Rippa Villa

A short, scenic drive from Franklin in Spring Hill, you’ll find Rippa Villa, a Greek Revival-style home built in the mid-1850s by Nat Cheairs. The Cheairs family was one of the wealthiest in the region at that time and relied on large numbers of enslaved people to farm their vast acreage. During the Civil War, the Battle of Spring Hill took place on the Rippa Villa property on November 29, 1864. It was a precursor to the bloody Battle of Franklin that would take place the next day.

Today, 98 acres of the Cheairs property have been preserved along with the house, which was restored in the 1980s. In addition, 84 acres north of the property have been preserved by the American Battlefield Trust.

Visitors to Rippa Villa can take a guided tour of the home and explore the grounds and outbuildings as well. Tours last about an hour and depart every 30-40 minutes. A variety of specialized tours on topics ranging from slavery to the battlefield itself are offered throughout the week as well. Discounted tickets for Carnton and Carter House are available at the downtown Franklin Visitor Center.