Riverwood, Historic house in Nashville, United States
Riverwood is a three-story house at 1833 Welcome Lane, formed by joining a rear wing built by Alexander Porter in the 1790s with a two-story Federal-style house added in the 1820s. A third story and a Greek Revival portico with six Corinthian columns were added in 1850. The 9,200-square-foot interior sits on 8 acres of the original 2,500-acre tract.
A rear wing of the estate dates to 1799, built by Alexander Porter, while the main Federal-style structure was constructed in the 1820s. The house received an additional third story in 1850 and gained its current name when Judge William Frierson Cooper purchased it a decade later.
Alexander Porter named the estate Tammany Woods after his family home in Ireland; Judge William Frierson Cooper renamed it Riverwood in 1859 for its position by the Cumberland River. Sarah and Dr. Lucius E. Burch, dean of the Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, held an annual Christmas dinner attended by Nashville's elite, and Robert Penn Warren spent a summer in one of the cottages while at Vanderbilt.
Riverwood is a privately owned house at 1833 Welcome Lane, used since 1997 as a wedding and small-event venue; it is not open to the public, so visits are only possible by arrangement with the owners. The grounds cover 8 acres of the original 2,500-acre tract, and the house stands near the Cumberland River.
The property changed from its original name Tammany Woods to Riverwood in 1859, a name chosen specifically for its proximity to the Cumberland River. This geographical connection to the river landscape remains a defining feature of the location.
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