Hermitage in Davidson County, Tennessee — The American South (East South Central)

Confederate Soldiers' Home

Building a Veterans' Home

Photographed By Duane and Tracy Marsteller, September 25, 2021

1. Confederate Soldiers' Home Marker

Inscription.

Confederate Soldiers' Home. Building a Veterans' Home. , After the Civil War, many soldiers struggled with poverty, mental health issues, and physical disabilities. The federal government, along with concerned citizens, provided pensions and group homes for Union soldiers. In the former Confederate States, however, those responsibilities fell on the impoverished state governments., The Jackson family sold 500 acres of The Hermitage to the state of Tennessee in 1856, including the mansion. In 1889, the Tennessee General Assembly gave 475 of those acres for the Tennessee Confederate Soldiers' Home, while the remaining 25 acres around the Hermitage mansion went to the Ladies' Hermitage Association to preserve as a "shrine” to Jackson. The Soldiers' Home stood about one-half mile southwest of this spot., In forty-one years of operation, the Soldiers' Home housed more than 700 veterans. The state provided an annual appropriation, and employees of the home farmed the land to help pay expenses. Initially, the home's trustees planned to house the men in small cottages, but the expense of building and maintaining cottages compelled the construction of a large dormitory-style home instead., Captions , (Left, top) This image shows one of the two remaining cottages originally built to house Confederate veterans that still stand at The Hermitage. Courtesy The Hermitage , (Left, bottom) Postcards like this one highlight the home's popularity among tourists. Courtesy The Hermitage , (Center) Residents of the home posed for this photograph around 1900. Many visitors to The Hermitage also stopped and visited the “old soldiers.” Courtesy The Hermitage , (Right) Finished in 1892, the main building of the Tennessee Confederate Soldiers' Home typically housed 125 men during its peak years. The wings contained the veterans' rooms, with dining and community space in the center section. Former Confederate captain and architect William C. Smith designed the building, which had steam heat and running water. Soon after the home closed in 1933, the Ladies' Hermitage Association tore down all but one wing of the building, which was converted into employee housing. The remaining wing was demolished in 1953. Courtesy Tennessee State Library and Archives

After the Civil War, many soldiers struggled with poverty, mental health issues, and physical disabilities. The federal government, along with concerned citizens, provided pensions and group homes for Union soldiers. In the former Confederate States, however, those responsibilities fell on the impoverished state governments.

The Jackson family sold 500 acres of The Hermitage to the state of Tennessee in 1856, including the mansion. In 1889, the Tennessee General Assembly gave 475 of those acres for the Tennessee Confederate Soldiers' Home, while the remaining 25 acres around the Hermitage mansion went to the Ladies' Hermitage Association to preserve as a "shrine” to Jackson. The Soldiers' Home stood about one-half mile southwest of this spot.

In forty-one years of operation, the Soldiers' Home housed more than 700 veterans. The state provided an annual appropriation, and employees of the home farmed the land to help pay expenses. Initially, the home's trustees planned to house the men in small cottages, but the expense of building and maintaining cottages compelled the construction of a large dormitory-style home instead.

Captions
(Left, top) This image shows one of the two remaining cottages originally built to house Confederate veterans that still stand at The Hermitage. Courtesy
Paid Advertisement

Click on the ad for more information.
Please report objectionable advertising to the Editor.

Click or scan to see
this page online
The Hermitage
(Left, bottom) Postcards like this one highlight the home's popularity among tourists. Courtesy The Hermitage
(Center) Residents of the home posed for this photograph around 1900. Many visitors to The Hermitage also stopped and visited the “old soldiers.” Courtesy The Hermitage
(Right) Finished in 1892, the main building of the Tennessee Confederate Soldiers' Home typically housed 125 men during its peak years. The wings contained the veterans' rooms, with dining and community space in the center section. Former Confederate captain and architect William C. Smith designed the building, which had steam heat and running water. Soon after the home closed in 1933, the Ladies' Hermitage Association tore down all but one wing of the building, which was converted into employee housing. The remaining wing was demolished in 1953. Courtesy Tennessee State Library & Archives

Erected by Tennessee Civil War Trails.

Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Charity & Public Work • Science & Medicine • War, US Civil. In addition, it is included in the Tennessee Civil War Trails series list. A significant historical year for this entry is 1892.

Location. 36° 12.706′

Confederate Soldiers' Home Marker (marker on right) image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Darren Jefferson Clay, November 12, 2022

2. Confederate Soldiers' Home Marker (marker on right)

N, 86° 36.409′ W. Marker is in Hermitage, Tennessee, in Davidson County. Marker can be reached from Rachels Lane east of Lebanon Pike (U.S. 70), on the right when traveling east. Access to the marker is via Rachels Lane on the grounds of The Hermitage (which requires paid admission). There is no access via Lebanon Pike as the cemetery gate is locked. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 4401 Lebanon Pike, Hermitage TN 37076, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. A different marker also named Confederate Soldiers' Home (here, next to this marker); Our Peace: Follow the Drinking Gourd (a few steps from this marker); Rachel Stockley and Col. John Donelson (a few steps from this marker); The Donelson Family Cemetery (within shouting distance of this marker); Tennessee Confederate Soldiers' Home Cemetery Monument (within shouting distance of this marker); Hermitage Church (within shouting distance of this marker); Tulip Grove (within shouting distance of this marker); The Jacksons and Religion (within shouting distance of this marker). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Hermitage.

Also see . . .
1. Confederate Soldiers' Home and Cemetery. Tennessee Encyclopedia website entry (Submitted on September 26, 2021, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee.)

2. Tennessee Confederate Soldiers' Home Applications and Ledgers. Tennessee State Library & Archives website entry:
A searchable index of applications to and ledgers of the Tennessee Confederate

Confederate Soldiers' Home Marker detail (original) image. Click for full size.

via Tennessee State Library & Archives, circa 1900

3. Confederate Soldiers' Home Marker detail (original)

Residents pose at the home.

Soldiers' Home. (Submitted on September 26, 2021, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee.)

Credits. This page was last revised on February 7, 2023. It was originally submitted on September 26, 2021, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee. This page has been viewed 303 times since then and 59 times this year. Photos: 1. submitted on September 26, 2021, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee. 2. submitted on November 12, 2022, by Darren Jefferson Clay of Duluth, Georgia. 3. submitted on September 26, 2021, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee.