Joy-Baker House - Bolivar, TN - Field Hospitals on Waymarking.com

County of building: Hardeman County
Location of building: 206 E. Market St., Bolivar
Occupant at listing: Levi Joy
Current Occupant: Vacant
Building built: 1850

"39. Joy-Baker House (East Market Street): ca. 1850, Greek Revival style, Ionic portico, paired cornice brackets, frame with weatherboard siding, entrance with side lights.

"The Joy-Baker House (No.39) is one of a number of pre-Civil War residences in Bolivar; it is, however, the only such building in the district. Except for some Colonial Revival trim, the building has changed very little since it was constructed ca. 1850." _ NRHP Nomination Form

"Originally built as a log cabin by the Levi-Joy family, this two story white frame colonial home has a wrought iron balcony and four massive Ionic columns at the entrance. Later the house was deeded to General Rufus Polk Neely, a railroad builder and Confederate General who served in all of the wars in his lifetime in which his country was engaged.

"During the Civil War, the home served temporarily as the headquarters of Union General Lew Wallace, author of Ben Hur. Whenever Wallace was away, Kate Neely, a local firebrand, would stand on the second floor balcony and hurl insults at passing Union troops. She was subsequently placed under house arrest at The Columns.

"The home was used as a hospital during the Civil War and bloodstains were never completely removed from the upstairs floors and balcony. Later the home was sold to Samuel B. Baker and was in the Baker family for a number of years

"During the Civil War, Nathan Beford Forrest rode into town when Morgan Moore was standing in front of the Neely Place (Levi-Joy Baker home) saying to the child, "Run home to your mother for we are going to fight here in five minutes"!" ~ Visit Historic Bolivar