Rattle and Snap (also called the Polk-Granberry House[3] and once known as Oakwood Hall) is a plantation estate at 1522 North Main Street in Mount Pleasant, Tennessee. The centerpiece of the estate is a mid-1840s mansion that is one of grandest expressions of the Greek Revival in Tennessee. It was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1971 for its architecture, and for its association with the Polk family, once one of eastern Tennessee's largest landowners. The house is privately owned, but may be viewed by appointment.
Rattle and Snap is located on the south side of Andrew Jackson Highway (Tennessee State Route 243), roughly midway between the city centers of Mount Pleasant and Columbia; it is located at the eastern edge of the Mount Pleasant municipal boundary. The estate is presently more than 500 acres (200 ha) in size.[4]
The main mansion house is a large two-story brick building covered by a shallow hip roof. It is L-shaped, with a long front facade covered by a stepped two-story colonnade, and with the brick finished in stucco. The center portion of the colonnade is fully pedimented four-column Greek temple portico, which projects forward from flanking pairs of columns, and another pair of columns set behind the end columns of the temple front. The interior of the house retains rich woodwork and plaster decorations in the Greek Revival style.[4]
History
It was built in 1845 by George Washington Polk (1817-1892),[5] one of the sons of Colonel William Polk and a relative of President James K. Polk. His father was a North Carolina native and Revolutionary War officer who was appointed surveyor-general of the Middle District of Tennessee in 1784. The plantation originally stood on 5,648 acres (2,286 ha). Rattle and Snap was built with slave labor and is the largest, most extravagant mansion in Maury County.[6] George Polk and his family lived in this mansion for fifteen years, selling it in 1867 to Joseph Granberry. The Granberrys owned the property until about 1920, calling it "Oakwood Hall".[4]
During the American Civil War, many plantations and mansions in the South were either looted or burned by Union soldiers. Rattle and Snap survived, allegedly because the senior Union Army officer, a Freemason, noticed Polk's Masonic ring in his formal portrait and refused to damage the home of a fellow Freemason. After the war, the Polk family went bankrupt and could not afford the land or the mansion; Rattle and Snap was sold to Joseph John Granbery in 1867. The Granberys lived in the mansion for over fifty years.[7][8]
It is said to have been given its name from the fact that the land on which it was built was won from the Governor of North Carolina in a game of chance called 'Rattle and Snap'.[9]
^ ab"Rattle and Snap". National Historic Landmark summary listing. National Park Service. Retrieved March 2, 2008.
^Rattle & Snap, U.S. Route 43 (Andrew Jackson Highway), Columbia, Maury County, TN
^ abcdW. Brown Morton III (August 19, 1971). "National Register of Historic Places Inventory-Nomination: Rattle and Snap" (pdf). National Park Service. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help) and Accompanying seven photos, exterior and interior, from 1971(32 KB)
^"Rattle and Snap Papers." Albert Gore Research Center.
^William R Polk, Polk's Folly: An American Family History, First Anchors Book Edition (New York: Anchor Books, 2001), xxiv; digital image, William R Polk, Family Search (familysearch.org )
^"Rattle and Snap | Entries | Tennessee Encyclopedia". tennesseeencyclopedia.net. Retrieved October 2, 2015.
