Near Spencer in Van Buren County, Tennessee — The American South (East South Central)

Gilbert Gaul, Civil War Painter

Photographed by R. E. Smith, November 7, 2007

1. Gilbert Gaul, Civil War Painter Marker

Inscription. Just south of here was the studio of Gilbert Gaul, one of the best painters of American Civil War scenes. After being elected the youngest member of the National Academy of Design in 1882, his "Holding the Line at all Hazards" won an Academy Gold Medal. Gaul moved here from New York in 1881 after inheriting a tract of land. His most prolific work was accomplished here, engaging local folk as models.

Erected by Tennessee Historical Commission. (Marker Number 2C 15.)

Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Arts, Letters, Music • War, US Civil. In addition, it is included in the Tennessee Historical Commission series list. A significant historical year for this entry is 1882.

Location. 35° 39.547′ N, 85° 22.619′ W. Marker is near Spencer, Tennessee, in Van Buren County. It is on a Fall Creek Falls State Park road. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Spencer TN 38585, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in Tennessee’s Cumberland Plateau

and in the Highland Rim.

It is also in the American South,

specifically in the Upper

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South,

in Appalachia,

and specifically in Southern Appalachia. Globally, it is in North America,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once the territory of the Mississippian Culture,

one of the Confederate States of America,

and the Antebellum South.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 8 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies: Fall Creek Falls (approx. 1.3 miles away); Trail of Tears (approx. 7.2 miles away); Camp Forrest (approx. 7.2 miles away); War on the Plateau (approx. 7.7 miles away); Burritt College (approx. 7.7 miles away); Van Buren County Civil War Monument (approx. 7.9 miles away); Van Buren County Veterans Memorial (approx. 7.9 miles away); Van Buren County Veterans Monument (approx. 8 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Spencer.

Also see . . . Gilbert Gaul. Wikipedia entry (Submitted on May 25, 2026, by Larry Gertner of New York, New York.)

Gilbert Gaul image. Click for full size.

via Wikipedia, unknown

2. Gilbert Gaul

Titles Holding the Line at All Hazards image. Click for full size.

via Birmingham Museum of Art, unknown

3. Titles Holding the Line at All Hazards

Artist: William Gilbert Gaul, American, 1855 - 1919
Medium: oil on canvas
Dimensions: 33 × 43 in. (83.8 × 109.2 cm) frame: 37 5/8 × 44 1/4 × 2 5/8 in. (95.6 × 112.4 × 6.7 cm)
Credit Line: Gift of John Meyer, 1971.39

Photographed by R. E. Smith, November 7, 2007

4. Gilbert Gaul, Civil War Painter Marker

Credits. This page was last revised on May 25, 2026. It was originally submitted on November 18, 2007, by R. E. Smith of Nashville, Tennessee. This page has been viewed 2,869 times since then and 36 times this year. Last updated on May 6, 2015, by J. Makali Bruton of Washington, District of Columbia. Photos: 1. submitted on November 18, 2007, by R. E. Smith of Nashville, Tennessee. 2, 3. submitted on May 25, 2026, by Larry Gertner of New York, New York. 4. submitted on November 18, 2007, by R. E. Smith of Nashville, Tennessee. • Bill Pfingsten was the editor who published this page.