The James K. Polk Home Columbia Tennessee is the only surviving residence of the 11th President of the United States of America. The Polk Home displays original Polk family belongings such as furniture, portraits, clothing, White House china, political memorabilia and more. Also on the grounds of the Polk home are a detached kitchen and a formal garden.
The Polk Museum and multimedia experience in the adjacent Sisters’ House recount James K. Polk’s career and accomplishments. The Polk Presidential Hall, completed in 2006, features historical exhibits about the United States during President Polk’s term in office.
Special programs are offered throughout the year. Visitors to the Polk Home learn a great deal about James K. Polk, as well as his wife, Sarah Childress Polk. Sarah was only 45 years old when her husband died of cholera in 1849. Mourning the loss, she wore black until her death in 1891.
The Civil War years were especially difficult for this native Southerner who had served as First Lady of the Union. Because of her unique position both armies recognized her home as neutral territory.
James K. Polk Home Columbia Tennessee
Once you arrive, go to the visitors center – located in the Sisters’ House next door to the James K. Polk Home – to purchase your admission tickets. Your ticket is good for admission to the James K. Polk Home, the Sisters’ House, The Polk Kitchen, the Polk Gardens, and the Exhibit at Polk Presidential Hall.
The guided tour of the James K. Polk Home takes 30 minutes. Guests are welcome to tour the Sisters’ House, Kitchen, Gardens and Presidential Hall at their leisure. We suggest that you set aside at least two hours to fully enjoy your tour and get the most out of it.
The James K. Polk Home was purchased by the State of Tennessee and the James K. Polk Memorial Association in 1929 as a living memorial to the 11th President of the United States. The James K. Polk Home was designated as a National Historic Landmark in 1961 and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Visit the James K. Polk Home
The James K. Polk Ancestral Home is located on West 7th Street in downtown Columbia, Tennessee. There is ample free parking across the street and on the east side of the home.
- Visit the James K. Polk Home and Museum online at JamesKPolk.com
- Address – 301–305 West 7th Street, Columbia, TN 38401
- Phone – 931-388-2354
- Open – 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday – Saturday, 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday
- Closed – New Year’s Day, Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, and Christmas Day
Tennessee Antebellum Trail Tour and Itinerary
We invite you to come visit the Tennessee plantation homes from a bygone era and make sure you allow yourself ample time to enjoy your trip. The Tennessee Antebellum Trail is a completely self-guided and self-paced tour so you can visit all the homes and sights on the trail at your leisure.
The following sample itineraries are just a guide to help you plan your trip. One of the favorites on the Tennessee Antebellum Trail is the Two Day Tennessee Antebellum Trail Experience, where you tour the James K. Polk Ancestral Home and seven other beautiful Antebellum plantation homes while taking a relaxing drive through the beautiful Tennessee countryside.
For history loving Civil War enthusiasts, the Tennessee Antebellum Trail Civil War Tour sample itinerary will help guide you along as you go from plantation to battlefield and from cemetery to monument.
For all the thrill seeking spooky history fans and fanatics, there is a tour made just for you – the one of a kind Tennessee Antebellum Trail Ghost Tour! Walk The Hermitage mansion and cemetery grounds by lantern. Conduct a paranormal investigation at Rippavilla. Take a candlelit evening cemetery tour in Franklin. So, if you’re looking for ghosts, you can find plenty of them on the Tennessee Antebellum Trail!