News and Events from Andrew Jackson’s Hermitage | The Jacksonian Gazette – July 2022

Future Presidents of America

Last month, Andrew Jackson’s Hermitage was one of the host sites for the Future Presidents of America Youth Leadership Camp. Ten students from around the nation were selected to attend this weeklong camp focused on developing individual confidence, civic literacy and good citizenship. The students heard from area business and civic leaders like The Honorable Judge Andrew Jackson, VI; The Honorable Judge Sheila Calloway; H. Beecher Hicks, III, CEO of the National Museum of African American Music; David Britton, Tennessee State Parks Manager; and Amanda Lee Savage, instructor at the University of Memphis and co-founder of Native Rites.

The FPA camp was conceived and designed by the Benjamin Harrison Presidential Site, and The Hermitage was the first national partner on this project.

In Case You Missed It

Painting with the President

A night of art and ambiance was had June 9^th during Painting with the President. Local artists and teachers Peach McComb and Todd Saal gave the sold-out crowd the chance to learn how to paint the natural environment. Attendees left with their own watercolor painting of The Hermitage landscape.

Stay tuned for the next Painting with the President date!

Summertime Sips: Cocktail Workshop

J. Jackson Mobile Mixologist led a fun summertime cocktail workshop July 14^th, where participants learned the art of mixology, including the flavor wheel and balancing cocktail creations, before making three summertime-inspired drinks. The night included music and Hermitage-themed trivia.

Stay tuned for a date on the next cocktail program!

Mark Your Calendars: Upcoming Programs and Events

August 2^nd, 7 p.m.

Online

Free!

If you love to read and love history, you will want to be a card-carrying member of Jackson’s Library Card, our virtual book club that meets the first Tuesday of each month. Readers ages 16 and older are invited to grab a snack and their favorite beverage and log into Zoom for this hour-long meet-up with fellow readers.

The next meeting will take place at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, August 2^nd, featuring The Presidents’ War: Six American Presidents and the Civil War that Divided Them by Chris DeRose. Find out more here.

September 8^th, 5:30 p.m.

Education Classroom and Hermitage Garden

$15 Hermitage Members, $20 Non-Members

The first in a new gardening series, Digging In: Welcome to The Hermitage Garden, will be an evening for garden and plant enthusiasts—and those that love taking in the beauty of both! The one-acre Hermitage Garden, adjacent to the Hermitage mansion, was designed in the 19^th century and was a favorite spot of Andrew and Rachel Jackson. For more than 130 years, visitors have taken in the beauty of what has become one of the favorite spots to visit at The Hermitage.

This program will feature a history of the garden, current projects and developments and the vision for the garden’s future. Join Historic Garden Manager Bradley Roberts for this discussion, which will also include the differences between historic and heirloom plants and what the usage of each is in our own garden. The evening will conclude with a tour of the garden.

Find out more here.

October 28^th, 6:30 p.m. and 8 p.m.

Cabin-by-the-Spring

$25 Hermitage Members, $30 Non-Members

Back by popular demand! Join us in the rustic Cabin-by-the-Spring on Friday, October 28, 2022, where this event will have two showings: 6:30 p.m. and 8 p.m. Actor Neill Hartley is Ichabod Crane in an interactive one-man interpretation of Washington Irving’s horror tale about the Headless Horseman set in the sleepy world of Tarrytown, New York.

See Ichabod interacting with students in the schoolhouse and leading the church congregation in song. Join him on his way to a wonderful party, where he dances with the girl he loves. Then follow him on his fateful journey home, as he encounters the Headless Horseman and disappears from the hollow forever!

Neill Hartley is a professional actor who has performed with many local and regional theaters and is on the theater faculty of the University of the Arts in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Find out more here.

Outside Buildings Trivia

Andrew Jackson’s Hermitage is more than a mansion. From a rustic cabin and quaint church to enslaved quarters, The Hermitage has many locations on property besides the home where the president lived. Take this quiz to test your knowledge on some of our favorite spots onsite.

Take the Quiz

In Bloom Now

The center beds of the Hermitage Garden are brimming with color this summer! This season’s display features a variety of cultivars of Zinnia Elegans. ‘Benary’s Giant Mix,’ ‘Benary’s Giant Wine,’ ‘Oklahoma Mix,’ ‘Isabellina,’ ‘Golden State’, ‘Scarlet Flame’ and ‘Purple Prince’ are all in bloom and looking magnificent!

Watch this short video to learn more about Zinnia Elegans from Historic Garden Manager, Bradley Roberts.

It’s Always a Good Time for a Slushee!

The perfect way to cool down in these summertime temps is available at Andrew Jackson’s Hermitage!

For those 21 and older, try a wine slushee from Natchez Hills Winery. Pro tip: Get the two flavors for a super fun, super delicious, sweet treat!

And for those who aren’t quite old enough for the wine variety—or for the young at heart—Kona Ice serves up some awesome shaved ice in a variety of flavors. Check out their trailer behind the mansion on your next visit!