Cragfont 1785 - 1991

1785 November James and George Winchester arrive in what was then called the Cumberland settlements to take up the North Carolina land warrant #3116 for 228 acres, which was originally issued to James Spann, but had been sold 3 times before. James and George purchased the property on the east bank of Bledsoe's Creek.

1786 James and George Winchester built a conventional log house, with some fortification. It was soon given the name Cragfont, in recognition of its impressive location on a high bluff with a spring flowing into Bledsoe's Creek at its base.

1794 July George Winchester killed by Indians near site of present day Gallatin.

1798 Construction on James Winchester's manor house begins.

1802 Construction on the manor house is completed. James Winchester lived in the house until his death on July 26, 1826. His wife, Susan Black Winchester, lived in the house until her death on December 7, 1864.

1864 George Washington Winchester, the youngest child of James and Susan, was forced to sell Cragfont. The property changed hands to J. Embry Sweeney.

1882 Joe Miller and Harvey Chenalt purchase the house and property.

1887 J.T. Littleton and Joe Wright purchase the house and property.

1890 W.H.B. Satterwhite purchases the house and property.

1931 S.B. McMurtry purchases the house and property.

1958 State of Tennessee purchases Cragfont and some surrounding property for the purpose of historic preservation.

1961 April Cragfont opens to the public.

1969 December Log house, garrison type, constructed for caretaker.

1975 April Garden restored and formerly dedicated.

1977 November Tennessee Historical Commission awards grant for construction of pond.

1978 May Interior Department awards grant to purchase additional land along one side of the approach road. This land was part of the original land grant to General Winchester.

1991 The 1817 portraits of the General and his wife, Susan, painted by Ralph E.W. Earle, were returned to Cragfont by descendants.

1991 June Reconstruction of the gallery and porte-cochere at rear of mansion.

Source: General Winchester by Walter Durham

Cragfont typified the grandeur and style of the best of the late Georgian period homes. General Winchester named his mansion "Cragfont" as it stood on a rocky bluff with a spring at its base.

Built of gray rough finished Tennessee limestone, quarried on the place, and poplar, walnut, cherry and ash, hand hewn and cut from the surrounding virgin forest, Cragfont was in contrast to the typical log houses of the area.

Born in 1752 in Carrol County, Maryland, General Winchester, the son of an aristocratic family of English decent, brought stone masons, carpenters, and joiners 600 miles through the wilderness from his native Maryland to construct his mansion. An interesting architectural feature of this "T" shaped house is the seven iron stars used as anchor plates for iron rods extending from the front to the rear to strengthen and tie the structure together. In the attic, the intricate king post truss system was used, with the beams put together with wooden pegs. The truss construction is similar to an inverted boat and gives us a clue that the carpenters were familiar with shipbuilding.

Other interesting features of this great house include the original stenciling on the parlor walls, the stippling on the parlor mantel and stair risers, the original wood work and flooring, the kitchen as an integral part of the house, and second floor ballroom, the first in the Tennessee country.

The galleries, which surround the ballroom on three sides, present beautiful views of the restored garden and pond and the magnificent rolling countryside beyond.

Among the notable guests at Cragfont during the General's life were Andrew Jackson, Sam Houston and John Overton.

The house is furnished with authentic American Federal antiques some of which are original Winchester pieces. In the basement, visitors can see a typical weaving room, wine cellar, and a collection of farm and carpentry tools of the early 1800's.

General James Winchester and his brother George, who was ambushed and scalped by the Indians in 1794, came to the wilderness frontier in 1787. Construction on the mansion began in 1798, two years after the final Indian battle was fought in the area. Until 1864, members of the Winchester Family occupied Cragfont. To the rear of the mansion is the Family cemetery where the General and Mrs. Winchester and members of their family are buried.