Travellers Rest

Travellers Rest is a plantation house built in 1799 in Nashville with a central two-story structure and several auxiliary buildings from the same era. The property features formal boxwood gardens and includes a weaving house along with exhibition spaces that provide insight into daily life on the estate.

Judge John Overton, appointed by President George Washington, built Travellers Rest in 1799 and established an important residence in the growing city. The house later played a strategic role when a Confederate general used it as a military headquarters during a major Civil War battle.

The collection here includes artifacts from early Native American settlements and tells the story of people who lived and worked without freedom on this land. Visitors can encounter these often-overlooked histories during their time here and understand how different people experienced this place.

This place is best explored by taking time to walk through the buildings and gardens at a relaxed pace. Informational materials throughout the grounds help you understand the stories and history as you move through each space.

The house was built by Judge Overton as a residence, but the weaving house shows that textiles were manufactured here for wider markets. This craft production was an important part of the plantation economy and remains visible today as evidence of this lesser-known aspect.