Rippa Villa — Attraction in Tennessee

I went to Ripavilla with visiting family for the first time since the new management took over… I spoke so highly about the tour and my family was very excited about attending with us! We had been 4 times prior to this one.

We felt as though we were nuisances to the workers when we wanted to purchase tour tickets or asked any questions. The story of the family who lived there during the battle of Spring Hill and the story there was not shared at all. Most of the tour was talking about how disappointed at the people who moved in after the original builder had changed things… like running water, electricity and trying to turn it into functionality… hearing about how everything was about architecture was not wrong… but not what I was expecting. I was told the stories prior were embellished and untrue… and while that may be so, I would have enjoyed embellishments a little more! When I had “stories” before…. Even if prefaced with “this is a story passed on and we are unsure it’s accuracy” placed me back into time… it placed me with the people who lived there. I was also so sad to see that none of the families furniture was still in the home.

Maybe I was biased on my prior visits, but I don’t know if I will take family again after this past time, I felt like a nuisance… any questions were nuisances… while I very much hope it may have just been an “off” day… my family visiting even said they wished they’d heard less about disappointment in the architecture renovations and more about what happened in the home. They were disappointed and they’d never been before.

This historical home is part of our community! I hope we can keep or bring back some of the stories (even if they are only that!) to keep the...

THIRD UPDATE.. Go back and read it again.. I Said "family members from Canada" and never once said she was from Canada.. As for an axe to grind.. you are sadly mistaken.. I love rippavilla and am extremely sad to see its current state. Second Update.. The lady who reached out to me is not from Canada. I said she visited and brought relatives of hers who were from Canada to visit. We are not personal friends but met through my recommendation of Rippavilla to her. Yes, at that time of her visit to Rippavilla it was completely bare of furnishings. And yes, the ticket prices have nearly doubled since I was there last. And several other reviews also mention very sparse furnishings.. Then I see very recent reviews that have years old photos attached as if they are current when these furnishing and items are no longer there..

UPDATE.. I had a visitor reach out to me to express how disappointing the site is now. She and 5 family members from Canada visited and the house is completely empty and the tour guide mostly talked about the remodeling it had undergone when the Cheairs family sold it. It seems like the new director is NOT good for this site after all.

Since my last visit the prices have doubled for a tour and the home has been completely emptied of period furnishings and family belongings. New management does not mean it's good for the site. Many long standing events that brought in guests from across the U.S. as well Cheairs family descendants and funds for this historic...

We toured Rippavilla in 2019 and it was amazing! Best tour we've ever taken and we've taken a lot! The guides were knowledgeable and engaged in the subject, talking specifically about the house, the people who lived there, and about the surrounding area. The Battle of Franklin was mentioned as was slavery because they are a part of the history of the house but they weren't the only focus.

We took the tour again on Monday and the tour was terrible! The only reason I'm not giving it one star is because our guide and the gift shop gal were nice but that's the only thing it's got going for it. The house is gutted (given it's going through renovations) but there are maybe 5 pieces of furniture in the whole place. When I asked what furniture from before would be back in again after renovations I was told nothing. I asked at another museum that had pieces that we recognized from Rippavilla what happened and we were told the family and everyone who had leant pieces took them back because they didn't want to be associated with the Battle of Franklin Trust that is now in charge. Another guide on another tour confirmed it. They have an agenda behind what they are doing to this beautiful place and it's obvious which is sad. Photos attached are of how it...