Take a peek at the Absalom Lowe Landis house in Wartrace, Tennessee. It’s also been called Beech Hall because of the once many beech trees on the property. Now, only a few remain. The home was built in 1866 on land granted to his father by Absalom Lowe Landis, who was a major in the 17th Tennessee Regiment during the Civil War. After he died, he left it to his daughters and it eventually was bought in its entirety by William Prentice Cooper, the husband of Landis’s granddaughter Argie. William was mayor of Shelbyville and they resided there, but summered at Beech Hall. Eventually their son, William Prentice Cooper Jr remodelled the cellar and also added a fireplace at the south end. He was elected to the senate in 1937 and elected the 39th governor of Tennessee in 1939. He was also appointed United States Ambassador to Peru in 1946.
The home has 3 fireplaces, a full cellar below, and some original stenciled walls. It has been listed on the National Register of Historic Places since 1987. It also contributes to the register as part of the Thompson Creek Rural Historic District.
Even though it’s a bit rough around the edges, this home is a beautiful example of 1800s architecture. It’s so stately and sits up on a large hill and can be seen from miles away. So glad that I got to capture this one!
