Embrace 200 Years of History, Culture and Architectural Advancements at Nashville’s Two Rivers Mansion

There are a lot of incredible and historic mansions throughout Tennessee, but Two Rivers Mansion stands apart for a number of reasons. First and foremost, in addition to the mid-1800s mansion, guests can peruse the 1802 House, which is estimated to have been built in the early 1800s. Both are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. 

Jeff Syracuse, Board President of Friends of Two Rivers (the 501(c)3 non-profit that operates Two Rivers Mansion), called the experience an extraordinary journey through time. 

“You’re getting over 200 years of history,” said Syracuse. “You will take this journey through learning about the indigenous there, the enslaved there – who were the ones who truly built the property – and then you had the Hardings and three generations of McGavocks that were there.” 

The 1802 House was initially built by settler David Buchanan before being acquired by the Harding family, and later the McGavock family, who lived in the 1802 house while building their mansion. Construction began in the 1850s and was structurally complete at the end of the decade. However, due to delays caused by the Civil War, the mansion would not be finished until 1872.  

Two Rivers Mansion is one of the featured building tours that will take place during the first day of the 2026 International Code Council (ICC) Annual Conference and Expo (Oct. 18–21). Attendees can sign up for the tour when they register for the conference. 

The Future Home of an Interpretive House Museum 

Two Rivers Mansion is more than a historic home – in the future, it will become an interpretive house museum. This idea was part of the Master Plan established in 2016. The plan called for the construction of a new facility, currently dubbed the Two Rivers Cultural & Education Center, to host events and allow the mansion to flourish as a museum. 

“Guests will be able to see the first phase of that conversion,” said Syracuse. “Tours this year now include some interpretive panels and reader boards so you can learn about the history.” 

Once completed, the Two Rivers Cultural & Education Center will enable Friends of Two Rivers to expand on its educational and tour programming, as well as community meetings and events. As of this writing, events are still taking place inside and around the Two Rivers Mansion. 

“It’s a space that’s needed for that side of the county,” Syracuse added. “With the increasing popularity of Two Rivers, more and more events are happening at the mansion, inside the mansion. If you have a facility where you can accommodate the larger events, meaning greater revenue opportunities, then you can reinvest those greater revenues into the preservation of the property. There’s an endless list of things that need to be done: repairs, restoration efforts, furniture, art, all of that to become a true museum. We’re working on all that kind of stuff.” 

Much to See and Explore 

Two Rivers Mansion is an anchor for Two Rivers Park, a 374-acre park featuring a golf course, skate park and dog park. The park also features a greenway (a linear trail that links to other environments) that connects to Stone Hall, a Colonial Revival-style home built in 1918.  

“It was a Metro-owned property, managed by the parks department,” said Syracuse. “Just like with the Two Rivers Mansion, they did not have a partner to come in and help manage and facilitate preservation.” 

Friends of Two Rivers stepped in just a few short years ago and now operates Stone Hall along with Eversong, a log cabin brought to the property when the Cantrell family lived there. The cabin resides on the bluff of Stones River and is part of an ongoing project to revitalize and utilize. 

Stone Hall also features a small building, unofficially known as the smokehouse, that can be used by grooms ahead of their weddings. 

Syracuse assumes that Eversong is too small to use for weddings, but he hopes that it will become a place for art – just as it was when Mrs. Cantrell used it to write poetry and music. 

“It’s perfect for book club, poetry club, even song writing sessions,” said Syracuse. “Things of a creative nature to honor what it was there for. That’s what we’re thinking.” 

As a 501(c)3 non-profit, Friends of Two Rivers is structured in a way that benefits both the properties being restored and maintained as well as those who use them. 

“Everybody’s rental is basically an annual membership,” Syracuse explained. “So your rental is also a tax write-off, whether it’s a wedding or corporate event or whatever. It’s a win-win for everybody, for sure.” 

The 2026 ICC Annual Conference and Expo kicks off on Oct.18 and runs through Oct. 21. Learn more by heading over to our conference page and don’t forget to check out all of the exciting building tours scheduled for the event!