Satsuma Tea Room

Arlene Ziegler and Mabel Ward, the proprietors of the Satsuma Tea Room met at South Dakota State College. Ward was a professor at the school, and Ziegler was a student in the Division of Home Economics. Following Ziegler’s graduation, they left the town of Brookings and headed to the bright lights of Nashville, where they planned to open a tea room and restaurant. Before moving to South Dakota, Ward had previously taught at George Peabody College in Nashville and knew that the city had much to offer. The pair set out on a road trip by automobile that covered over a thousand miles. It was a daring feat for anyone to attempt in 1918, especially two young women traveling alone.

When they arrived in Nashville, they needed a bank loan to finish the kitchen before they could open for business. Unfortunately, local banks refused to extend credit to two single women whose families no one knew. Despite this setback, Ward and Ziegler moved forward with their plans—finding creative solutions and making the most of the money they had left. They succeeded and opened their doors in the fall of 1918. The restaurant’s first location was next door to the Hermitage Hotel, and kitchen furnishings consisted of fruit crates, second-hand utensils, and whatever else they could find. Once Satsuma Tea Room opened, it was not the furnishings but the food that kept customers coming back. They moved to Sixth Avenue in 1919, and later to this location on Union Street. The restaurant’s name, “Satsuma,” was based on a type of small orange, as well as the name of a pottery style produced in Japan’s Satsuma province.

The women were partners for the remainder of their lives. Although little is known about their relationship, it remains clear that they were determined to be independent women. Ziegler was the cooking expert and planned the menus, while Ward managed the business finances. Ward was particularly interested in folk arts, such as weaving, pottery, and wood carving, and eventually returned to teaching in the Home Economics Department at Peabody College for Teachers, which is now a part of Vanderbilt University. Ward and Ziegler designed an English cottage on an 80-acre hilltop, purchased with profits from their restaurant. They also enjoyed traveling together and brought back new recipes as well as art for the tea room.

There is no written confirmation that Ziegler nor Ward were members of any suffrage association. However, as independent business women, we can assume that they supported women’s rights, including the right to vote. By the time of the special legislative session to ratify the Nineteenth Amendment, they had been in business for two years. During that time, they served many meals to both the Anti’s and the Suffragists, as well as the state legislators. Satsuma was a mainstay of downtown Nashville from the time it opened until it closed its doors in 2005. The current restaurant pays homage to the Satsuma Tea Room with its décor and menu.

Return the way you came, on Union Street, crossing back over Fifth Avenue. Continue on Union Street for another block until you reach the Hermitage Hotel at the corner of Sixth Avenue North and Union Street.