Sunnyside, historic mansion in Sevier Park, a public park in Nashville, Tennessee
Sunnyside is a Greek Revival house in Nashville built around 1852 for Mary Childress Benton and now located in Sevier Park. The two-story building features symmetrical windows and doors, tall columns supporting the front porch, and decorative brackets typical of the architectural style of that period.
The house was built in 1852 on land that Thomas Hardiman received from North Carolina in 1788 for his service in the Revolutionary War. During the Civil War in 1864, the building sustained damage from fighting around Nashville, with bullet holes in the columns and doors, and later served to shelter wounded soldiers.
The name Sunnyside was given by Mary Douglass, niece of Mary Benton, who lived there before the Civil War. The house shows how wealthy families lived in the antebellum era and their connections to important political figures like President James Polk.
The house can be admired from the park pathways and is easy to spot thanks to its white walls and tall porch. Being located in Sevier Park, visitors have access to amenities like playgrounds, tennis courts, and a community center, making it a pleasant place to spend time.
The building still bears bullet holes from the Battle of Nashville in December 1864, showing visible marks of the Civil War. These damages were intentionally preserved to serve as a reminder of the turbulent time when the house played an important role in local history.
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