Grassmere – The Croft House
Grassmere was built by Col. Michael C. Dunn, it was finished around 1810 on 300 beautiful acres of land. Trees were cut and land was cleared for the building of this beautiful home and for the growing of crops. Pigs were brought to the property and enjoyed the wild acorns and other treats that the land provided to them. Cows were added to graze the vast acreage and sweet native Tennessee grasses.
Grassmere is the second oldest home open to the public in Davidson County Tennessee. Originally built in the Federal style, but was later renovated into the Italianate with the large porches by William Dickson Shute and his wife Lavinia after the Civil War.
Together they had four daughters here at Grassmere who lived to adulthood. The family grew sweet potatoes, corn and wheat and raised pigs and cattle here. Dunn and his wife were the first of five generations to farm here and call it home.
Their daughter Kate met and married her husband William Croft here in 1888 on the property. Mr Croft worked in sugar business in the manufacture of concrete for sugar chimneys. The couple had two daughters Margaret and Elise. They lived here until 1902 when William moved his family to Cuba for work in the sugar business. The daughters hearts seem to be held in Tennessee though, for every summer Margaret and Elise returned to Grassmere to stay with their grandparents and aunts.
In 1931, the girls moved back to Grassmere leaving Cuba permanently to live with their grandfather on the farm where they stayed until their deaths in 1974 and 1985.
The women used the money from the Cuban business to fund the care and upkeep of the croft but when the Castro Revolution ended the stream of income the sisters fell into hard times. They spoke with the Children’s Museum of Nashville and arranged for them to stay until their deaths but that the property would go to the museum at that time.
90 acres was sold off of the large farm to developers to help pay for the upkeep of the property in 1984. In 1996 the property was managed by the Nashville Zoo and by 1998 it was opened to the public for viewing.
Isn’t this the perfect spot to sit and relax?
We always have a great time at this beautiful house and the Nashville zoo. We go every year! Even if we have seen it many times it’s always fun to stroll through the leaves and enjoy the beautiful lines of the house.
I love the barn on the property! It would be perfect for a harvest party or a barn dance!
Check out our trip to the zoo this year! Or one of our previous trips!
