Because Rutherford County’s history is so rich, complex and exciting, we have worked hard to provide visitors of the county with many opportunities to explore it. By learning more about each historical space, detailed below, visitors of Rutherford County can begin to make sense of a history that spans across hundreds of years, many different eras, and across many diverse cultural groups. Do it all while having fun with family and friends!
Stones River National Battlefield
In Rutherford County, we provide all of our visitors with the opportunity to not only learn about our history, but also to live it! Our Living History interpretive events give participants the chance to feel as though they’ve been transported back in time, whether to watch a Civil War weapons and equipment demonstration, or get an inside view into the livelihoods of inhabitants of Rutherford County during the Civil War era.
These tours and immersive events bring Tennessee’s rich history to life. At Stones River National Battlefield, you’ll get to witness a recreation of the infamous Battle of Stones River as if 160 years had not passed. Find specific opportunities to watch this recreation, including at the end of December and on January 2nd of next year, on the Stones River official calendar. Check out the Stones River Facebook page for other program times and detailed descriptions of these interpretive events.
Another exciting learning experience at Stones River National Battlefield is the Museum and Archives and Collections where you can observe authentic relics of the Battle of Stones River. Visitors will get to browse the collections of nearly 100,000 objects and written pages used to uncover the true story of this historic battle. Park Rangers and Battlefield volunteers use these very artifacts to prepare the Living History experiences and museum exhibits, neither of which you will want to miss.
Bradley Academy Museum & Cultural Center
Another important space where you can jump into a different time period of our county’s history is the Bradley Academy Museum and Cultural Center. The Bradley Academy Museum explores a critical piece of history as the first school to open in the county and also the first school in Rutherford County to accept African American students in 1884. The Bradley Academy Museum is proud to tell such a crucial story in Rutherford County’s history and also to provide visitors with the opportunity to explore a time capsule from such an important era. If you’re interested in visiting, we suggest giving the center a call to confirm their hours and availability.
At the Bradley Academy Museum and Cultural Center there are various different exhibits to visit. Each and every one of these exhibits is important in a visitor’s learning experience, but there is one in particular that stands out when getting in touch with our history.
The Heritage Room is an exhibit named in the honor of Myrtle G. Lord, a former student of Bradley Academy who went on to accomplish amazing things worth honoring. After teaching in the county for 42 years, Lord was so well respected and involved in her community that she earned the Lifetime Achievement Award, which is just one of a long list of her awards.
Her legacy lives on in the Heritage Room of the Museum, educating visitors like you on the experiences and triumphs of African Americans in Rutherford County for hundreds of years. Along your journey into our “Living History,” this is an unforgettable experience that you won’t want to skip.
History of Oaklands Mansion
The next time-altering stop on the Living History tour of Rutherford County is the Oaklands Mansion, a present day picture of what was the peak of elegance in the 19th century.
In order to understand the history of the Oaklands Mansion, it’s important to learn about its many different structural and societal changes throughout the years. The mansion continuously expanded to encompass more land, more rooms, and large agricultural farms. As the property grew, so did the wealth and status of the family residing there. Across all of these changes, the Oaklands Mansion explores the interesting complexities of the visual beauty of the historical mansion, alongside the knowledge that it was built with extensive labor from the plantation’s enslaved population.
The family reached the height of their wealth, prosperity, and slave owning in 1861 as the Civil War broke out. With important battle sites surrounding it, the Oaklands Mansion played an active role in Civil War history, even serving as the location for the Confederate surrender of Murfreesboro. Additionally, the mansion also carefully details the lives of the enslaved communities that lived on the property, ensuring that the story of every past resident is told with accuracy and respect.
As you explore Rutherford County, you come in contact with countless pieces of Civil War history, and this mansion is yet another spot in which you can immerse yourself in the 1860s version of Middle Tennessee. At the Oaklands Mansion, Rutherford County takes advantage of this priceless historical value by offering a variety of programming for families, couples, and travelers alike, including the upcoming Oktoberfest, a Clue board game-themed party, and more. Whether you’re exploring on your own or with your family, the Oaklands Mansion has an event for you. Join us to learn more about the mansion’s Civil War history or simply to bask in the beauty of the residence. We’ll be waiting for you!
Historic Sam Davis Home and Museum
If you want to solidify your expert status on Rutherford County history, you’ll definitely need to spend a day at the Historic Sam Davis Home, an attraction that serves to “keep alive the story of Sam Davis, his family, and the people who labored on this Middle Tennessee farm before, during, and after the Civil War.”
When visiting the Historic Sam Davis Home, you’ll find yourself immersed in two simultaneous stories of Rutherford County livelihoods in the 1860s. On one hand, you’ll learn about the life of “boy hero” Sam Davis, a young man who served as a Confederate spy before the capture which led to his eventual execution. On the other, you’ll be engrossed in the history of the enslaved African Americans that worked on the Sam Davis plantation along the same timeline. At the outbreak of the Civil War, there were 51 enslaved people living and working on the plantation, most of which moved out of the area after emancipation. However, the Historic Sam Davis Home and Museum has preserved detailed stories of three formerly enslaved people that remained near the plantation.
We offer many different programs and events on the former plantation, including Family Nights geared toward parents and their little ones, Community Events to bring together those that live in Rutherford County and those that visit, workshops for adults, Tea Parties for children, and History After Dark productions for the adults.
If you want to learn about Sam Davis and his plantation in the Civil War era while also involving yourself in the local community and entertaining your kids, keep the Historic Sam Davis Home in mind. In just one location, you will explore the plantation owned and run by the Davis family, as well as many exhibits dedicated to the enslaved people that were forced to live and labor there. There is no better place to submerge yourself in the complexities of our history in Rutherford County than Historic Sam Davis Home.
Start Your Journey
We’re so excited to walk alongside you as you explore the rich history of Rutherford County, learning about distinct stories and blending them together to reach the complicated truth of Rutherford County. Join us for guided tours, community events, museum exhibitions, and so much more to experience our Living History. We can’t wait to travel back in time with you.