Historic Sam Davis Home and Museum

Home
United States
Smyrna, TN
Historic Sam Davis Home and Museum

Call Directions Website Contact the museum

Located in Smyrna, Tennessee, The Historic Sam Davis Home was built in 1810 and expanded in the 1850s.
(387)

This historic home and museum sits in the middle of 168 acres which is open to the public as a private non-profit House Museum and offers guided tours. Follow the cedar-lined drive and take a tour of the historic home of Civil War soldier, Sam Davis. Located in Smyrna, Tennessee, The Sam Davis Home was built along the banks of Stewarts Creek in 1810. The historic house and museum rests on 168 acres of farmland just east of Nashville. Your tour experience begins with a documentary video about the life of Sam Davis and a tour of the museum gallery. Then guests are taken on a guided tour through the main house, the original kitchen, smokehouse, overseer's cabin, enslaved quarters and family cemetery.

10/13/2026

Tuesday views…come take a tour with us and explore this beautiful site. Guided tours are offered Monday through Saturday 10am-4pm. Last tour begins at 3pm daily.

10/12/2026

Is it a cemetery or a graveyard?

The ‘graveyard” originated in Europe as the Catholic Church gained control over burials, placing resting sites directly on land surrounding the church building. They were built out of necessity close to a place of worship. Graveyards are often smaller than cemeteries as they are often limited by the physical boundaries of the church property, organically laid out over generations, and often restricted to members of that specific faith.
By the late 18th and early 19th centuries, rapid population growth caused church graveyards to fill to capacity, creating severe space shortages and public health risks from stacked burials. Communities began establishing independent, municipal, or private burial grounds located further outside crowded towns. The term “cemetery” is derived from the Greek word koimeterion, meaning "sleeping place" or "dormitory," shifting the focus to a peaceful final resting place for the soul. Cemeteries are typically much larger, planned with wide paths and distinct sections, and open to the public with no religious connections.

Images:
"Cripplegate Churchyard, London 1830- From "The London Burial Grounds" by Isabella M. Holmes.
Mt. Olivet Cemetery- Nashville TN.

10/10/2026

Due to the incoming rain, Ghost Tours for Saturday October 10th are canceled. One more weekend to experience the spooky fun…come see us next Friday & Saturday October 16-17!

10/09/2026

TONIGHT! Ghost Tours kick off at 6pm. Tickets available upon arrival. Yummy food, thrilling hayride, candlelit walk through the historic house, chilling tales & spooky vibes. You don’t want to miss it! Last tours begin at 9pm so don’t be late 👻

10/06/2026

Today were talking about coffins and caskets. What’s the difference?
The word “coffin” comes from an old French word meaning ‘basket” or “container.” The English use of the word, meaning a box or container for corpses, can be traced back to the fourteenth century. Coffins are usually made of wood and are hexagonal in shape. They are wider at the shoulders and narrower at the feet. They were in common use in America until the late 19th century.
The casket became a popular container for the deceased by the 1880s and 1890s. The word “casket” arose in England in the seventeenth century as a box containing jewels or valuables. In the late nineteenth century, the funeral industry adopted the sales of caskets to replace the old fashioned coffin. Like a jewel box, caskets are lined with fine silk and satin or velvet, and they have hinged lids. They are rectangular in shape with elaborate handles and fittings. Caskets were perfect reflections of the excess of the late nineteenth century. One of the first commercial casket companies in America was the Batesville Casket Company in Indiana. They opened in 1884.

Image: Civil War embalmer's tent showing "Old Style" coffins.- Library of Congress

10/01/2026

Our first After Dark tour of the season is tomorrow evening!!

We've also added a tour on Halloween night, October 31!
Get your tickets soon as these tours sell out fast. https://www.samdavishome.org/event-tickets/after-hours-tours

P.S.-our family friendly Ghost Tour nights will also be taking place on October 9-10 & 16-17 (6-10pm) Those tours include the hay ride and tickets are only available at the door.👻

09/26/2026

The concept of the “good death” was central in 19th century America. It was the core of Christian practice. Death was considered an art. The dying were to give up to death gladly and willingly and it was believed that good Christians were not afraid to die and as they were surrounded by loved ones, the dying were relieved to achieve the Kingdom of Heaven. It was called “ars moriendi” or the “art of dying.”
By mid century, printed lithographs of deathbed scenes were produced by the thousands and they were displayed prominently in American homes. These scenes, usually depicting the deaths of famous figures, were to serve as an inspiration as they depicted the "Good death."
Image- "Death of Gen. Andrew Jackson" from SDH collection

Learn more about the macabre past and get your tickets to our haunted history tours in October! https://www.samdavishome.org/after-hours-tours

Address

1399 Sam Davis Road
Smyrna, TN
37167

Telephone

+16154592341

Website

http://www.samdavishome.org/

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Historic Sam Davis Home and Museum posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The Museum

Send a message to Historic Sam Davis Home and Museum:

Want your museum to be the top-listed museum in Smyrna?