President Jackson's legacy can be found throughout Middle Tennessee
When you enter the zip code of 37076, it can feel like you're stepping back in time.
President Andrew Jackson bought The Hermitage property in 1804. At first, he lived in his log cabin for 17 years before moving into the brick mansion.
'Andrew Jackson was probably one of the most well-known people in the United States of American during his day,' explained Tony Guzzi, Chief Experience Officer at The Hermitage.
Andrew Jackson first moved to Tennessee to be the district attorney for the Nashville area. He became the major general for the Tennessee militia in 1802, catapulting Jackson in his career after his victory over the British at the Battle of New Orleans and eventually winning the presidential election in 1828.
'It was the first time an American army on its own defeated a British army that decisively…and so there was a great sense of relief and national pride wrapped up in Jacksons story,' Guzzi said.
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That national pride can still be felt today.
'It's one of the reasons we see the Jackson name and version of the Jackson name like Old Hickory or The Hermitage attached to so many different things in Middle Tennessee,' explained Jason Zajac, President and CEO of Andrew Jackson Foundation.
From the state Capitol, to Hermitage, streets, neighborhoods, businesses, schools are named after him and his family. Old Hickory was Jackson's nickname. Donelson was the name of Jackson's father-in-law.
'Jacksonville, Florida…Jackson, Mississippi, all connections back to Andrew Jackson,' Zajac said.
But when thinking back on his legacy, there were some troubling aspects in Jackson's life and American history.
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Jackson owned more than 300 slaves over the course of his life. News 2 visited several of the slave quarters on The Hermitage property.
'In his political years, he was an architect of Indian removal and relocation which had terrible consequences for the Native American population of course,' Zajac said.
Today about 220,000 people visit The Hermitage from across the world to learn the history of the enslaved people and American history, learn about the property and pay their respects to our 7th president.
'Everybody's going to look at Jacksons legacy in retrospect now and they are going to have differing opinions on Jackson's legacy,' Guzzi said.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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