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The Joy Mansion
Share a part of Nashville's history with one of it's oldest Victorian Mansions. The foundation of this 7,000 sq-ft home predates the Civil War. After retirement, General William White was given 200 acres and built a home for his daughter. When the home was expanded again in 1890, it was home to Tom Joy, of the Joy Flower Company, which had become the largest commercial greenhouse in the southeast.
The Joy Mansion is recognized as a cultural heritage site, with a historical marker from the TN Historical Comission. It sits on a spacious 4 acres with easy access within the city limits.
Today, it is a truly unique short-term rental space for small groups and sometimes a party/event venue. The Joy Mansion has been host to music video shoots from The Black Keys, Brett Eldredge, Luke Bryan, Paramore and more!
The History of Joy Mansion, 1818-1900s
The homesite of the Joy Plantation land during the 19th century, this was the home of 1812 General William Whites' favorite daughter. After the war, White was given 200 acres. He commissioned the original foundation in 1818. A single room with a cellar for his favorite daughter.
White was shot famously in a duel over who would become Nashville's post master general by Sam Houston, the founder of Houston, Texas. Although White survived the gunshot, he lived in pain for the rest of his life. Houston frequently expressed regret for shooting white until his death bed. General Whites' grave is marked on the adjacent property.
White sold a hundred acres to the Lischey Floral company, and thus the farm began. The Lischey family, while successful, was unable to compete in the violet market and sold their business to Tom S. Joy in 1850. Under Tom Joy's direction, the business flourished. Their floral and greenhouse business expanded rapidly and the Joy's quickly became the largest violet producer in the US.
At the height of their floral empire, the Joy family owned greenhouses up and down the east coast and all the way to Memphis. Tom Joy, Jr. added the large mansion to the homested in 1890
The History of Joy Mansion, 1900-2021
Under Tom Joy's direction, their floral and greenhouse business expanded rapidly, but as business rose and fell during the 1970s, the Joy family sold the farmstead to The Holkamp family from Germany. They expanded and modernized the greenhouse, and renovated the Joy Mansion. Under the Optimara label they are currently the 2nd largest producer of African violets in the world.
Prior to the 1970s, Holtkamp Greenhouses had a presence in the United States only through its licensed propagators which grew and marketed African Violets under the Rhapsodie trademark. All this changed, however, when Reinhold Holtkamp, the son of Hermann Holtkamp, Sr., set up operations in Nashville, Tennessee after purchasing the property from the Joy family.
Soon after, Reinhold introduced an entirely new trademark of African Violets. Barely a decade later, this trademark would represent the most recognized name of African Violets in the world.
From the beginning, Holtkamp Greenhouses USA set out to make Optimara synonymous with innovation. To do this, Reinhold Holtkamp Sr. set up a new R&D facility which, working in cooperation with R&D in Germany, could also move violet hybrids in new directions. The majority of african violets in circulation from the 1970s up to now have been hybridized at this facility.
Today, the next generation of Holtkamps, with the advantage of over 85 years of African Violet research for a foundation, are expanding into CBD hemp and other exciting crops.
They've kept the historic greenhouse up-to-date with today's new crops, exotic foliage, and classic flowers. While also maintaining the Joy Mansion, renovating it and making this historic slice of Nashville available for events and small groups.
"In 1882, T.S. and T.C. Joy, founders of Joy & Son floral co. (est. 1877), bought 91 acres east of Lischey Ave. for their greenhouse operations, including the Gen. White home and White-Ogden Cemetery.
The Joys built a large greenhouse (1886) and two brick dwellings along Lischey c. 1890. One of the South's largest florists, Joy Floral Co. opened retail shops and wholesale depts. in Chattanooga (1915) and Atlanta (1920). By 1938, the company had nearly all female leadership".
JoyMansion.com 2021
