Wynnewood State Historic Site Slated to Reopen July 4

Nashville – The Tennessee Historical Commission announced today the grand re-opening of the Wynnewood State Historic site, which is slated for Wednesday, July 4, from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. Located at 210 Old Highway 25 East in Castalian Springs, the state-owned historic site has been under renovation since a devastating EF3 tornado in 2008 severely damaged the site.  

Festivities include Civil War and Colonial Days re-enactors, music, food vendors, guest speakers and an official ribbon-cutting ceremony. Visitors will have an opportunity to tour the site free of charge and donations will be accepted to assist with daily operations and future projects. 

Several rooms and buildings not previously open to the public are now available for viewing. Visitors can tour the restored master bedroom and dining room, as well as the resort cottage built in 1898.  

“Wynnewood has been closed since a tornado struck in 2008, and we’ve been working diligently and meticulously to put it back together,” said Martha Akins, state historic sites director with the Tennessee Historical Commission. “Visitors will especially enjoy seeing the Masonic room, which was obliterated during the catastrophic weather events, but has been reconstructed. It appropriately houses an exhibit on the tornado’s damage to the site and the restoration process.”

The Wynnewood State Historic site includes the largest existing log structure in Tennessee. Built as a stagecoach inn for travelers between Nashville and Knoxville, the site later became a residence for the Wynne family and a mineral springs resort. Ownership remained in the family until 1971 when George Wynne, grandson of the builder, conveyed it to the state of Tennessee for preservation as a historic site. Wynnewood is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and has been declared a National Historic Landmark.

During the 2008 tornado, the main structure’s second story, roof, and chimneys suffered major damage. Historic artifacts and furniture were strewn across the grounds along with building debris. Other buildings were heavily damaged as well or destroyed, and numerous trees were uprooted.

Taking four years to complete, the restoration project was a major undertaking and cost $4 million.  Working with the Tennessee Historical Commission on the project were Centric Architecture, the architectural firm that led the restoration; Wieck Construction, the contractor; and Bledsoe’s Lick Historical Association, the non-profit organization that operates the site under an agreement with the Tennessee Historical Commission.

For more information about Bledsoe’s Lick Historical Association, please call (615) 452-5463 or visit its website at www.bledsoeslick.com . For more information about the Tennessee Historical Commission, please call (615) 532-1550 or visit its website at www.tn.gov/environment/hist/.

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