Tony and I happened across this lovely plantation style home on one of our drives in the back…read morecountry roads of Tennessee. We had to park and get out and check it out. I was so excited. I always get excited when I find old mansions like this. So when I got home I had to find out some additional history about the home and the site. The mansion property was bought by James Gordon after the removal of the Cherokee in 1836. Mr. James Gordon previously built the Gordon Mill, which served as the first general store in Walker County. With the success of the mill Mr. James Gordon wanted to build a permanent estate and construction began in 1840, but due to labor and financial problems it wasn't completed until 1847 The Gordon Lee Mansion was originally the Gordon residence built by Mr. James Gordon, who with his two brothers came from Gwinnett County, Georgia in 1836 to Crawfish Springs, now Chickamauga Georgia. Construction was started in 1840 and completed in 1847. The bricks used in construction were made on the residence grounds. The walls of the house range in thickness from sixteen inches at the base to twelve inches at the top. Later a piping system was installed to pipe water from Crawfish Spring up to the kitchen, then bath house, then the spring house, and on to the watering troughs for the animals. During the War Between the States, the main house was used by the Union Army for General Rosecrans Headquarters just before the Battle of Chickamauga. During the battle the house became a hospital and reports show that many soldiers died in the house, the floors were so blood-stained they were later covered with mats. Many soldiers scribbled a last message to loved ones on the walls, and the girls of the James Lee family made copies of them and tried to contact families of the soldiers after the battle. Mr. James Lee purchased the homestead from the heirs after Mrs. Gordon's death. He was married to Elizabeth Gordon and was the son of a Methodist minister, and was one of the principal organizers of the nearby Methodist Church later named in honor of his wife (Elizabeth Lee Memorial Methodist Church). Mr. Lee had a school in his front yard for his children and others in the community. The teacher was usually a male graduate of one of the well know institutions of learning of that day. In his will, Mr. Lee donated $250,000 and 15 acres to be made into a high school. Gordon Lee Memorial High School stands proudly today on the very land donated by Mr. Lee. After Mrs. James Lee's death, the house was purchased by one of her sons, Mr. Gordon Lee, who served the Seventh District of Georgia in the United States Congress for 20 years. He completely remodeled the house in the early 1900's changing the double front porch to the present large one with tall, white columns. In 1974, Dr. Frank Green acquired the property and extensively restored and remodeled the Mansion and grounds. Today, the Mansion stands on the hill overlooking the spring just as it did when it was first built over a century ago. The City has recently entered into an agreement to purchase the Mansion and grounds. Please visit the Gordon Lee Mansion website or phone them at (706) 375-4728 or outside the Chattanooga area phone (800) 487-4728 for operating hours.

The Gordon Lee Mansion is a beautifully restored old mansion steeped with Civil War history and…read morefull of interesting artifacts. The admission is just a few dollars and goes toward the historical society to help maintain the expansive property. There is the main mansion with two floors to explore, an outdoor kitchen in the back, a couple of smaller log cabins, a large garden, and a beautiful front yard with massive oak trees. Inside the mansion is about a dozen rooms to walk through. Most of the items in the house are not original, but they are period-specific reproductions or antiques that show off the house as it would have looked over a hundred years ago. It is very well maintained and presented, especially on sunny days when the light beams through the large windows. It only took about fifteen minutes to casually walk through the mansion, but if you come on a weekend and snag one of the interpreters you could be there for hours listening to stories about this place! It has been a Civil War hospital, headquarters, owned by a few families, and the current owner still lives on the property in a private log house! It is an interesting place I would highly recommend as one of those off the beaten path places to visit.

Having our wedding at The Barn at Highpoint Farms was probably one of the best decisions we made…read more First off, I love that it is a family run business with generations of experience. They take pride in their venue and the personalized, thoughtful, and unique setting they provide. Margie has been planning weddings for years and her experience was incredibly helpful for us during the planning process as she asked questions and gave suggestions on things I never would have thought of without her! The Barn at Highpoint Farms offers SO much- first, they are a flower farm as well as a wedding venue. This means that we were able to use fresh cut flowers for our bouquets, table settings, ceremony décor, and got to take pictures in flower gardens that had the same flowers used for our wedding in them. The flowers were stunning, smelled and looked fresh, adding to the ambiance. The arrangements were well thought out and better than I could have imagined. Second, they offer some housing on site! Along with the ceremony space and the barn for the reception, there are two houses and a couple's tree house on site that you can rent for additional spaces to stay. We did a premium package where both houses and the tree house were included in our weekend. GREAT DECISION! This meant that we, plus our wedding party, had somewhere to stay Friday AND Saturday night that was right on site. Everyone commented on how much they loved that they didn't have to commute back and forth from a hotel, and that they got to enjoy the peaceful scenery of the farm all weekend. Plus no one was late or had any mishaps. We loved the venue so much that we had our rehearsal dinner there Friday night plus the wedding ceremony and reception there Saturday. It was so convenient and really reduced stress having everything in one place for the entire weekend. Finally, there is so much to do and see on the farm! It feels like a magical place, and they have done an excellent job of preserving and enhancing the natural beauty of the farm. Everywhere you look there is a perfect photo opportunity, from flower gardens to old pickup trucks, to green houses and rustic barn doors. The venue has so much natural character and charm you really don't have to overdress it with décor and fluff which was a cost saver in the end. There are even horses, goats, cats, and dogs you can take pictures with offering unique photo opportunities. The two guest houses are comfy and stunningly decorated, Margie and family really have a great designer's eye, making them beautiful settings for getting ready photos as well as comfy places to stay all weekend. I could go on and on about The Barn at Highpoint Farms, but it'd be a book. Go tour the venue, you won't regret it. I highly recommend, it was the best decision we made in wedding planning.

