One Free Family Admission

History of Cheekwood:

The history and origin of Cheekwood are intimately interwoven with the growth of Nashville, the Maxwell House coffee brand and the Cheeks, one of the city's early entrepreneurial families.

Christopher T. Cheek moved to Nashville in the 1880's and founded a wholesale grocery business. His son, Leslie Cheek joined him as a partner.

In 1896, Leslie Cheek married Mabel Wood of Clarksville, Tennessee. Their son, Leslie, Jr. was born in 1908 and their daughter, Huldah, in 1915. By that year, Leslie Cheek was president of the family firm.

During these same years, the elder Cheeks cousin, Joel Cheek, developed a superior blend of coffee that was marketed through the best hotel in Nashville, the Maxwell House. His extended family, including Leslie and Mabel Cheek, were investors. In 1928, Postum (now General Foods) purchased Maxwell House's parent
company, Cheek-Neal Coffee, for more than $40 million.

With their income secured by the proceeds from the sale, the Cheeks bought 100 acres of what was then woodland in West Nashville for a country estate. To design and build the house and grounds, they hired New York residential and landscape architect, Bryant Fleming, and gave him control over every detail - from landscaping to interior furnishings. The result was a limestone mansion and extensive formal gardens inspired by the grand English houses of the 18th century. Fleming's masterpiece, Cheekwood, was completed in 1932.

Leslie and Mabel Cheek moved into the mansion in January 1933. Leslie Cheek lived at Cheekwood for just two years before his death at 61.

In 1943, Mabel Cheek deeded the house to her daughter, Huldah Cheek Sharp and her husband, Walter Sharp. The Sharps lived at Cheekwood until the 1950s when they offered it as a site for a botanical garden and art museum.

The development of the property was spearheaded by the Exchange Club of Nashville, the Horticultural Society of Middle Tennessee and many other civic groups. The Nashville Museum of Art donated its permanent collections and proceeds from the sale of its building to the effort. The new Cheekwood opened to the public in 1960.

Exhibitions - Current

September 22 - December 30

If you loved last year’s Trains! exhibit at Cheekwood, you’re in for a treat this fall. We’re thrilled to have special selections from our wonderful garden railroad exhibition back again this year, on the lawn across from the Frist Learning Center. Explore all the details of three amazing outdoor model trains on three separate tracks— a treat for train enthusiasts and young conductors alike.

September 22 - October 31

Scarecrows is back and bigger and better than ever with fabulous and funny, small and tall, sweet and scary, silly and sophisticated scarecrows lurking along Cheekwood’s garden paths.

March 31 2012 - August 25 2013

Within its historic walls, Cheekwood houses a Museum of Art especially known for its extensive collection of American art, including paintings, prints, photographs, sculpture, and decorative arts. Permanent Residents presents selected treasures by American artists who have become part of this collection.

The exhibition includes fine examples of nineteenth-century American painting from landscapes in the tradition of the Hudson River School to portraits, genre scenes, and still life's. In addition, Cheekwood will display its portrait miniature collection that is one of the finest in the country. Moving into the twentieth century, there will be representative examples of works by The Eight, including Robert Henri, John Sloan, and George Luks. Highlights from the later
twentieth-century include paintings by Larry Rivers, Andy Warhol, and Jamie Wyeth. The paintings will be complemented by a cross-section of American prints, drawings, and photographs.

Permanent Residents will dedicate special galleries to Red Grooms, William Edmondson, and art of the American West. Nashville-born artist Red Grooms is represented in the collection with paintings, prints, watercolors, and one of the first of his large-scale picto-sculptoramas, Mr. and Mrs. Rembrandt. Cheekwood is home to the largest public collection of works by the African-American sculptor William Edmondson. A self-taught artist from Nashville, Edmondson is now considered a master in 20th American art. A special collecting focus at Cheekwood is art of the American West. Given to Cheekwood by the John H. Hill family, it is a fine survey of art inspired by the Western experience.

Cheekwood has a great tradition of collecting American art, both historic and contemporary. Permanent Residents celebrates the artists whose works have come to stay with us to be enjoyed by our visitors.