Restoration of historic Rock Castle taking shape in Hendersonville
HENDERSONVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) — A historic property in Sumner County is halfway home on its largest and most expensive renovation effort in its 229-year existence.
Dan Brown, program director for Tennessee's Historical Commission, can talk for hours about Rock Castle and its historical significance as the oldest house in Middle Tennessee.
'I got to be careful and not come out here too much, I get too excited,' Brown joked. 'It's such a fabulous project. The approach towards this is [simple]: make these places [historic sites] where you live your life for the community. Where you have events and meetings and get togethers and family events and festivals, and this becomes a community center.'
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The $11 million project is right on track, Brown said. Now a year into construction, a lot has changed on a property where so little had for decades.
One of the sole add-ons to the property over the years– a small visitor's center– has been torn down. In its place: a large parking lot, and the bones of an event center that resembles a sun-soaked cathedral.
'Such a beautiful space, and then beautiful materials. We're putting a ceiling in here of a matching beaded-board wood that's going to give you a really really nice look here,' Brown detailed as he showed News 2 the interior of the building.
The center will ultimately have space for, really, any type of activity. With history as its foundation, a museum will be a central feature.
'[We] will be engaging them with historic objects and history and presentations and different displays. Which will tie them in to the historic experience here,' Brown explained.
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The house itself will also receive some work, as will the home of the site's caretakers.
Their end goal is to remove 'the velvet rope,' as Brown called it, and let the community truly engage with the historic space.
'It's just such a fulfilling project. I know as far as my career with historic properties and construction, it's one of the most fulfilling projects I've ever worked on,' Brown said.
Rock Castle should be back open to the community, better than ever, this fall.
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