Historic Mansker's Station

01/22/2025

Have you ever been interested in knowing how flax becomes linen? Here is a fun vintage video from 1960 that will tell you all about it!

Illustrates the cultivation, growth, harvesting and weaving of flax into various designs of linen. Talks about Ireland, one of the main sources of flax. W...

01/20/2025

In honor of Martin Luther King Jr. Day today, we thought we would share a quote from his “Letter from a Birmingham Jail” that everyone can keep in mind when wondering what to do with each moment of their lives: “The time is always ripe to do right.”

01/17/2025

Remember the big snow we had at the beginning of 2022? The Bowen House looked so beautiful!

01/15/2025

Calling all Goodlettsville residents or family members/friends of Goodlettsville residents! We are currently in the midst of designing our next museum exhibit, an exhibit to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the founding of our country. We want to focus specifically on Goodlettsville and her history, from founding to present day. That being said, if anyone has any pictures, personal stories, artifacts, maps, memories, etc. from Goodlettsville that you would be willing to share with us, we would love to hear from you! We are specifically looking for pictures, stories, and artifacts of people from Goodlettsville who served during any war, be it the War of 1812, the Mexican American War, the Civil War, World War 1, World War 2, Vietnam War, or any other war. If interested, please email [email protected] with these finds. We greatly appreciate anything you may have with a connection to Goodlettsville!

01/10/2025

Mansker's Station, the Bowen House, and the Visitor's Center will all be closed today due to snow. Hope everyone stays safe and warm!

01/08/2025

There are many great books that are extremely informative about Tennessee frontier life, and if we tried to name them all, we’d never stop! But we thought we’d share one of our favorites today: Chronicles of the Cumberland is full of first-source quotes and documents from 1779-1796. Compiled by Paul Clements, it is a wealth of information for anyone interested in the Colonial era in Tennessee. Do you have any favorite books about this area?

01/06/2025

It sure is cold today! It was on a cold day just like this that the first recorded casualty occurred at Mansker’s Station. The poor wife of Dennis Clark succumbed to the elements and died of illness brought on by the cold during the frigid winter of 1780.

01/03/2025

Blacksmithing was a valued skill in Colonial America. People far and wide sought for those with this skill, and young children who apprenticed with a master blacksmith learned a skill that could always come in handy. It was hot work, though, especially in the summer, and it required great strength. It certainly wasn’t a trade for the faint of heart!

01/01/2025

Happy New Year! We hope 2025 treats you well!

12/30/2024

It’s that time of year again, that time when we start making new year’s resolutions. Some of us want to eat healthier, some of us want to get more exercise, some of us want to read more books…there are endless opportunities to improve yourself! Why don’t you make a resolution this year to learn more about Tennessee history? There are so many museums and historic sites all over this great state dedicated to teaching and preserving our history. We are just one of many sites that you could visit and expand your knowledge of this area. Let’s make 2025 your year for exploring Tennessee history!

12/27/2024

You still have a chance to come see our natural greenery and historic holiday decorations as part of a guided tour. We are open year-round, every weekday, so make plans to come take a tour of Mansker's Station and the Bowen House!

12/25/2024

Merry Christmas to all from everyone here at Mansker's Station!

12/23/2024

Throughout history, special recipes have been associated with special holidays, Christmas not least of all. Gingerbread is a recipe that has come to be associated with Christmas, so we thought we’d take a look at a gingerbread recipe from the 15th century. Below is the recipe with wording unchanged:

“Gyngerbrede.--Take a quart of hony, & sethe it, & skeme it clene; take Safroun, pouder Pepir, & throw ther-on; take grayted Bred, & make it so chargeaunt that it wol be y-lechyd; then take pouder Canelle, & straw ther-on y-now; then make yt square, lyke as thou wolt leche yt; take when thou lechyst hyt, an caste Box leves a-bouyn, y-stykyd ther-on, on clowys. And if thou wolt haue it Red, coloure it with Saunderys y-now."

12/20/2024

The Bowen House during Yulefest, 2024

12/18/2024

The Visitor's Center and Mansker's Station and the Bowen House will be closed on December 23rd, December 24th, and December 25th.

12/16/2024

Here at Mansker’s Station and the Bowen House, we love traditions, whether that’s traditions from the 1780s or traditions from the 1980s. One of our favorites is an old European tradition of lighting a yule log on the first day of Christmas and burning the same log for all twelve days of Christmas. What are some of your favorite Christmas traditions?

12/14/2024

Congratulations 🎉 to these two Department of Tourism team members for being recognized today at the City of Goodlettsville Service Award Ceremony.

Beverly Foster Sweeten serves as Tourism Services Assistant and was recognized for 5 years of service.

Jennifer Kirk is the Tourism Operations Supervisor and was recognized for 10 years of service (in addition to years as part time employee and a volunteer).

We appreciate your commitment to the City of Goodlettsville and value the work you do everyday! ❤️💙