July 19 - 23, 2010   Registration Deadline July 2, 2010
Ages 8-12 (boys and girls)

All kinds of topics about science and nature are on tap this summer including the natural world and ecology, chemistry, geology, and more. The campers will play, make crafts, and explore the grounds of the Sam Davis Home. This is a fun way to learn about science. Play clothes are recommended.  To enroll a camper or for more information, contact Jane Clemons, Education Coordinator, at 615-459-2341 or at education@samdavishome.org .

The Sam Davis Dash 5K Run                                                         

September 18, 2010, Pre-Register by September 10, 2010

Register online with www.active.com

Race Fees are $20 (Pre-Registered) or $25 (Day of Run) for an Individual and for a Family of 4 the fees are $60 (Pre-Registered) or $70 (Day of Run).  For more information, please see the registration form.

Awards will be given to M/F Overall, M/F 2nd Place, M/F 3rd Place, M/F Masters, and Age Group Awards will be given 3 deep for 10 year increments.

Registration Form     DOC     PDF

Sponsorship Form    DOC     PDF

" Home Sweet Home"

September 23, 24, & 25, 2010

2010 is a year of celebration as the Sam Davis Home welcomes the 200th birthday of the historic home’s original structure. This historic house has been a home to many members of the Davis family and now is home to beautifully restored and originally crafted quilts in this year’s “Home Sweet Home” Quilt Show.

Home is where the heart is….. Home is where your History begins….. There is no place like home…… Home is where a thing is usually found, or was first found, or where it is naturally abundant; a habitat; one’s native land; where ones ancestors dwelled;…. Home is your place or mine……..Home is many different things and feelings to many different people.

Come celebrate "HOME" and its many interpretations at this year's Quilt Show - September 23, 24, and 25, 2010 from 10:00 am - 4:00 pm each day.

September 29, 30, and October 1, 2010

Now in its 23rd year, Heritage Days celebrates the beginning of autumn with living history presentations, skilled artisans, live animals, music, and much, much more.  The event is held from 9:00am - 1:00pm on September 29, 30, and October 1, 2010.  All activities along with a limited house and museum tour are offered for students and the general public for the admissionprice of $5.00.  Reservations are recommended for groups of 10 or more.

A House in Mourning

October 4 - November 1, 2010

The Sam Davis Home will host "Cult of Mourning" which was at its peak during 1850-1890. The house will be prepared for a funeral, with mirrors draped in black cloth and clocks stopped at the time of death. View the Mourning Artifacts and learn the history of this practice to respect and mourn for the deceased.

Ghost Tours and Haunted Hayrides

October 22, 23, 29, 30, 2010

Muster up your courage for a night when ghosts come out to greet you. Before your haunted hay ride comes to a dead stop, experience the plantation at night as stories from beyond the grave emerge. The haunts of the Sam Davis Home surround you as tour guides and volunteers share their encounters in the home and on the plantation. Beware, for you may not be alone when your haunted hay ride departs. Admission is $5 per person. Ghost tours are not recommended for children under the age of 10. The event runs from 7 pm until 11 pm with the last hay ride departing at 10 pm.

 October 22, 2010

As darkness falls, sink your teeth into a delicious meal in the historic Creek House before encountering frightful things, both on film and in person. Drag your body to the Henry King Theater after finishing your meal so you may select your coffin seat for the scheduled viewing of a classic frightful film. Once the film has ceased, embark on a haunted hay ride for an evening of true haunting tales told from staff experiences at the Sam Davis Home. Reservations are required. Admission is $25 per person. Event begins at 6 pm.

The Sam Davis Home Decorated for Christmas

November 29, 2010 - January 3, 2011

Lessons for Ladies

March 2011

In honor of Women’s History Month in March, we have added a special month long tour titled Lessons for Ladies.  This tour will feature the domestic arts, etiquette, and education of women during the 19th century.  Also highlighted on the tour will be the individual stories of prominent women who lived during this time as well as those who were so important to young Sam Davis’ life.  Many women did not have the opportunity to tell their story during the 19th century in the United States.  Now, their stories, everyday activities, and special occasion celebrations can be told during the Lessons for Ladies tour during the month of March at the Sam Davis Home.  

Saturday, March 26 and April 2, 2011

Dress in your Sunday best and bring along your favorite teddy bear as we invite you to attend the Teddy Bear Tea at the Sam Davis Home.  This tea party is a wonderful way for young ladies ages 4-10 to spend a few hours with their favorite bear and special lady, whether she be her mother, grandmother, aunt, older sister, or another.  Enjoy delectable treats and savory teas.  Create a fun craft for your teddy bear friend.  Cozy up with your teddy bear as Mrs. Jane Simmons Davis takes you on an adventure in Story Time!  Tour the inside of the Sam Davis Home with Andromedia Davis as she shows you where the young ladies of the house once played and sipped tea.  Teddy Bear Teas will be held on March 26 and April 2 at 10 am and 2 pm.  With four tea times to choose from, this is an event that should not be missed!  Admission is $8 per guest, excluding teddy bears, with the required reservations.  Reservations can be made by calling Meredith Lane at 615-459-2341 or contacting her through email at admin@samdavishome.org.

