Travellers Rest

Long before John Overton built his plantation home, the land at Travellers Rest was home to another community. Over 400 years ago, this site was part of a large, fortified village belonging to the Mississippians—a culture rooted in the Mississippi River Valley known for mound-building, agriculture, and complex societies and the same cultural tradition that founded Aaittafama.

Today, no visible trace of that village remains above ground. So how do we know it existed? Through decades of archaeological work—both amateur and professional—we now have a clearer picture. Posthole stains left by long-decayed wooden posts have revealed the footprints of several Mississippian homes. These structures followed traditional methods: wooden frames coated in mud plaster, called daub, and topped with thatched roofs. As many as 100 houses were clustered in this village. Historical accounts offer additional clues. In 1805, Dr. Rush Nutt described a nearby mound—three feet tall and 27 feet square—likely built by the Mississippians as a platform for ceremonial buildings or burials. No physical trace of the mound remains today as continuous farming and land use likely erased it over time. 

Visitors to Travellers Rest often come to learn about its 19th-century connections to the Overton family, Andrew Jackson, and Civil War history. Yet the land's deeper story stretches back centuries. The Mississippian presence reminds us that Middle Tennessee has long been home to many peoples. Through archaeology, oral histories, and written records, we can reconnect with these earlier chapters and honor the Indigenous peoples who lived, farmed, and built communities here long before modern Tennessee took shape.

We suggest you spend some time visiting the Travellers Rest Historic House Museum in person. Their programs, tours, and events cover approximately 1000 years of history, from Mississippian period pre-contact settlement through the 19th century using the cultural resources of John Overton’s 1799 home. Check their website for hours and tour information.

**The Augmented Reality (AR) models will only work in specific points at the site. Open the link and hold your phone up to allow the model to calibrate to the landscape. You should see the model projected in front of you.

When the property is open, please follow the drive to first parking lot. In front of the parking lot, you will see several interpretative panels. Stand on the sidewalk facing the first panel on the left side. The panel discusses Indigenous history at Travellers Rest and the AR model will be projected behind the panel.**

Turn RIGHT as you exit Travellers Rest onto Farrell Parkway. Turn RIGHT onto Lambert Drive and follow it back to Franklin Pike. Turn RIGHT onto Franklin Pike and continue north. After 2.6 miles, use the left lane to turn onto Woodmont Boulevard and then turn RIGHT Granny White Pike. Turn LEFT onto Clifton Lane and park at the Battle of Nashville Peace Monument on your right.