Cragfont State Historic Site

Cragfont State Historic Site Once called the "Grandeur on the Frontier," Cragfont was built 1798 -1802. Tours of Cragfont State Historic Site are conducted at 10 a.m, 12 p.m., and 2 p.m.
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Thursday through Sunday from April 15th to October 31st.

The heat of summer is still lingering, but we are busy preparing for certain fall events! ⚰️Any guesses what this week's...
08/26/2026

The heat of summer is still lingering, but we are busy preparing for certain fall events! ⚰️

Any guesses what this week's What is it Wednesday could be?

In "Back of the Big House: The Architecture of Plantation Slavery," John Michael Vlach states that:"Acts of appropriatio...
08/25/2026

In "Back of the Big House: The Architecture of Plantation Slavery," John Michael Vlach states that:

"Acts of appropriation leave few physical marks, and therefore they must be consciously recalled in order to be factored into our interpretation of surviving slave buildings and spaces."

This mindset is especially important when dealing with sites like Cragfont, where very little physical evidence remains of those who were enslaved here.

"Long scaffolds were made in the yard on the west side of the house. Apples and peaches peeled and spread, piece by piece, on the boards of the scaffolds where young negro girls from the 'quarters' were stationed with fly brushes of boughs broken from near-by bushes, which they plied as they walked up and down."

This passage, written by Susan Wi******er Powell Scales in her 20th-century memoir "My Mother," reveals several important details about life here at Cragfont in the 1850s and can be used to "consciously recall":

First, it reveals details about the labor and routines of those enslaved by the Wi******er family--details that paint a picture that lists and receipts cannot always provide.

Second, it reveals how another part of the landscape around Cragfont was being utilized. With only the historic house surviving and no outbuildings remaining — including the buildings that housed members of the enslaved community — it provides a piece of the puzzle.

"On the west side of the house" indicates that the scaffolds mentioned were set up somewhere in front of where the cabins were believed to have stood, and likely in front of the current Visitor Center building.

Welcome to another ! Here's a firescreen decorated with needlepoint from Wynnewood. What was the purpose of a firescree...
08/25/2026

Welcome to another ! Here's a firescreen decorated with needlepoint from Wynnewood. What was the purpose of a firescreen? Many people think it was to keep women's wax makeup from melting on their faces. Unfortunately, they would be wrong.

Firescreens were meant to protect people sitting near the fire from direct heat. Both men and women used them. So they were not intended to protect makeup from melting. In fact, in early America, women usually wore little or no makeup. Instead, these screens served a practical purpose while also showcasing beautiful needlepoint skills.

Thank you to everyone who made last night's The Gala at Cragfont so wonderful! ❤️The support of those who attended, ou...
08/23/2026

Thank you to everyone who made last night's The Gala at Cragfont so wonderful! ❤️

The support of those who attended, our board members, and the Gala committee is crucial to the work that we do year-round here at Historic Castalian Springs; last night was one for the books!

If you missed it this year, be sure to join us for the next one! And in the meantime, if you are looking for a way to support three incredible historic sites, consider becoming a member of Historic Castalian Springs.

On this day in 1777, James Wi******er became a prisoner of war for the first time in his life at the Battle of Staten Is...
08/22/2026

On this day in 1777, James Wi******er became a prisoner of war for the first time in his life at the Battle of Staten Island.

🎨: Julian Onderdonk, "On the Marshes, Staten Island," 1909

It's time for the Party of the Summer! 🎉Tonight is our annual Gala--the biggest fundraising event of the year here at Hi...
08/22/2026

It's time for the Party of the Summer! 🎉

Tonight is our annual Gala--the biggest fundraising event of the year here at Historic Castalian Springs. Tours of Cragfont and Wynnewood will run as normal, but just know the grounds at Cragfont may be a little extra busy as we get set up for tonight.

We can't wait to see everyone!

Thomas Paine, author of Common Sense, became a Patriot and argued for American independence soon after arriving in Ameri...
08/22/2026

Thomas Paine, author of Common Sense, became a Patriot and argued for American independence soon after arriving in America from England. The early fighting and violence against colonists by the British Army showed Paine how little the crown seemed to care for American lives. For those people who wanted to give Britain another chance or who still remained loyal, Paine argued that things would only get worse under continued British rule.

He wrote, “But if you say, you can still pass the violations over, then I ask, Hath your house been burnt? Hath your property been destroyed before your face? Are your wife and children destitute of a bed to lie on, or bread to live on? Have you lost a parent or a child by their hands, and yourself the ruined and wretched survivor? If you have not, and can still shake hands with the murderers, then you are unworthy of the name of husband, father, friend, or lover, and whatever may be your rank or title in life, you have the heart of a coward, and the spirit of a sycophant.”



🖼️ Battle of Lexington, 1775, Encyclopedia Britannica

Last but not least, Haunts at the Font returns this year with new stories and actors, as well as returning favorites!Thi...
08/21/2026

Last but not least, Haunts at the Font returns this year with new stories and actors, as well as returning favorites!

This event is one of our favorites of the entire year, and we can't wait to see everyone there ❤️

Reserve your spot before we sell out!

Tickets can be found at: https://bit.ly/4wvVQ5e

Next up this fall is...Murder, Medicine, and Mourning! Join us as we explore how mourning and funeral traditions change ...
08/20/2026

Next up this fall is...Murder, Medicine, and Mourning!

Join us as we explore how mourning and funeral traditions change throughout the 19th and 20th centuries through the lens of the Wynne family ⚰️

This year's event will also include original objects returning to Castalian Springs for the first time in over 150 years 👀

Reserve your spot before tickets are gone!

Purchase your tickets at: https://bit.ly/4znrbtv

For this , we look back at a post from November, 2020:Blinded by the light! Or rather, no longer blinded by the light! ...
08/20/2026

For this , we look back at a post from November, 2020:

Blinded by the light! Or rather, no longer blinded by the light! Funds raised by the Cragfont Gala were recently used to purchase period-appropriate Venetian blinds to reduce light damage to original furnishings. Your support of events like the Gala helps us take care of Cragfont's incredible collection!

Many people are often surprised to discover that Venetian blinds are appropriate for a Federal-era house like Cragfont! While likely not from Venice at all, but probably Persia, the window coverings made their way to Europe around 1760 and became hugely popular in Europe and America through the late 18th and early 19th centuries.

Unlike the ones in your 1990s apartment, historic Venetian blinds were made of wood and woven fabric tape. They were sometimes stained, but very often painted vibrant colors.

Address

200 Cragfont Road
Castalian Springs, TN
37031

Opening Hours

Thursday 9:30am - 4:30pm
Friday 9:30am - 4:30pm
Saturday 9:30am - 4:30pm
Sunday 9:30am - 4:30pm

Telephone

+16154527070

Website

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