Ashwood Hall

Ashwood Hall was a substantial plantation mansion in Maury County with expansive grounds and a main entrance oriented toward a church across the road. The structure dominated the Tennessee agricultural landscape with its prominent position and scale.

The mansion was built between 1833 and 1837 for Bishop Leonidas Polk and later purchased by Rebecca Van Leer, an heir to an iron fortune. A fire destroyed the complex in 1874, marking the end of plantation operations.

The place served as a meeting ground for community gatherings and regional organizations during the antebellum period. Its location across from a church made it a focal point in the social life of the surrounding area.

The site is located near Columbia, Tennessee, in a rural area best explored during daylight hours. The grounds offer context for understanding the historical setting, though the original structure no longer stands.

A resident of the estate, Antoinette Polk, played a key role during the Civil War in alerting Confederate forces about approaching Union troops. Her intelligence helped the local community understand and respond to military movements in the region.