National Register of Historic Places

Sunnyside

Nashville, Davidson County, Tennessee
Listed
September 30, 1974
Type
Building
Period
Industrial
Ref No.
74001910

About this property

Sunnyside is a historic mansion in Sevier Park, a public park in Nashville, Tennessee, USA. The two-story mansion was built in the 1840s. It was designed in the Greek Revival architectural style. It was built for Mary Childress Benton, the sister-in-law of Senator Thomas Hart Benton, after she became a widow. When her great-niece Mary Douglass married Theodore Francis Sevier, it became their family home. In the 1860s, the mansion was purchased by John Armstrong Shute, who gave it to his daughter, Mrs Stephen W. Childress, as a present. It was damaged during the Battle of Nashville. Shortly after, it served as a hospital for wounded soldiers of the Confederate States Army. After the war, Childress renamed the mansion Lee Monte, after Confederate General Robert E. Lee. In 1882, the mansion was purchased by Dr. L.G. Noel, a Professor of Dentistry at Vanderbilt University. In 1927, Granville Sevier, who was Mary Douglass Sevier's grandson, bought back the home, adding to it and renovating it. His children bequeathed Sunnyside to the City of Nashville in 1945. Three years later, in 1948, Sevier Park was established as a public park around the property. It has been listed on the National Register of Historic Places since October 1, 1974.

Location

3000 Granny White Pike
Nashville, Davidson County, Tennessee
36.11945, -86.78936

Categories

MILITARYPOLITICS/GOVERNMENTARCHITECTURE
Sources

Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).

Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

Unlimited access

Everything a full report reveals about Sunnyside

This page lists Sunnyside. A full Aubrey report for an address near it pulls together this listing alongside battlefield records, land patents, and every other historical record within a chosen radius:

Overview
An interactive map of the location with historic sites, battles and Native heritage plotted, and its full story era by era.
The Land
The historic sites and place names around the location, and how this land was settled and used.
Geology
The bedrock beneath the site, its age and rock type, reaching back millions of years.
LiDAR Terrain
Laser-scanned terrain that reveals earthworks and old features hidden in the landscape.
Conflict & War
The battles, raids and skirmishes fought near here, across every era of American conflict.
The Civil War
The Civil War on this ground, 1861 to 1865: who held it, and the battles, camps and regiments nearby.
The Soldiers
The men who marched from here in the Civil War, named and traced where the record allows.
Native Heritage
The Native nations who held this land, mapped across time from before European contact to today.
Settlement
Who claimed and held this ground, from Indigenous homelands through the colonial powers to the United States.
The Community
How the town grew, who came, and what kind of place it became, traced through the census record.
Rivers & Rail
The rivers, canals and railroads that connected this place between 1830 and 1911.
Notable People
The people born, buried or genuinely tied to this exact place, with their stories.
Historical Maps
Historic maps of the location layered over how it looks today.
Finds & Access
Museum objects tied to the area, and the laws on searching, collecting and access here.
Literature
The old books, county histories and archives that mention this place, quoted with their sources.
Spotlight
A deep dive into the most remarkable, lesser-known history of the place, traced back to the record.
Points of Interest
The most significant historic sites and landmarks near the location, and why they matter.
Timeline
The whole story of the location told era by era, from first peoples to the present day.
First month just $5.99, then $11.99 a month. Unlimited locations, cancel anytime.

Every location is different. Not every section appears for every place, only what the historical record actually holds turns up in a report.

Start your Sunnyside report
Or see a real report first

Nearby Historic Sites

Woodmont Terrace Apartments
Listed
0.7 mi
Belmont-Hillsboro Historic District
Listed
0.8 mi
Waverly Place Historic District
Listed
0.9 mi
Woodland in Waverly Historic District
Pre Contact
1.1 mi
Woman's Club of Nashville (J.B. Daniel House)
Industrial
1.1 mi

Nearby Battles

Shy's Hill Nashville
1864Civil War
0.6 mi
Overton Hill Nashville
1864Civil War
1.7 mi
Battle of Nashville – Shy's Hill Dec 16
1864Civil War
1.9 mi
Battle of Nashville – Second Day Dec 16
1864Civil War
2.3 mi

Questions about this property

When was Sunnyside listed on the National Register?

Sunnyside was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on September 30, 1974.

What type of historic resource is Sunnyside?

Sunnyside is classified as a building in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for Sunnyside?

The period of significance for Sunnyside is recorded as the industrial era.

Can I research the history near Sunnyside?

Yes. Aubrey Research reports search National Register listings, battlefield records, land patents, and other primary historical sources within any radius of a US address. A report for an address near Sunnyside will include this listing and all other historical records in the area.

More in Davidson County

Historic places, battles, and census history across Davidson County.

Explore DavidsonCounty ›

More historic places in Tennessee

Browse all historic places in Tennessee.

View Tennesseehistoric sites ›

Conflict records

Explore 19,000+ military engagements across American history.

Browse US conflicts ›

Tennessee history

Colonial settlement, territorial period, and statehood narrative.

Tennesseehistory ›

Research the history near this site

An Aubrey US report for an address near Sunnyside will include this listing alongside battlefield records and other historical sources within your chosen radius.

Research your locationView a free sample report