Historic American Buildings Survey (HABS) No. TN-63, "Rattle & Snap, U.S. Route 43 (Andrew Jackson Highway), Columbia vicinity, Maury County, TN"
May 02, 2023
rattle, snap, also, called, polk, granberry, house, once, known, oakwood, hall, plantation, estate, 1522, north, main, street, mount, pleasant, tennessee, centerpiece, estate, 1840s, mansion, that, grandest, expressions, greek, revival, tennessee, designated, . Rattle and Snap also called the Polk Granberry House 3 and once known as Oakwood Hall is a plantation estate at 1522 North Main Street in Mount Pleasant Tennessee The centerpiece of the estate is a mid 1840s mansion that is one of grandest expressions of the Greek Revival in Tennessee It was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1971 for its architecture and for its association with the Polk family once one of eastern Tennessee s largest landowners The house is privately owned but may be viewed by appointment Rattle and SnapU S National Register of Historic PlacesU S National Historic LandmarkRattle and Snap in 1971Show map of TennesseeShow map of the United StatesLocation1522 North Main St Mount Pleasant TennesseeCoordinates35 33 42 N 87 9 22 W 35 56167 N 87 15611 W 35 56167 87 15611 Coordinates 35 33 42 N 87 9 22 W 35 56167 N 87 15611 W 35 56167 87 15611Area519 acres 210 ha Built1845 1845 Architectural styleGreek RevivalNRHP reference No 71000825Significant datesAdded to NRHPNovember 11 1971 1 Designated NHLNovember 11 1971 2 Contents 1 Description 2 History 3 See also 4 References 5 External linksDescription EditRattle and Snap is located on the south side of Andrew Jackson Highway Tennessee State Route 243 roughly midway between the city centers of Mount Pleasant and Columbia it is located at the eastern edge of the Mount Pleasant municipal boundary The estate is presently more than 500 acres 200 ha in size 4 The main mansion house is a large two story brick building covered by a shallow hip roof It is L shaped with a long front facade covered by a stepped two story colonnade and with the brick finished in stucco The center portion of the colonnade is fully pedimented four column Greek temple portico which projects forward from flanking pairs of columns and another pair of columns set behind the end columns of the temple front The interior of the house retains rich woodwork and plaster decorations in the Greek Revival style 4 History EditIt was built in 1845 by George Washington Polk 1817 1892 5 one of the sons of Colonel William Polk and a relative of President James K Polk His father was a North Carolina native and Revolutionary War officer who was appointed surveyor general of the Middle District of Tennessee in 1784 The plantation originally stood on 5 648 acres 2 286 ha Rattle and Snap was built with slave labor and is the largest most extravagant mansion in Maury County 6 George Polk and his family lived in this mansion for fifteen years selling it in 1867 to Joseph Granberry The Granberrys owned the property until about 1920 calling it Oakwood Hall 4 During the American Civil War many plantations and mansions in the South were either looted or burned by Union soldiers Rattle and Snap survived allegedly because the senior Union Army officer a Freemason noticed Polk s Masonic ring in his formal portrait and refused to damage the home of a fellow Freemason After the war the Polk family went bankrupt and could not afford the land or the mansion Rattle and Snap was sold to Joseph John Granbery in 1867 The Granberys lived in the mansion for over fifty years 7 8 It is said to have been given its name from the fact that the land on which it was built was won from the Governor of North Carolina in a game of chance called Rattle and Snap 9 It was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1971 2 4 See also EditHamilton Place Columbia Tennessee Ashwood Hall List of National Historic Landmarks in Tennessee National Register of Historic Places listings in Maury County TennesseeReferences Edit Wikimedia Commons has media related to Rattle and Snap National Register Information System National Register of Historic Places National Park Service January 23 2007 a b Rattle and Snap National Historic Landmark summary listing National Park Service Retrieved March 2 2008 Rattle amp Snap U S Route 43 Andrew Jackson Highway Columbia Maury County TN a b c d W Brown Morton III August 19 1971 National Register of Historic Places Inventory Nomination Rattle and Snap pdf National Park Service a href Template Cite journal html title Template Cite journal cite journal a Cite journal requires journal help and Accompanying seven photos exterior and interior from 1971 32 KB George Washington Polk on Find a Grave Rattle and Snap Papers Albert Gore Research Center William R Polk Polk s Folly An American Family History First Anchors Book Edition New York Anchor Books 2001 xxiv digital image William R Polk Family Search familysearch org Rattle and Snap Entries Tennessee Encyclopedia tennesseeencyclopedia net Retrieved October 2 2015 Rattle and Snap Plantation websiteExternal links EditRattle and Snap Plantation website Nashville on the Move website Historic American Buildings Survey HABS No TN 63 Rattle amp Snap U S Route 43 Andrew Jackson Highway Columbia vicinity Maury County TN Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Rattle and Snap amp oldid 1091253026, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
