Historic Travellers Rest

Historic Travellers Rest The 1799 home of John Overton, Nashville's oldest house museum open to the public.
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We are dedicated to preserving the the 1799 home of Judge John Overton and serving as a gateway for learners of all ages to explore Nashville's historic past.

Peaches can be traced back to ancient China, where they were believed to be a symbol of longevity and immortality. The f...
08/27/2026

Peaches can be traced back to ancient China, where they were believed to be a symbol of longevity and immortality. The fruit made its way to the United States in the 17th century by way of Spanish and European settlers. John Overton had an orchard where he proudly grew apples, pears, and, of course, peaches. His orchard later became a key site in the Battle of Nashville, when the United States Colored Troops led a charge against the Confederacy atop the hill located there.

We are unsure if John Overton served peach cobbler to his guests, but we know he served something else made with peaches: brandy! He would often keep the liquor cabinet in his guest bedroom stocked with a fresh supply.

In honor of Overton’s orchard, our gift shop is proudly called the Peach Orchard Museum Store. Stop by to purchase a gift for a friend or personal keepsake today!. Admission to the museum is not required to shop.

Live at TR is in ONE MONTH!!!! We can't wait to share great music, food, and food times with you all under the stars at ...
08/24/2026

Live at TR is in ONE MONTH!!!! We can't wait to share great music, food, and food times with you all under the stars at Travellers Rest. With an incredible line up of Nashville songwriters, this is truly a night you don't want to miss.

Live at TR is also our largest public fundraiser of the year, so your ticket purchase, raffle tickets, and drink purchases, all help support the historic preservation and education work being done daily at Travellers Rest Historic House Museum.

Thanks to our leading sponsors Pinnacle Financial and WSM!

On August 21, 1912, Arthur Eldred was informed that he had become the first person in history to achieve the Eagle Scout...
08/21/2026

On August 21, 1912, Arthur Eldred was informed that he had become the first person in history to achieve the Eagle Scout ranking.

Eldred was born on August 16, 1895, and raised in Oceanside, NY. He completed the 21 merit badges required to become an Eagle Scout and received a letter in the mail congratulating him on his remarkable achievement 114 years ago to the day.

Eldred received his badge a few weeks later on September 2, as the badges had yet to be designed when he achieved his ranking, as the council had not expected anyone to earn the award so quickly. Shortly before the ceremony, he saved the life of a drowning 15-year-old boy, using the skills he had learned while earning his swimming badge, while on a Scout sponsored camping trip. For this feat, Eldred received yet another Scouting honor, a Bronze Honor medal.

After graduating from Cornell University with an agriculture degree, he enlisted in the US Navy and fought in World War I. Eldred continued to stay involved in Scouting throughout his adult life as a Troop Leader and Mentor.

At Historic Travellers Rest, we are very fortunate to have worked with many wonderful and talented Scouts completing their Eagle Scout service projects over the years. These include picnic benches, our woodshed, interpretive signage, and even our candle making table that is annually used by hundreds of school children.

To inquire about scheduling a visit with your Scout Troupe or adding to the list of projects to enhance our site, Contact Andy at [email protected] or call 615.832.8197. Ext 15.

Wedding Wednesday! In the heat of the summer, we are dreaming of fall weddings and golden hours at Travellers Rest!
08/19/2026

Wedding Wednesday!
In the heat of the summer, we are dreaming of fall weddings and golden hours at Travellers Rest!

Live at TR is our largest public fundraiser of the year, and it is thanks to our incredible sponsors that we can keep ti...
08/17/2026

Live at TR is our largest public fundraiser of the year, and it is thanks to our incredible sponsors that we can keep ticket prices low, welcome kids for free, and share these amazing artists with so many people!

We ask you to support these great companies that support Travellers Rest and the ongoing preservation and education work we are doing.

You can still become of sponsor. If interested, email [email protected]

Pinnacle Financial Partners

Bradley
Diversified Trust
Grand Tents and Events





It’s World Calligraphy Day! While calligraphy is considered an increasingly rare skill today, during Judge John Overton’...
08/13/2026

It’s World Calligraphy Day! While calligraphy is considered an increasingly rare skill today, during Judge John Overton’s lifetime, it is what he used for record keeping on a daily basis. He would have likely written with a quill pen and ink made from walnuts, oak galls, iron gal ink, or on formal occasions, the rarer cuttlefish ink.


