A great history trivia question would be: Where did George W. Polk come up with name Rattle and Snap for his plantation? It just doesn’t seem to fit with the opulent time period or majestic mansion. If you’re curious, continue reading and I’ll enlighten you!
Where most of these plantations are in well-known areas such as Franklin, Nashville, or Murfreesboro, Rattle and Snap is about seven miles west of Columbia, Tennessee which is close to where I live, though I’ve never seen it. You may not be surprised to know that it’s also on the south side of Andrew Jackson Highway (Tennessee State Routh 243). It sits atop a hill, and is privately owned, unlike any of the others I’m sharing, and is only available to tour by appointment.
You want to guess the architectural style? If you guessed Greek Revival, you’d be right. Aren’t they all? However, this one is considered “one of the grandest expressions” of such in Tennessee. It was designated as a National Historic Landmark in 1971 for its architecture—and its association with the Polk family, who at one time was one of eastern Tennessee’s largest landowners. For this reason, it has also been called the Polk-Granberry House (which makes more sense than Rattle and Snap.)
Rattle and Snap was built by George Washington Polk, one of the sons of Colonel William Polk and a relative of President James K. Polk. You may have noticed that James Polk and Andrew Jackson appear a lot in these plantation posts. They certainly got around. Colonel Polk was a North Carolina native and an officer in the Revolutionary War. He was appointed the surveyor-general of the Middle District of Tennessee in 1784. This may not be of interest to you, but my dad was a land surveyor, so it warms my heart just a bit.
The plantation originally stood on 5,648 acres. Supposedly the land was won from the Governor of North Carolina in a game of chance called…wait for it…Rattle and Snap. I researched how this game was played, but all I could find was that it included dice and beans. It was, after all, before the Revolutionary War, so they didn’t have the fancy game boards we have today. George Polk’s sons built their own fine homes on the original tract of land—and where their properties joined, the brothers built St. John’s Episcopal Church.
It won’t surprise you to learn that Rattle and Snap was constructed with slave labor and “is the largest, most extravagant mansion in Maury County.” This doesn’t come as a shock since there isn’t a whole lot of extravagance in Maury county. George Polk and his family lived in it for fifteen years before selling it to Joseph Granberry in 1867 (hence the name Polk-Granberry House.) They lived in it for over fifty years.
Now that I’m writing this up, I realize I should’ve made an appointment to see it for myself. Being privately owned, there aren’t many pictures available. According to the tourist website, the thousands of bricks used in its construction were made on site. Its foundations were hewn from native limestone—which we have in abundance here in Tennessee. You must’ve heard one of the state songs here is “Old Rocky Top.” I can’t dig a hole to plant a small tree without pulling out twenty pounds of rocks from the ground.
Of course, Rattle and Snap has lots of Corinthian columns—ten on the east-facing side and four on the west—twenty-six feet tall. Lots of fancy cornices and ceiling medallions inside, and more of those crazy Corinthian columns. The slaves that built this mansion were skilled artisans, and it couldn’t have been done without them.
Rattle and Snap is now owned by Dr. Mike Kaslow and his wife Bobbi. Although Dr. Mike grew up in the area, he spent his career in California and returned when he retired in 2005. He purchased Rattle and Snap at a foreclosure auction (I’d love to know what it cost him!) He and his wife have furnished the house in period pieces, paintings, carpets, and anything else they could find to allow it to appear as it did in its pre-Civil War days. It has been featured on several television shows including This Old House and Tennessee Crossroads. Their site includes links, which are no longer valid. I was hoping to get a glimpse inside for free, but no such luck.
Don’t forget to enter here for a chance to win a $50 Amazon Gift Card. It won’t buy you a plantation, but you might like to pick up a few historical fiction books that will take you to that time and place for a spell.
Comments 4
Thank you Jennifer for such amazing posts. Me and the kiddo travel through time while reading them. Most definitely a place on our bick list to visit. Tennessee holds such historical places that the kiddo and I can’t wait to see. He is such a History guy.
Author
Thank you, Keren, for your encouraging feedback. I’m thrilled that you and your sim were able to use these posts as a learning and virtual travel experiences!
I love history stuff… not just the history I learned in school, but odd bits and snatches of historical life. Since you mentioned that Rattle and Snap is a game, and I love games, I just had to look it up for myself.
What is the Game of ‘Rattle & Snap’?
Rattle and Snap is said to be a game of chance played with beans dating back to Colonial America. Participants would take large, numbered beans, rattle them in their hands and throw them on the ground with snap of their fingers.
Thank you for the history of this plantation. One day I hope to travel to the plantation one of my great-greats family owned in NC.
Author
I’m thrilled you enjoyed the series. And thank you for sharing how to play Rattle and Snap. Not sure how a person won, but it’s interesting nonetheless.