Oakslea Place
Oakslea Place is a historic mansion in Jackson, Tennessee, USA. Built circa 1860, prior to the American Civil War, it was expanded in 1900.
Oakslea Place | |
 Oakslea Place in 2014 | |
| Location | 1210 North Highland Avenue, Jackson, Tennessee, U.S. |
|---|---|
| Built | c. 1860; 1900 |
| Architectural style | Greek Revival; Colonial Revival |
| NRHP reference No. | 03001305 |
| Added to NRHP | December 18, 2003 |
Location
The mansion is located at 1210 North Highland Avenue in Jackson, a city in Madison County, Tennessee.[1] It is close to the Forked Deer River, and halfway between Memphis and Nashville.[2] Built in a rural area, it is now surrounded by many houses.[2]
History
The land belonged to Mathew Barrow in 1840.[1] It was acquired by William East in 1849.[1] In 1853, Judge John Read acquired the land.[1]
The mansion was built circa 1860 for Judge John Read and his wife, Mary.[1][2] It was designed in the Greek Revival architectural style.[1][3] The portico is supported by four Doric columns.[1]
After Judge Read died in 1865 at the end of the American Civil War, the mansion was inherited by his widow.[1] She shared the house with her nephew and her niece.[1]
The mansion was acquired by R.V. Hicks, a large landowner in Madison County, in 1899.[1] A year later, in 1900, he built a second storey.[1] It was designed in the Colonial Revival architectural style.[1]
By 1911, the mansion was acquired by J.D. Hoppers.[1] Three years later, in 1914, it was purchased by Thomas Polk.[1] By 1917, it was sold to Dr. Jere Crook and his wife, Millian.[1][2] They added a coal furnace in the basement with radiators throughout the house for central heating.[1] By 1950, it was changed for gas heating.[1] That year, they also built a sunroom.[1] Until 1950, the grounds included chickens and two cows.[1] In 1952, much of the garden behind the house was given to Dr. Crook's son, Dr. William Crook, to build a home for his family.
The mansion was acquired by Walton Harrison and his wife, Katherine, in 1958.[1] By 2004, it was purchased by Richard Testani, who turned it into a bed and breakfast.[2] According to Testani, the house is haunted by ghosts of former residents and servants.[2]
Architectural significance
It has been listed on the National Register of Historic Places since December 18, 2003.[3]
References
- "National Register of Historic Places Registration Form: Oakslea Place". National Park Service. Retrieved September 15, 2015.
- Coleman, Christopher Kiernan (2011). Ghosts and Haunts of Tennessee. Winston-Salem, North Carolina: John F. Blair, Publisher. pp. 151–153. ISBN 9780895875129.
- "Oakslea Place". National Park Service. Retrieved September 15, 2015.