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~The Hermitage - the Home of Jackson 
The name “Hermitage” held a charm for 
. Andrew Jackson for it suggested a haven of 
peace and a withdrawal from the busy scenes 
of his turbulent times. And, to Rachel Don- 
elson Jackson, his wife, it was home, and 
where she spent the happiest years of her 
life. 
The old iron gates, entered from Rachel’s 
Lane, lead into a guitar-shaped driveway 
outlined with Cedar trees. This unique idea 
was thought of by President Jackson and the 
plan drawn by Ralph Earl, the artist, who 
resided at the Hermitage for many years. 
The guitar was played by Mrs Sarah Yorke 
Jackson, the adopted son’s wife, who was 
Mistress of the Hermitage after Mrs. Jack- 
son’s death, in 1828. The driveway was a 
tribute to his daughter-in-law, who played so 
sweetly for him in the twilight on the white 
pillowed portico. 
A view from the upstairs porch bears out 
the fact that Andrew Jackson had a great 
interest in trees and made of the front lawn 
a representatve arboretum of Tessessee spec- 
ies. The two stately Hollies near the front 
porch have stood the test of time. Each 
December they seem to take on the old hol- 
iday spirit with their abundant clusters of 
red_ berries. 
In 1837, The Hermitage Plantation con- 
sisted of 2,600 acres and was the most pro- 
ductive of its size in the Southwest. Today, 
only 500 of the original acres are left and 
this is under cultivation. Beef cattle are 
grazing on the Blue Grass once used for the 
General’s famous thoroughbreds. Walnut. 
trees can be found dotted here and there and 
it has been said, that, when walking over tha 
fields, the General carried pockets full of 
walnuts and stuck them into the ground with 
his walking cane. 
The flower garden is on the east side of 
the house, just outside Jackson’s office or 
library. Here he could view it in all seasons 
from the side windows. The garden was 
ever a source of interest to Rachel and it was 
a great pleasure to The General to procure 
from distant places, rare plants and unusual 
The ‘Home of Andrew Jackson 
By Mrs. William H. Wemyss 
Regent, Ladies Hermitage Association 
flowers. These she enjoyed exchanging with 
her friends and neighbors. Quoting from a 
diary written in 1827 by Mrs. Juliana Court- 
ney Connor of North Carolina when she 
visited The Hermitage on her wedding trip 
in early September of that year: “After [I 
was rested she (Mrs. Jackson) proposed 
walking into the garden which is very large 
and quite her hobby. I never saw anyone 
more enthusiastically fond of flowers. Sha 
cut for me the only rose which was in bloom 
and made up a pretty nosegay’. Mr. and 
Mrs. Connor spent the night and next morn 
ing at The Hermitage and quoting further 
about her leave taking: “Mrs. Jackson would 
not permt me to go without a bouquet which 
The Flower Gardens at the Hermitage 
she arranged very tastily’’. 
The garden was laid out in 1819 by Wil- 
liam Frost, an English landscape gardener. 
It is an acre square and is surrounded by a 
white picket fence made of Cedar. A wide 
gravel walk divides the square into four equal 
plats. In the center, the wide walks con- 
verge into a circle, which is divided by nar- 
row walks into circular formal beds. Around 
the entire garden is a deep border of flowers 
and shrubs. In the center of the four plaig 
is a carpet of Blue Grass. Bricks made by 
the slaves especially for edging the walks 
are bevelled at the top and they go deep in 
the ground to deter the moles. 
The garden is maintained today in its 
quaint old-fashioned charm. The plants 
found there were the varieties grown under 
M~-s. Jackson’s tender care. There are suf- 
feruticasa box Crepe Myrtle, Snowball, Brid- 
al Wreath, Calicauthus Peonies, Lilies, Pinks 
and old varieties of Roses, Jonquils and Flags 
and the rare old crown Hoseysuckle. Gen 
eral Jackson’s favorite flower was the Hya- 
cinth and Mrs. Jackson’s, the Violet. These 
two bloom in profusion in the early spring. 
The Fringe Smoke and old purple Japanese 
Magnolias are very beautiful. 
President Jackson chose the corner of the 
garden nearest the rising sun for their tomb 
to be built. It is Greek Classic in design. 
Giant Magnolias stand sentinal over its cop- 
per dome. Nearby, as if standing at attent- 
ion, are five large Hickory trees, having 
been planted there by Old Hickory, himself! 
It was his custom late in the afternoon, to 
walk out alone to the tomb and pay silent 
tribute to his beloved wife. A feeling of re- 
verence and respect is felt by all who read 
the beautiful and moving inscription on Mrs. 
Jackson’s slab: 
“Here lie the remains of Mrs. Rachel 
Jackson, wife of President Jackson, who died 
the 22nd of December, 1828. Age, 61 years. 
Her face was fair, her person pleasing, her 
temper amiable, her heart kind; she delighted 
in relieving the wants of her fellow creatures, 
and cultivated that devine pleasure by tha 
most liberal and unpretending methods; to 
the poor she was a benefactor; to the rich an 
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