Downstairs Tour of Elm Springs, Columbia, TN (2 of 3)

When other large buildings and many fine homes in Maury County were being destroyed by the Union Army prior to the Battle of Franklin (1864), this fantastic home was saved by an alert and loyal female slave and the timely arrival of General Frank Armstrong (CSA).  He and his men were traveling along Mooresville Pike just as the Union soldiers were attempting to set fire to the home.  He sent some troops to drive off the Yankee arsonists and later, after the Battle of Franklin, returned with a wounded comrade (General Brown) who was allowed to recover here.  Upon their departure, Susan Looney gave General Armstrong a decanter to thank him for saving their home.  That decanter has since been returned to the collection at Elm Springs. *

The home is currently a showcase of period furnishings as well as some original pieces surviving the Todd and Looney families' occupancy.  This collection is kept safe under the protective gaze of several notable Southern Generals such as Robert E. Lee and Nathan Bedford Forrest.

Like most homes of the Southern elite at the time, the downstairs was frequently used for dining...

...and entertaining guests.

The gentlemen could retire to this well-appointed study after dinner for drinks and cigars as they discussed the issues of the day.

The design of Elm Springs is said to have been copied from an Italian Villa that the builders, James and Nathaniel Dick, had admired while touring Europe.  The brothers, who operated a successful New Orleans brokerage firm, built this home as a gift for their sister Sarah.  The influence of New Orleans architecture can be seen in these "pocket doors", which are variant of a French design.

A picture is said to be worth a thousand words, but cannot compare to the experience of being there.
To plan your visit and see what the Union soldiers almost destroyed when they attempted to raze the Looney's home in 1864, see the organization's website at elmspringscsa.com.

*  Cynthia White, personal communication, 2013.