Free Day at Oaklands Mansion only three weeks away
FREE! It’s not often that we can offer free admission to the elegant mansion. Mark your calendars now to spend Saturday, May 12th at Oaklands Mansion for “Free Day.” This community event is sponsored by J. Mullins Jewelry & Gifts and The Rutherford County Historical Society.
Dr. James Maney and his wife Sallie Hardy Murfree began their plantation with the construction of a modest two-room cabin, circa 1818. By 1860, their home had been drastically enlarged and was the center of a nearly 1,500-acre plantation, and one of the most elegant mansions in Tennessee. After the Maneys sold Oaklands in 1884, it passed through a succession of owners. When the last resident left in 1954, the mansion sat vacant and vandalized for five years before being scheduled for demolition. Fortunately, in 1959 a group of concerned local women mobilized to save the mansion and formed Oaklands Association, a non-profit educational organization. The mansion was opened to the public within a year.
Step into the past as you experience civilian demonstrations on the grounds with the 19 th Alabama Civilian Civil War Reenactors from 10:00 a.m.- 4:00 p.m. They tell the story of what civilians traveling with occupation forces would have been doing in and around our town during the Civil War. The front lawn of the mansion will feature an antique car display by Honk Rattle & Roll from 10:00 a.m-1:00 p.m. and to get you in the mood for summer travel and camping, A & L RV Sales from Christiana, Tennessee, will have a selection of campers for visitors to explore. In Maney Hall, the Tennessee State Button Society will display their collections of vintage buttons of all varieties. Live music by the Home Sweet Home String Band will be on the front porch of the mansion from 10:00 a.m.- 12:00 noon. Guests are invited to participate in games on the lawn, children’s dress-up, nature walks to the spring, visit the heritage vegetable garden and tour the mansion for FREE.
While enjoying the activities through-out the day, grab a bite to eat from That’s My Dawg food truck. At 2:00 p.m., make your way over to the field along Highland Avenue for a vintage baseball exhibition provided by members of the Tennessee Association of Vintage Baseball.
“This is a great opportunity for all of our residents and visitors to discover Oaklands,” says executive director, James Manning. Oaklands Mansion will be open for FREE. The civilian demonstrations on the lawn are free and open to the public. Parking for the event is located on Roberts Street with event entrance at the pavilion.
On May 12, 2018, be our guest and enjoy Oaklands Mansion for FREE. For more information visit www.OaklandsMansion.org, find Oaklands Mansion on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
