Sam Houston Academy - Jasper, TN

The following description is taken from the TNTrailsandbyways.com Pie in the Sky Trail as stop #36:

This 1857 Greek Revival building just a block off the square has a rich history. It has hosted county meetings about secession and served as a hospital for both Federal and Confederate Civil War forces. Currently, the building is the home of Olive Branch Masonic Lodge #297.

Sam Houston's Lawyer Office - Lebanon, TN

Sam Houston's Law Office is stop #10 at Fiddlers Grove, located at the Wilson County Fairgrounds. Here is the description of this building from the sign mounted to the right of the door:

In 1818, after studying law for six months under Judge James Trimble, Sam Houston passed the Bar to practice law. He came to Wilson County to practice law. Mr. Frederick Golladay befriended Mr. Houston and furnished him a small log cabin for an office near the Lebanon town square. Mr. Golladay charged him a dollar a month rent: then, lent him the dollar.

Sam Houston practiced law for ten months, at which time he was appointed Adjutant General with the rank of Colonel in October, 1819.

In 1827, Sam Houston was elected Governor of Tennessee and served approximately two years of his term before resigning in 1929.

He later moved to Texas where he was elected to the Republic's Presidency. Followed by being elected Texas' first U.S. Senator. After serving thirteen years, he became governor of Texas.

SAM HOUSTON IS THE ONLY PERSON TO SERVE AS GOVERNOR OF TWO STATES.

This pre-civil war cabin was originally on the property of Judge Nathan Green, who was known as the father of Jurisprudence of the State of Tennessee, served as Professor of Law at Cumberland University.

The family of Judge Sam Gilreath donated the cabin to Fiddlers Grove in 1994. The Wilson County Bar Association assisted in funding the reconstruction.

Sanford Duncan Inn

The Sanford Duncan Inn was built in 1819 as a stagecoach inn along the route from Nashville to Louisville (and is now US31W).

When land surveyors were looking to define the broder between Tennessee and Kentucky, their equipment messed up causing them to veer off course, and instead of fixing their mistake, they gave some of Tennessee's land to Kentucky. Both states claimed a right to it, and this Inn is located in that land.

The area soon became a popular place to have duels, since if any police arrived to stop it, the duelers would tell the police they had no jurisdiction. Often times, those wishing to duel, such as Sam Houston (and sometimes both participants) would spend the night in this inn.

I first learned of this place when I blogged about a nearby Rock City Barn here:
see-rock-city.blogspot.com/2007/01/barn-corn-and-state-bo...