Sunday, April 24, 2011

Closed for Holiday

Easter Eggstravaganza

Saturday, April 23,2011

Hop on over to the Sam Davis Home for the 11th Annual Easter Eggstravaganza!  Continuing the community wide event the Davis family hosted many years ago, the Sam Davis Home will be featuring Easter activities from 10 am until 12 noon on Saturday, April 23, 2011.  The Easter Bunny always makes an appearance and loves to see the plantation filled with children enjoying the games, face painting, and more!  Three egg hunts are scheduled for the morning activities: children ages 0-3 hunt at 10:30 am, ages 4-6 hunt at 11 a.m., and ages 7-10 hunt at 11:30 a.m.  Guided tours of the historic home will be offered every hour on the hour for a reduced price.  Bring your Easter basket and don’t forget to wear your best bonnet or handsome hat for this year’s Easter Eggstravaganza!  Admission is only $5 per vehicle. 

Please contact the Sam Davis Home with any questions by calling (615) 459-2341 or through email at admin@samdavishome.org.                                  

Sam Davis Home Golf Tournament

Friday, April 29, 2011

The Sam Davis Home is hosting a Golf Tournament at the Smyrna Golf Course with registration beginning at 11:00am and tee time at 1:00pm.  All proceeds will go to the Sam Davis Home Education Department.  In addition to a fun-filled day of golf, we plan to have areas for sponsorship banners, hole sponsors, door prizes, and other skill contests for the participants to enjoy. If you are interested in participating as an individual or as part of a team, or you would like to be a sponsor, please feel free to contact us at (615) 459-2341.  You may also acces the forms on our website, all you will need to do is click on the name of the form below that you would like to download, hit print, fill it out, and fax or mail it in.

Team Registration Form - WORD     PDF

Schedule of Events - WORD     PDF

Sponsorship Form - WORD     PDF

40th Annual Days on the Farm

May 5 & 6, 2011

Where can you find pigs in a pen, a blacksmith making tools, and a spinner who shows how wool is transformed into yarn?  You can find all that and more at the 39th Annual Days on the Farm hosted by the Sam Davis Home on May 5th and 6th.  This popular living history celebration will feature more than 20 demonstrations including how to make candles from hot wax and how soap was made from pig fat and lye.  With hands-on activities, find out what life was like as a Civil War soldier and how quilts were made to keep people warm during the cold winter months.  After you tour the historic home and visit the museum exhibits, stop by the gift tent to pick up a reproduction historical toy or some old-fashioned candy sticks.  All are welcome and encouraged to bring a picnic lunch and enjoy it under the trees while out on the grounds of this historic plantation.  Event hours are 9 a.m. until 1 p.m.  Admission is $5 per person.  Reservations are recommended for groups of 10 or more.

Free Day In May

May 21, 2011

The Sam Davis Home joins other tourists sites of Rutherford County for a day of free admission.  The Sam Davis Home will be open from 10 am until 4 pm for visitors interested in walking through the Middle Tennessee Civil War History Museum and the historic Sam Davis Home.  Guides throughout the home will be dressed in period clothing.

Daffodils bloom along the bank of Stewart’s Creek.  Lilies sprout up around the kitchen.  Hyacinths emerge throughout the backyard paths.  Irises grace the side of the winding drive.  Spring is alive at the Sam Davis Home.  With the crisp air giving way to warmer breezes, our excitement for the Garden Luncheon is evident.  On Thursday, May 19 the Sam Davis Home will host the Garden Luncheon.  The luncheon will begin at 11:30 am with lunch being served on the back porch of the Sam Davis Home.  Towards the end of the luncheon, a tour of the house will be offered to all those who are interested.  This tour will highlight the furnishings and items from nature that have been brought inside the home for daily activities as well as special use.  The Garden Luncheon is $16 per person, or $14 for SDMA members.  Whether you have a garden of your own or simply admire them from afar, our garden is open for your enjoyment on May 19, 2010.  We are requiring reservations for this event, as space is limited.  Please contact Meredith Lane for more information at 615-459-2341 or by email at admin@samdavishome.org.

Rutherford County Heritage Camp

June 2 & 3, 2011

The Sam Davis Home partners with the only other historic house/museum in Rutherford County - Oaklands - in this two-day mini-camp experiencing slices of 19th century life.  Crafts and games along with house and museum tours will fill the mornings with learning and fun.

June 6-10, 2011  Registration Deadline May 13, 2011
Ages 12-16 (girls only)

Young ladies will be instructed in the fine arts of 19th Century womanhood such as dress, ettiquette, sewing, dance, and much more. The young ladies are encouraged to dress in period dress as they live the mornings as girls might have 150 years ago.

June 6 - 10, 2011  Registration Deadline May 13, 2011
Ages 9-15 (boys only)

The boys spend an active week complete with drills, camps, crafts, and games as they learn about the life of Civil War soldiers. History presenters bring the past alive for the boys. Period dress is optional.

Apple Valley School Summer Camp

June 20 - 24, 2011 (Deadline June 3 for registration)
Ages 8-12 (boys and girls)

"Students" role play as a member of families from long ago as they enjoy authentic lessons from 19th Century schools, make crafts, play games, sing, and enjoy the historic house and grounds. This is a very popular camp and will fill rapidly. Period costumes are optional.