeling was finally finished in 1837, just as Jackson completed his second term as President and retired to The Hermitage. Home to stay.

For all the changes to the Hermitage over the years, two constants remain. History lived here. So did families. Welcome.

Group that erected the marker: The Hermitage Address of where the marker is located. Approximate if necessary: The Hermitage Hermitage, TN URL of a web site with more information about the history mentioned on the sign: Not listed

Visit Instructions:
Take a picture of the marker, preferably including yourself or your GPSr in the photo. A very detailed description of your visit may be substituted for a photo. In any case please provide a description of your visit. A description of only "Visited" or "Saw it while on vacation" by anyone other than the person creating the waymark may be deleted by the waymark owner or the category officers.

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Date Logged Log   03/11/2019 Benchmark Blasterz visited it