Nashville - The Heritage & The Grand Ole Opry - Day 8
Day 8 - We had a very enjoyable day in Nashville today! In the morning we drove to The Heritage, Andrew and Rachel Jackson's home located about ten miles east of Nashville. Originally the property contained the log cabin occupied by the Jacksons and two other log cabins occupied by their slaves. A newer house was constructed between 1819 and 1921 with skilled slave labor. The house had four rooms downstairs and four upstairs with large central hallways on both floors. In warm weather the central hallways were opened in the front and back to form a breezeway. 
After a chimney fire seriously damaged the house, Jackson had the current thirteen room home built on the original foundation. He added the portico and six columns across the font.
This is the side view of the home with the front brick and columns painted white and the sides and back unpainted brick.
We listened to two narrations and enactments while we were there. One was on dueling and the other was on horse racing.
Pictured below in the top picture is the two log cabins created when Andrew Jackson’s original home was cut from a two story to form two one story homes for his slaves. The second picture shows a model of how it was cut.
Admittedly, I did not know much about Andrew Jackson before we visited his home, but here are a few interesting facts that I learned in the museum:
- He was the first President from a state other that Massachusetts or Virginia
- First President to ride a train
- First President born to immigrant parents
- Last President to serve in the Revolutionary War (he was 13)
- Only President to serve in both the Revolutionary War and the War of 1812.
- Only President to pay off the national debt
- First President to add running water and install indoor toilets to the White House.
- Jackson’s pet parrot Poll attended his funeral service, but had to be removed after he started cursing at the mourners.
Have you ever seen a two story coach on a train before?
Opryland backstage and The Grand Ole Opry
In the afternoon we scheduled a backstage tour of the Grand Ole Opry. We were shown the doors where the performers enter and sign in, the dressing rooms, and saw a 3D presentation of the legends of country music hosted by Garth Brooks and Trisha Yearwood. We were also able to step on the stage and stand in the famed wooden circle as generations of country stars have done.
Each dressing room is decorated differently. On one of the walls in this one there is a quote from Alan Jackson - “That’s what makes you so nervous—to think about the historical part of the Opry and how it’s played such a part in country music."
In a locker room was a quote from Brad Paisley on the wall: “Pilgrims travel to Jerusalem to see the Holy Land, and the foundation on their faith. People go to Washington, DC to the see the workings of government, and the foundation of our country . And fans flock to Nashville to see the foundation of country music, The Grand Ole Opry."
The famed wooden circle that generations of country stars have stood in to perform.
We returned to the The Opry for the 7:00 show and it was fantastic! Here are the list of performers.
Lorrie Morgan performing