The Springhouse -- The Hermitage, Hermitage TN - Milk Platforms - Maitolaiturit on Waymarking.com

This springhouse was built by General Andrew Jackson in 1821 over the free-flowing spring that served as the water supply for The Hermitage, his homeand plantation.

The sign reads as follows:

"THE SPRINGHOUSE
Water for The Hermitage

Of all the enticements Tennessee offered settlers, one promised both survival and a future: water. Falling from above, bubbling up from below, flowing in broad river "highways": Water.

2 natural free-flowing Springs made the Hermitage a fine site for a farm, even without a coveted Riverside location. This "Gravelly Spring" provided abundant water for the Jackson's simple log farmhouse and, later, the brick mansion. Jackson had the limestone springhouse built to shelter this precious freshwater supply in 1821, at the same time the first version of the mansion was finished.

An earlier log building described as a "dairy" may have been located here as well. Until a well was dug near the mansions back porch, enslaved workers had the chore of carrying gallons of water to the mansion every day.

What we take for granted with the turn of a faucet, and Jackson's time was prized, labored for, and-- always- appreciated.

[inset]
young enslaved women use this butter churn, a variation on the barrel churn, and the dairy at the Hermitage. In 1850, they produced a thousand pounds of butter. This required skimming the cream off thousands of gallons of milk and then churning that cream into butter. Springhouse water kept the milk cool while the cream rose to the top for skimming. The finished butter was also stored here until the Jackson sold it in Nashville.

[photo]
Originally, the spring bubbled up in front of the springhouse under the overhanging roof that provided a covered work area and kept falling leaves and debris from the water. It flowed under the building, were water pooling inside the stone walls cooled the air and made an ideal place for storing food.

[photo]
About 1909, the Ladie's Hermitage Association (LHA) built a short wall around the spring to keep surface water from running into it and contaminating the water supply. They also replace the original wooden shingles with 10. After the Jacksons left The Hermitage, the State of Tennessee built a home for Confederate veterans on part of the property. Pumps sent the water from the spring about a half mile to supply the needs of the Home. The spring water was also pumped to provide water for Hermitage visitors until the late 1980s, and continues to water Hermitage lawns and gardens today.

[photo]
The LHA enclosed the spring in the late 1920s to continue the effort to keep the water supply pure. Later the enclosure was removed and the pumps were put into an underground vault. The spring was completely covered over as it is today. Excess water still flows into the springhouse and then into the creek."

Milk platforms condition: Very good Type: Milk house Year built: 1821 Web Link: [Web Link]

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