Pictured below is a photograph of John Overton’s ledger. During our Junior Docent Camp, students attempted to replicate John Overton’s signature the old-fashioned way. Most discovered that they would like to stick to writing with modern pens and pencils in school!

Happy first day of school to students across the Metro Nashville Public School District! Field trips are our favorite da...
08/11/2026

Happy first day of school to students across the Metro Nashville Public School District!

Field trips are our favorite days! We offer a variety of education programs, including Native American history, for frontier families, the Civil War, and specialty holiday experiences. All field trips include hands-on-history and interactive activities that complement the Tennessee Social Studies Academic Standards. We annually host over 4,500 students from kindergarten through 12th grade from public, private, and homeschool groups from across Middle Tennessee.

Are you unable to physically visit the site? If so, we would love to come to you! Our Traveling Trunks program allows trained professionals to bring artifacts and activities right into your classroom to present and share.

For more information, or to book your experience today, please reach out to Andy a [email protected] or call 615.832.8197. ext 15.

Did you enjoy the emerging artists at last year's Live at TR event? You are in luck! We are welcoming 4 students from Be...
08/10/2026

Did you enjoy the emerging artists at last year's Live at TR event? You are in luck! We are welcoming 4 students from Belmont's Curb College of Entertainment and Music Business They will get the live music started at 5:30 before the hitmakers take the stage.

We are also offering a $10 student ticket for high school and college students.

Get your tickets now!!

Live at TR is made possible with support from Pinnacle Financial Partners, WSM Radio, Diversified Trust, Nashville Event Lighting, Nashville Audio Visual, Grand Tents and Events and Steaming Goat!

Judge John Overton had an impressive collection of books. He enjoyed reading for business and pleasure, which is evident...
08/09/2026

Judge John Overton had an impressive collection of books. He enjoyed reading for business and pleasure, which is evident by the catalog of titles he owned. His collection included titles ranging from a variety of legal texts to Shakespeare works. In our museum today, we have several books that belonged to the Judge, his family members, and period copies of other titles listed in his death inventory. In one, you can even see his book plate.

Overton would not have used a traditional library system, as the first public library did not open in Nashville until 1898, many years after his death. George Washington, however, who appointed Overton to his first position as a revenue collector, did use a smaller city library system. He famously checked out a copy of The Law of Nations by Emer de Vattel from the New York Society Library in 1789, which was never returned. His error was discovered much later, and hypothetically, the fine would have been over $300,000. Luckily, the fee was waived, and his estate purchased a replacement of the same edition and ceremonially returned it to its rightful place in 2010.

On August 5, 1823, Anne Coleman Overton was born in Nashville, Tennessee, to Judge John and Mary May Overton. Anne atten...
08/05/2026

On August 5, 1823, Anne Coleman Overton was born in Nashville, Tennessee, to Judge John and Mary May Overton.

Anne attended the Nashville Female Academy, and shortly after completing her studies, married Robert Campbell Brinkley. Before her unexpected death, Anne and Robert had two children together, shown in the second photo. A son, Hugh Lawson White Brinkley (nicknamed “Hu”) was born in 1842, followed by a sister, Annie Brinkley, in 1845. Anne, when she was only 21 years old, a few months after giving birth to her daughter, passed away. She was buried in the Overton family cemetery on the grounds of Travellers Rest and later, after her mother passed away, was reinterred into the new Overton family burial plot at Mount Olivet Public Cemetery, where she lies today.

Hu and Annie were raised by their father, Robert Campbell Brinkley, at the Annesdale Estate in Memphis, which was named after their late mother. Hu followed his father’s footsteps by having a career in the railroad industry. After his death, he left a sum of money to the Young Woman’s Christian Association to build the Anne Brinkley Home for Working Women. Annie became the first president of the Nineteenth Century Club. This social organization spearheaded many successful campaigns, including the formation of the Shelby County Tuberculosis Society and the installation of the first police matron in the city.

To learn more about Anne, her children, and other Overton family members please visit our website or stop by Historic Travellers Rest for a tour on Tuesday-Saturday between the hours of 10 and 3.

Address

636 Farrell Pkwy
Nashville, TN
37220

Opening Hours

Tuesday 10am - 4:30pm
Wednesday 10am - 4:30pm
Thursday 10am - 4:30pm
Friday 10am - 4:30pm
Saturday 10am - 4:30pm

Telephone

(615) 832-8197

Website

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