Cheekwood, Coffee, and Art History

Cheekwood Estate and Gardens

Nashville, Tennessee

When art, gardening, and a love of a good cup of coffee fall in line, good things happen. In the early 20th century, Americans began their love affair with coffee. President Teddy Roosevelt is credited with coining the phrase that coffee was “Good to the last drop” and thus coined one of the most memorable marketing taglines. The Cheek family made their fortune on that coffee trade. Leslie Cheek had worked in his father’s grocery distribution company, eventually taking it over and made a series of wise investments in family coffee companies including Maxwell House coffee, owned by his cousin, Joel Cheek. That marketing tagline was incredibly effective.

Leslie Cheek was soon wealthy enough to purchase 100 acres and build his dream house. He and his wife Mabel traveled to England in 1929 and fell in love with the grand English country estate style homes they saw. They wanted to replicate that grand feel back home in Nashville. Their new estate house was completed in 1932. In naming the property, as all magnificent homes must have a grand name as well, they chose Cheekwood, combining his last name and her serendipitous maiden name. 

Leslie began a horticultural collection of boxwoods – knowing it can take years for them to grow and become established enough to be as impressive as those they saw in England. Many of his original boxwoods are still thriving in the garden today. The couple enjoyed hosting extravagant parties and filling the home with art. Unfortunately, Leslie was not able to enjoy his dream home for long, as he died in 1935 just a few years after the house was completed.

Mabel lived there as a widow until 1944 with her two children, Leslie, Jr. and Huldah. She eventually turned the house over to their daughter Huldah while her son Leslie chose to take a different path as an art historian. Both children had been introduced to the world of art and theater by their mother, visiting art museums and accompanying her on art collecting trips across the globe. Leslie became an instructor in fine arts at the College of William and Mary and eventually the director of the Baltimore Museum of Art. Huldah was well known for her appreciation of art and nature – a perfect person to take over the estate. Both she and her husband were heavily involved in the local art community.  When the local Nashville Museum of Art disbanded in 1957, they offered to make Cheekwood a public garden and turn the house into a fine art center to help fill the void and share the beauty for all to enjoy

Today, you can admire Cheekwood’s interior and art collection, visit the 55 acre botanical garden, wander in the cool shade of magnificent trees and listen to the sound of flowing water from its many water features including the Swan Lawn fountain, reflecting pool, Titan’s Cup, and man-made creeks and ponds. You’ll also find a Japanese Tea House garden, an herb garden and peaceful walks under arbors overflowing with colorful flowers. The many rooms of the garden have different uses, and are used for poetry readings, rose shows, summer teas, and musical performances, among many others. The park is well loved and well used! 

Take time during your cruise or land tour beginning or ending in Nashville and spend a day exploring the beauty of this magnificent garden.

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