Description of the Nashville vacation Inn Rental 5 Bedrooms, 4 Bathrooms, 17 Sleeps
Keywords: Historic Home / Museum / Free Wifi
Our home is a pre-civil war era Italianate style Victorian home furnished with many period antiques. Located one hour north of Nashville in the quiet historical town of Russellville, Logan County, KY. Our property is also known as the Wallace-Byrne Home and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and was a Stage Coach Inn and Tavern in the early 1800's. The slaves quarters and external kitchen are now replaced with a two car garage.
The home is 4600 square feet plus another 500+ square feet of covered porches. It has five (or six) ample bedrooms and beds enough to sleep up to 17 people (all linens included). There are also couches, air mattresses, and sleeping bags. Four bathrooms have all been added over time. The main floor has 10' ceilings with a formal parlor, two dining rooms, and a master bedroom suite. The other bedrooms are located upstairs.
The kitchen is updated to modern gourmet style with stainless steel appliances including Jennair gas stove (two ovens, 6 burners, plus hotplate), dishwasher, and two refrigerators. The kitchen is fully stocked with dishes, pans, utensils, and imperishable food stock for your use.
The builder of the original log house (parlor and dining room with loft above) was William Wallace, possible direct descendant of the William Wallace made famous by Mel Gibson in the movie “Brave Heart”. Wallace was appointed Circuit Court Judge in 1807 with a jurisdiction covered 5 counties and some 160 miles in extent. Wallace was a Jeffersonian in politics and was a presidential elector in the National Electoral College in 1808. One of his more famous young attorney apprentices was Joseph Emory Davis, eldest brother of Jefferson Davis who later was the President of the Southern Confederacy.
A FORMER OWNER OF OUR HOME WAS SHOT BY THE JESSE JAMES GANG - and lived. This was Nimrod Long the banker who was shot in the head during the bank robbery March 20, 1868 - The gang robbed the Southern Deposit Bank in Russellville, Kentucky for $14,000. Long & wife purchased our house in 1877 leaving it to his eldest son for $1 in 1881.
The Victorian house was originally heated by eight coal fireplaces. You can still see the original coal shoot, including its own little driveway ramp up from the street, at the southwest corner. Slaves were responsible for keeping the coal bins full during winter. You can see the remains of coal throughout the coal cellar located under the Parlor. In the north yard closest to the NE entrance is a Buckeye tree (thought to be over 150 years old). This is the tree made famous by the Ohio State University mascot (but most Ohioans have never seen this kind of tree or its nut). On the north east corner of the property behind the garage by the stone fence is a concrete pad that we understand was approximately where the slave quarters were located. The original kitchen was located about where the garage is today. Consequently, this is an older home with some updated ammenities. Our neighbors are mostly current or retired educators that love history and are very friendly and helpful. Many neighbors are active in the areas historic societies and civil war groups. If your party is really seeking a condo or set of hotel rooms style outing, please do not contact me about renting our house. This is for people who can enjoy the and appreciate the differences of an older home.
Free WIFI Access - After long holding out that the modern era has no place in a pre-civil war home, we installed a new N-Router to provide secured internet service throughout the grounds in May of 2010. If you enjoy the historic aumbiance, you can ignore the wifi -- however, if you need access for work or other reasons...it is now available free with your stay. The connection is the best we have had at the house (cable modum) and real fast.
Upon your arrival, our in-town manager will meet you with the keys, show you the house, answer questions and will try to make your stay as pleasant as possible. The whole house will be yours....its like staying in a historic home museum, yet reasonably priced.
The home is within walking distance to restaurants, shops, and seven churches and many other historically significant homes in the Russellville Historic District. Our home historically was on the outside edge of town on what used to be called “High Street” -- which made it quite suitable for being a stagecoach inn and tavern. Now we are in the center of the town on the south edge of the historic district at the foot of the hills.
We are located 50 miles North of "Music City" Nashville, TN hosting the Grand ol' Oprey, Tennesse Titans, a world class zoo, Andrew Jackson's home and stearnwheeler dinner cruze, and a full size replica of the Parthonan in marble (like Athens, Greece - but not in ruins like that one is) There is pleanty to do in Music City too with good restruants and dinner shows.
Additionally, we are located just ten miles from the western most Shaker Colony and within a half hour to the Corvette Plant & Musuem, and hour to Mammoth Caves National Park, and a bit more to Lincoln's Birthplace.
Airport Information and Direction :
We are located about 1 hour north of BNA - Nashville International Airport. Half the trip is on interstate freeways the other half is smaller highways through corn and tabacco fields.
