Welcome to the New Decade - Two Rivers Mansion

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Welcome to the New Decade - Two Rivers Mansion

Welcome to the New Decade 1

NEWSLETTER Number 52 January - February 2020
The Friends of Two Rivers Mansion, a 501(c)(3) organization 3130 McGavock Pike, Nashville, TN 37214

A Word from President Sherri Forrest -Greetings and Happy New Year! Wow! I can’t
believe that we have just wrapped up another decade and it’s the year 2020! Thanks to
everyone who came out and visited the beautifully decorated Mansion during the
holidays. We loved hosting you and seeing your excitement. Over the course of the past
few months, I’ve been asked, “What does the Friends of Two Rivers Mansion group do?”
It’s rather simple: Our mission is to raise awareness about the home, its heritage, and to
raise funds to preserve this wonderful piece of local history.
As we begin a new year and a new decade, it’s my desire for the Friends of Two Rivers
Mansion to expand its membership. We welcome your membership in our organization.
And, since we are a 501c3 tax exempt organization, all membership fees are considered
donations and are, therefore, tax deductible. By being a member, you’ll get into our
Friends group hosted events free of charge. So, please ask your friends and neighbors to
consider joining us and supporting our eﬀorts. Visit our website for more information:
http://friendsoftworiversmansion.org/membership/ You can also stay up to date on all of
our events via the Event Page on our website and be sure to keep up with us on
Facebook! Hope to see you at the Mansion soon, Sherri

2

Mansion History and Henry Harding - Inside most large plantation slave
communities, a distinct division of labor existed between domestic servants, house
slaves, and the rest of the slave population. Though house slaves were in a more
privileged position, the oﬃcial boundaries of where one’s statue began and another
ended were both loose and fluid. At Two Rivers, located in close proximity to a major
import and export nexus like Nashville there existed a separate division of slave
interaction and autonomy - those who lived independent lives and operated
businesses in the city. At least one such individual claimed this status.
Henry Harding was a slave owned first by William Harding and then left to his
daughter, Willie, upon his death. Henry led a very autonomous life as a slave. In his
years growing up at Two Rivers he may have lived on the plantation. He was of mixed
color - mulatto, his father white and his mother black. But his role at Two Rivers is for
the most part unknown. Henry was married to a slave on the Belle Meade Plantation
and reportedly visited her on a weekly basis. In the years leading up to the Civil War,
he had his own blacksmith shop at the corner of Front Street (1st Ave) and Spring
Street (Church St). This placed him near the wharf in downtown where he was known
as a wheelwright, someone who builds or repairs wooden wheels, mostly for carriages
and wagons.
Henry was a businessman in that he traded in second hand goods from his shop. In
1859 he was arrested for fencing stolen merchandise. The goods ended up at his
wife’s cabin at Belle Meade and he claimed he didn’t know the goods were stolen.
Both William Giles Harding and David McGavock came to his defense oﬀering
character references and he was released, but given 80 lashes for the oﬀense. Before
the war, Harding’s talents seemed to have no end. He was also known around town
for his skill as a contractor, a liquor dealer and he ran a saloon.
In December of 1865, Nashville first black bank, the Freedman’s Savings and Trust
Company, was organized by local black leaders. It was one of thirty-three branches
that Congress authorized in the fifteen former slave states. The first bank trustees
include a list of Nashville’s elite black leaders, including Henry Harding. Using the
banks influence, Henry constructed the Harding Hotel at 93 Cherry Street in 1869. The
hotel made him a man of even greater influence in Nashville. His worth in 1870 was
valued at $35,000. Harding became a member of several prominent African American
clubs, and ironically, he tried to push these clubs into diversifying by oﬀering
membership to several wealthy white Nashvillians, including William Giles Harding and
David McGavock. He was rebuked for doing so. In 1874 the Freedman’s Bank failed
and Harding lost the hotel. He was forced to reinvent himself once more, this time as
a second hand furniture and real estate salesman. His partner in the furniture

3

business was J.B. Bosley. Their store was located at 116 N. Cherry Street. Harding
and his family lived on McGavock Street in Nashville’s 15th Ward and when he died.
In 1888 his assets were valued at $88,000, making him the wealthiest African
American in Nashville at the time.
A New Acquisition for the Mansion -The Tennessee Agricultural Museum recently
donated this circa 1860’s Doctor’s Carriage to Two Rivers Mansion and Metro Parks.
The Carriage is in good
condition for its age but one
of the back wheels was
missing. Board Member,
Joe Carrillo, was able to
locate a replacement 36
inch wooden wheel in
Franklin, TN to make the
acquisition complete.

