Visitor Information

Historic Home and Farm News

Historic Home

Historic Home Celebrates 200 Years
Nashville Zoo’s Historic Grassmere Home is celebrating 200 years in 2010! The home, built in 1810, is the second oldest residence in Davidson County that is open to the public. To commemorate this bicentennial feat, the Zoo is hosting a summer-long celebration to honor the history of the house and its former residents.

Mark your calendars for the Croft House Picnic Celebration on Sunday, May 30. Open to all Zoo guests, the old-fashioned celebration will feature live music, special animal programs and free birthday cake. A barbeque picnic buffet will be available for an additional fee. Special speakers and those who were close to the Croft sisters will also be on hand to discuss the significance of the home to the Zoo and the community.

Beginning with the picnic and running through the summer, the home will have a rotating display highlighting changes to the property through the years. Come browse documents, photographs and other artifacts to see how life has evolved from the Zoo’s backyard. Grassmere house tours begin again in April.

Down On the Farm
The animal trail isn’t the only place guests can find new animals this spring. Two equestrian additions to our farm collection are causing quite the stir. Kane, a shire horse from North Carolina, arrives at the Zoo this month. Shires are some of the largest horses in the world, and this gentle giant is no exception. Standing at 18 hands (6 feet) and weighing approximately 2,200 lbs., Kane certainly is a sight to see. He is joined by another horse that is short in stature but not in personality. Stormy, a 3-year old miniature pony­­, stands at just over 2.5 feet and weighs 197 lbs. This new little dude will certainly please guests with his pint size and sweet demeanor. Zoo guests will have an opportunity to take photographs with both Stormy and Kane at the farm in the spring.

In addition to the horses, two Devon cows and a new flock of Silver-laced Wyandotte chickens have also joined the farm crew. The barn and grounds are open daily.









Tending the Garden
The Davidson County Master Gardeners are a small army of green-thumbed volunteers responsible for maintaining the garden behind the Grassmere home. For the past 12 years, they have provided the manpower, resources and expertise to keep the area around the home both beautiful and bountiful.

This past year, the Master Gardeners were recognized for their hard work with the 2009 Demonstration Award from the Tennessee Master Gardeners. In 2009, the Gardeners volunteered more than 3,350 hours to keep the garden a living timepiece of the Croft home and an educational opportunity for our Zoo guests.

The main garden area includes heirloom flowers and plants, a second tier of vegetables, and a revived orchard. An herb garden is behind the home's kitchen, heirloom roses are at the back of the main garden, and numerous daffodils, irises and azaleas dot the farm.

Come see the garden on your next Zoo visit. The Master Gardeners are hard at work tilling, plowing and planting most Monday, Wednesday and Saturday mornings, and are available to give tours and answer questions about the plants and their care. To schedule a garden tour, email Tori Mason at tmason@nashvillezoo.org.

Grassmere Garden Classes
Every Saturday during March and April, the Davidson County Master Gardeners will be sharing tips and answering questions on all things garden, from basic planting methods to the importance of heirloom plants. Each session is free with Zoo admission and starts at 10 a.m. behind the Historic Home. Click here for class schedule and topics.