Pieces of history discovered at Andrew Jackson’s Hermitage

HERMITAGE, Tenn. (WKRN) — A mystery at Andrew Jackson’s Hermitage may have been solved, adding to the history of the seventh president’s home.

The Hermitage was preparing to bury power lines on site and hired archeologists with TRC Companies to detect where they could do so without hitting other utilities or unknown elements underground.

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During the process, radar reportedly detected several elements that needed further examination. When the archeologists excavated trenches, they said they found what is believed to be the remains of both Jackson’s carriage house and stable.

“Jackson was a famous horse breeder and a horse racer,” said Tony Guzzi, chief of preservation at Andrew Jackson’s Hermitage.

A photo from 1867 documents the stable, which likely held three to four horses and two carriages. Guzzi said it was destroyed by a fire around 1870 and the uncovered remnants of the stable still have signs of the burn.

After all of these years, Guzzi said it’s been unclear to historians where the carriage house and stable sat on the property.

“I actually thought this building ran in a different direction, and finding it and locating it had proven that theory is wrong, it runs the absolute opposite direction,” Guzzi explained.

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“Everything that we’ve uncovered, we have to meticulously map out,” said James Greene, an archeologist with TRC Companies. “This project as well as various projects that are going on at the Andrew Jackson Foundation are trying to help interpret history, and then preserve history.”

After the site is documented, the trenches will need to be refilled for preservation purposes. Guzzi said they will add signage and photographs identifying the area for visitors.

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