A Parks grounds crew at
Two Rivers Park assisted
Mr. Carrillo with moving the
carriage from the Ellington
Agricultural Museum on
Tuesday, December 17 to a
former board member’s
home for restoration and
repairs. Once restored the
carriage will be used for
display at some of the
Friends public events, and
plans are already in the
works to enter it in the 2020
Donelson Hermitage Christmas Parade as a float for Friends of Two Rivers Mansion
and Metro Parks.
History article

  You can let the Friends Board know what kind of events you would like to
  see in the future at Two Rivers by responding to this e-mail with your

Consider A Two Rivers Wedding - If you, or a family member or friend is planning a
wedding in 2020 Two Rivers Mansion is
the perfect backdrop for an unforgettable
wedding experience. The choice of
venue for a wedding and reception
makes all the diﬀerence between an
ordinary ceremony and an incredible
event. The beautiful 1859 antebellum
mansion at Two Rivers provides a setting
that is Classic, Stunning, Breathtaking
and Enchanting.
Wedding services are provided without discriminating on the basis of sexual
orientation or gender identity and a
planning appointment can be made by
contacting the Events Manager, Laura
Carrillo, at laura.carrillo@nashville.gov or
at (615) 885-1112. A supporting
membership in The Friends of Two
Rivers allows you to host your wedding
at the Mansion. AND as an added
benefit, all membership fees are 100%
tax deductible.

2020 Calendar of Events - Each year in February a basic Friends of Two Rivers
calendar of events is presented for approval by the Parks Board at our annual
Friends group update. This year’s list of events will include the annual open house
and art exhibit called ‘Phil the House’. This year this event will take place in March.
The calendar for April includes the Friends ‘Evening of Elegance’ fundraising
dinner. Summer tours will be oﬀered again beginning in June and ending in
August. After a weather cancelation of the Symphony last year, we’re hopeful they
will return in June. Dr. Carol Bucy will be back in September to tell more of the
history of Nashville and its early citizens. The October ‘Halloween at the Mansion’
event will be replaced this year with Haunted Tours of the Mansion. The
December calendar will begin with Christmas Tours. Other events are in planning
and consideration and all the dates will be published once approved by the Parks
Board.

Speaker’s Available - If you, or
Educational Programs - In addition to
someone you know, is part of a
club and group speakers, the Friends
social, civic or church group
group can also provide educational
that uses speakers for their
programs for scout groups and school
meetings, the Friends of Two
groups. Programs are available related
Rivers would be glad to provide
to the history of the Mississippian
a speaker during the coming year.
Indians that were known to have
inhabited the Two Rivers area in the
The presentation can be tailored to the
1300-1400’s A.D. and also Plantation
group’s time schedule and would include
Life and the Slave Culture.
information regarding the Two Rivers
Plantation history in addition to a profile of
These programs are approximately 90
the three McGavock families that have
minutes in length and include an audio
made the property their home. Information
visual lecture, a hands on experience
would also be given about the Friends
and a tour of the Mansion and grounds.
group and some of the current goals the
To schedule one of these programs,
group is working to fulfill.
contact Laura Carrillo at
laura.carillo@nashville.gov or Phil
A speaker can be requested by contacting
Claiborne at sgt08@bellsouth.net.
Laura Carrillo at laura.carillo@nashville.gov
There is no charge for the program but
or Phil Claiborne at sgt08@bellsouth.net.
as much advance notice of a date as
There is no charge to schedule a speaker
possible is requested.
but as much advance notice of a date as
possible is requested.

New Board Members - Each December one third of the Friends Board rotates.
Members who have served one 3 year term have the option of serving a second term
before rotating oﬀ if they wish to do so. Once a vacancy is created a new member is
recruited to fill the seat. This year two current members will return for a second term.
They are Terry Tull and Betty Cannon. Four additional members will begin their first
three year term. They include Debbie Maloney, Jane-Coleman Cottone, Beverly Oakley
and Phil Claiborne. Both Beverly and Phil served on the original Friends Board from
2010 to 2016.

Evening of Elegance 2020 - The annual Evening of Elegance fundraising dinner will
be held this year on Friday evening, April 24th. Details will be provided in the March-April
Newsletter but if you or your business would be interested in securing seats or a table for
the event you can respond to this e-mail notice and someone will follow up with you with
more information regarding cost and recognitions

6

Membership Is A Good Deal- Membership with the Friends of Two Rivers
Mansion is one of the best deals in Nashville. Memberships are available in
categories that range from a minimum of $20 a year up to corporate
memberships of $2,000 a year or $3,000 for two years. All membership fees
are considered donations to the Friends of Two Rivers Mansion 501c3 tax
exempt organization and are therefore tax deductible. Friends members are
admitted without charge at all Friends sponsored events at the Mansion upon
presentation of a current membership card. Parking is free and traﬃc is not a
problem, and, your support enables the organization to continue oﬀering more
opportunities, while at the same time, continuing the restoration and
preservation work that's at the heart of our mission statement.

The basic categories are listed below and anyone interested in using the
Mansion for a wedding or other large event can choose from one of Event
Membership or Supporting Membership categories which will be determined
at a time of a consultation with the Two Rivers Mansion Events Coordinator,
Laura Carrillo. She can be reached at 615-885-1112 or via e-mail at
laura.carrillo@nashville.gov .

BASIC Memberships for Friends of Two Rivers Mansion includes:

I. Senior citizen or Student - $20 annual or $55 for 3 years

II. Individual - $25 annual or $65 for 3 years

III. Family - $50 or $125 for 3 years

Name________________________________________________________

Address______________________________________________________

City____________________________________State________Zip_______

Phone_____________________Email______________________________

Enclosed is $_________________ gift for my tax-deductible membership.

Checks should be made payable to Friends of Two Rivers Mansion and
mailed to: The Friends of Two Rives Mansion, 3130 McGavock, Nashville,
TN 37214