The Hermitage has the answer, thanks to a new mapping project. I'm still tinkering with it, but I'm impressed that there are short descriptions and sources for each of the map locations. (I wish the sources were to primary documents, but maybe that's coming.) H/t to Young Jacksonians for the title and link.
Official Release of Andrew Jackson, Southerner at The Hermitage
On Sat., Nov. 16, at 1:00, I will be speaking at the Hermitage Church, which is located on The Hermitage grounds. I'm very pleased to be able to speak at a place that has been special to me for nearly twenty years. If you are in the area that day, I hope you will attend. … Continue reading Official Release of Andrew Jackson, Southerner at The Hermitage
Tulip Grove Lawsuit
The lawsuit over Tulip Grove, Andrew Jackson Donelson's Nashville home, has concluded. "A five-year fight over how much money a historic house near The Hermitage should generate for the family that used to own it came closer to its end Friday, with an appeals court ruling in favor of the nonprofit that owns both. Tulip … Continue reading Tulip Grove Lawsuit
Meeting Lewis Donelson III
A week ago Saturday, I had the pleasure of meeting Andrew Jackson Donelson's great-grandson, Lewis (Lewie) Randolph Donelson III. Donelson practices out of the prominent Baker Donelson law firm in Memphis. He has also been active in state politics as a member of the Republican party. I went to Donelson's book signing at The Hermitage … Continue reading Meeting Lewis Donelson III
BrANCHing Out
I recently learned that my proposal, "‘The Evolution of the Enslaved Community at Andrew Jackson’s Plantations, 1790s-1840s," was accepted to be part of the 2012 BrANCH (Association of British American Nineteenth Century Historians) conference, which will be held in Newcastle-upon-Tyne this fall. This paper is part of a new project focusing on the slave community at The Hermitage. … Continue reading BrANCHing Out
Post-Civil War Slave Nostalgia
Update: This is a timely post, as my student, Kimberley Davis, reminded me with this letter purportedly written by an emancipated slave to his former owner. I am currently looking at post-Civil War interviews and memoirs of African American men and women who were enslaved at The Hermitage. The interviews are rendered in the stereotypical … Continue reading Post-Civil War Slave Nostalgia
The Hermitage Podcast Series: The Corrupt Bargain
This month's podcast from The Hermitage features yours truly, as James Yasko and I discussed the 1824 election and the "corrupt bargain." I'm not a great phone interviewee, so be forewarned. My thanks to James for the opportunity to contribute to the series. If you're interested, Elektratig, whose image I used for this post, provides … Continue reading The Hermitage Podcast Series: The Corrupt Bargain
The Hermitage’s Podcast Series: James Fenimore Cooper and Andrew Jackson
September's Hermitage podcast is about James Fenimore Cooper, author of The Leatherstocking Tales, a series of novels of which the most famous is The Last of the Mohicans. The University of Connecticut's Dr. Wayne Franklin discusses "how the literature of James Fenimore Cooper affected the public's perception of Native Americans, and wonder[s] if the famed … Continue reading The Hermitage’s Podcast Series: James Fenimore Cooper and Andrew Jackson
The Hermitage’s Podcast Series: Fire at the Hermitage
The Hermitage burned on a couple of occasions, including in 1834, when Andrew Jackson was serving as president. Vice President of Museum Services and Chief Curator Marsha Mullin talks about the fire and the house's restoration. She also explains what Andrew Jackson Jr.'s involvement in the restoration process tells us about the president's troubled son.
The Hermitage’s Podcast Series: Commemorating Alexis de Tocqueville
This month's Hermitage podcast discusses one of my favorite Jacksonian-era individuals, Alexis de Tocqueville. July 29 marks the birth of Alexis de Tocqueville - a Frenchman who traveled to the United States and turned his observations on Democracy in America a landmark work. Join us as we talk to Dr. Aurelian Craiutu - Associate Professor … Continue reading The Hermitage’s Podcast Series: Commemorating Alexis de Tocqueville
Jacksonian America: Society, Personality, and Politics 