This elm stands in the western lawn of Elm Springs, a home built in 1837 by noted Maury County builder, Nathan Vaught. The property encompasses 80 acres and is on the National Register of Historic Places. The original nomination form for the National Register stated: “There were a number of springs on the place and an elm supposedly grew over each of them. The name (Elm Springs) appears in dispatches from as early as the 1860s. Most of the elms were destroyed by Dutch elm disease in recent decades.”
During the Civil War the house narrowly escaped destruction when on November 27, 1864, Federal
troops under General John Scholfield set fire on the back stairway. Scholfield’s troops were routed by advancing Confederate troops under General John B. Hood, extinguished the flames before the house was consumed. Numerous skirmishes erupted around the home as Scholfield’s army retreated toward Franklin. Following the Battle of Franklin, some two days later, wounded Confederate General Johnson C. Brown was brought to the house and remained several weeks until Federal troops returned to the county.
Efforts have been made to plant more elm trees on the property but this tree is thought to be the only
mature elm to remain. Historic Elm Springs is operated as a historic site and is open for tours Monday through Friday, and Saturday by appointment.
Historic Tree, 2021 • Nominated by Adam Southern • Photograph by Adam Southern
