Tomb of James Knox Polk and Mrs. Polk - Nashville, Tennessee
Posted by: BruceS
N 36° 09.998 W 086° 47.039
16S E 519428 N 4002452
Grave of the 11th President of the United States. Located on the grounds of the Tennessee state capitol in Nashville, Tennessee.
Waymark Code: WMGG50
Location: Tennessee, United States
Date Posted: 03/02/2013
Views: 9
The TOMB OF JAMES KNOX POLK AND MRS. POLK, near the northeast corner of the capitol designed by William Strickland, was built on the grounds of the Polk home and removed here when the house was torn down in 1893 - Tennessee: A Guide to the State, Nashville section , pg. 190.
President James Polk died June 16, 1849 only 103 days after leaving office. He died of cholera at the age of 57. Initially he was buried at the Nashville City Cemetery along with others who died from cholera which was sweeping the city. His body was then moved to the grounds of the Polk home near the intersection of Union and 7th only a few blocks from the capitol. After the death of Mrs. Polk in 1891 there was a court case regarding the ownership of the Polk house, it was determined in favor of descendants of the Polk family over the State of Tennessee. The family promptly sold the property for development and the house was torn down The tomb was then relocated to this current location 1893.