(Jackson, TN) Brooks Shaw’s Old Country Store and Clark and Juanita Shaw are pleased to announce the relocation of the historic Neil House from Trenton, Tennessee to Casey Jones Village in Jackson, Tennessee later this summer.
The Neil House was built in 1837 and, at 173 years, is one of Tennessee’s oldest homes. It has been an important part of Tennessee history and played a role in the Battle of Trenton during the Civil War when citizens gathered on its roof to watch the battle unfold.
It later became the home of Judge M.M. Neil, who served as Chief Justice of the Tennessee Supreme Court.
The Shaw family and their company, Brooks Shaw’s Old Country Store, have a passion for preserving history and plan to restore this Tennessee treasure to its original Antebellum period look.
The Shaw’s have been working closely with the First Presbyterian Church who previously owned the home but needed it relocated for an upcoming church expansion.
A number of historically minded individuals in Trenton attempted to save the building but when that did not work out, the Shaw’s offered to relocate the home to Casey Jones Village.
Clark Shaw and his wife, Juanita, expressed their appreciation to the leadership of First Presbyterian Church whose desire it was to see the church saved and the citizens of Trenton who worked with the church in an attempt to preserve it. Both made it possible for the Old Country Store to be involved in preserving its future.
Shaw said, "Besides the church and citizens of Trenton, there are so many people and organizers to thank including the mayors of Trenton, Humboldt and Jackson, communities through which the home will pass." Shaw continued, "Our gratitude to the utility and cable TV companies and AT & T, who will not only be lifting the phone lines all along the route, will also be providing a grant from its Foundation to help reduce the moving costs. We'd also like to thank the house movers, building contractor and friend Joe Mitchell and the dismantling team headed by Bill McMillen. Everyone we talked with was willing to partner with us to make this historic move possible." Shaw added, "Our gratitude also goes out to State Representatives Jimmy Eldridge and Steve McDaniel who believed in the historical significance of this project and the support of the Parker's Crossroads Battlefield Association."
Plans call for work to begin on the house today Monday, June 28th and the house moving company, Terry Logan House Movers, is expected to make the 30 mile trek by the end of July, 2010.
According to Shaw, it became economically unfeasible to relocate the entire structure, which had seen an addition in the 1890’s and another in the 1930’s. The original 1837 portion, which is by far the most historically important, will be relocated.
Because of the height of over 33 feet, the home will be divided into two sections and moved on the same day. It will then be reassembled and restored on site at Casey Jones Village to its 1837 antebellum grandeur.
Once fully restored on both the exterior and interior, period furniture and accessories will be added to make the restoration complete. It will be utilized as an attraction at Casey Jones Village and made available for historic home tours. Future plans call for the home to be open for receptions and private catered dinners, meetings, weddings, community events, Civil War Living History weekends and perhaps a Bed and Breakfast. It is a beautiful antebellum plantation house with two large porches across the front, 14 foot ceilings on both levels, 15 inch baseboards and door frames of heart pine, 12 foot windows, 10 foot 6 inch doors, poplar wood floors and is built in the classic Federal style.
The new name for the home will be “The Plantation House” at Casey Jones Village ~ An Antebellum Experience. The home is expected to be open to the public in the spring of 2011.
Casey Jones Village is located in Jackson, Tennessee at 56 Casey Jones Lane near I-40 exit 80A. The website is www.caseyjones.com .
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