My son's wedding was held here and it was amazing. From our very first contact until the time we…read moreleft, Margie and Jill (and staff) made sure everything was perfect for us. Very accommodating! The view is stunning but Jill's ability with flowers and greenery was over the top! Everything she created (bouquets, table decor) was so very pretty. The arbor she decorated at the front of the aisle took my breath away and made a beautiful background for the pictures. Our guests loved the baby goats and the bonfire/corn hole area. It just added to the fun and enjoyment. I highly recommend this venue to anyone!l

Beautiful venue. Super helpful in making sure we had all we needed and Kat was a dream to work…read morewith in the set up, etc. This space was perfect for our event.

From the owner: If you have been searching for the perfect venue for your wedding reception, rehearsal dinner,…read moreparty, or fundraising event - look no further! The Peyton is the perfect space for your occasion, and it is located within the same building as our sister venue, Stratton Hall. - 6,000 square feet with an industrial chic look and feel - Original warehouse space with unique lighting and large glass, roll-up doors - Outdoor patio with a view of the beautiful Lookout Mountain - Custom-made farm tables and benches to comfortably seat up to 96 guests - 10 additional large tables with wooden, cross-back chairs - Indoor and outdoor conversation areas with sofas and tables, and a beautiful wooden bar - Sound system and projector

I reached out to crunchy acres last minute, literally a few days before our already planned…read moreceremony. Our first venue fell through, so I had to find the perfect venue for my wife and I quicker than a microwaved burrito.lol within an hour of requesting quotes and messaging different businesses, Emily and crunchy acres replied professionally and let me know her rates. Compared to the other 40 or so quotes and responses, she was a bit below average in terms of cost, but she was very kind and attentive to our specific situation. I'm literally writing this on my wedding night laying here next to my wife because I told Emily earlier that I did not want to forget and this day has been absolutely perfect in the midst of the chaos thus last two weeks has been.. On short notice, literally within three days and two days before Christmas, Emily and her husband made time to drive a bit out of their way to meet my wife and I at the property we had found out in the middle of nowhere BFE lol she communicated and coordinated clearly and honestly, even in the midst of the busiest time of the holiday season. We met at the property at almost the same time, but with no cell phone service on either end, she showed absolutely no annoyance or frustration when we were finally able to park at the venue. Btw, she lives in Trenton Ga and drove to Monteagle Tn and then another 25 minutes to the reserved venue in Tracy City. Really did amaze me how understanding and caring her and her husband were, especially at such an amazing (Christmas holiday in mind) price. Upon meeting Emily and her husband, she stepped out of the truck with a big smile, as did her husband who were both very friendly and personable. Since we wanted a quick ceremony with vows and I do's, I tried to make it a point to let her and her husband know how thankful we were. They were doing this for us. Nonchalantly, they both started looking for the perfect photo and scene to do the ceremony. We picked the perfect and ideal location and her husband even offered to take pictures for us, which turned out incredible and so personal with different angles and lighting. I told her up front it was informal and she was in no way pushy or trying to upsell. She just cared about what we wanted. She had a personalized, handwritten introduction to our ceremony that was elegant and much appreciated. They made us feel as though I wasn't just a quick ceremonial buck to be made. I feel as though no matter how big or small, traditional or untraditional, simple or detailed, Emily would go above and beyond to tailor to your needs and not her own agenda. That's hard to find. I would sincerely and strongly suggest reaching out to Emily, owner or Crunchy Acres for any quote, idea, or reservation booking and will refer anyone I come across to do the same. Thanks Emily!

From the owner: Crunchy Acres is a small family farm in northwestern Georgia. We take pride in serving our clients,…read morecommunity, and country. We are LGBTQ+ friendly- all people are welcome here. We look forward to serving you for your egg and livestock, event, or officiant needs and strive to make your experience memorable. Our venue space is OUTDOORS only but may be tented.

They catered our son and daughter in law's wedding reception. The food was outstanding especially…read morethe chicken and waffles. The presentation was very impressive. The entire process was very efficient and all of the staff was very professional and courteous They set up the reception area in a timely manner and worked well with the venue and other service providers. This was the second major event that they catered for us and we will definitely use them again in the future. I highly recommend The Season Events and trust that anyone using their services will be highly satisfied

If you want a top notch caterer, event planner and designer you have come to the right place. All…read moretheir food is fantastic. The staff is amazing and they will bend over backwards to take care of you. Weddings. Charity events. Birthday parties. Non profits. You name it, they can do it.

I occasionally afford myself the luxury of visiting places without really knowing what to expect…read more This park just wasn't that clear to me in its purpose, but it became more so after arrival, with a visitor center focused on Native American history and identifying this as a Cherokee Nation headquarters. A spread of recreated buildings outside offers opportunities for perusal. The most aesthetically distinctive site is a large spring of the sort that seem more common in Kentucky than Tennessee, which evinces a robust blue color and empties into a clear stream. The spring itself is off-limits, but the stream is open for wading. All of these sites are within sight of the initial entrance, but a trek uphill reveals picnic areas, an amphitheater, and a couple of mile trail through the woods. Between the different elements of the park, it was easy to spend a couple of hours there, and best of all, it's free, though the gift shop warrants examination.

Extremely nice! Not a bad price either You can bring your own food which is nice. A great way to…read morehave a family day