Ravenswood (Brentwood, Tennessee)
Ravenswood is a property in Brentwood, Tennessee, that was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1983. Completed in 1825, it was named to honor Sam Houston, known as "the Raven" to the Cherokee, who was the best man at the 1821 wedding of James Hazard Wilson II and his bride Emeline. Beginning in 2010 the city of Brentwood acquired surrounding acreage, which in 2014 became the largest park in the City of Brentwood, with the mansion now available for special events.
One of the largest slaveowners in the area by the American Civil War, Wilson began building the house in 1821. At the outbreak of the Civil War, Wilson would host one of the area's two Confederate training camps at his Midway Plantation. This Ravenswood was the manor house of one of the three largest plantations in Williamson County, having more than in area and having many slaves. Other large area plantation houses from this era which are NRHP-listed are: Beechwood Hall and Pleasant View.
In 2013 the city of Brentwood purchased an additional 325 acres from a local real estate development family at a below-market price, agreeing to name the resulting park as Marcella Vivrette Smith Park.
The property includes Greek Revival and Federal architecture. When listed on the NRHP the property included five contributing buildings and three non-contributing buildings on an area of.
