Polk Place

Hughes to renovate the home for the time when he and Sarah would return to Tennessee after the end of his presidency.

[3] In the processes of modifying and renovating the home the back portion was destroyed by an accidental gunpowder explosion in 1847.

She did not find solace until fostering a great niece, Sarah Polk Jetton in the early 1850s.

She hosted distinguished and popular guests throughout her widowhood, including her close friend Adelicia Acklen, Abram Hewitt, Edward Cooper, John C. Calhoun II, John Catron, George Bancroft, Cyrus Field, William Vanderbilt, Sam Houston, and presidents Andrew Johnson, Rutherford B. Hayes and Grover Cleveland.

President Polk's tomb was originally located on the front lawn until 1893, when it was moved to the Tennessee State Capitol.

Finally, the state Supreme Court ordered the Polk family to sell the home and evenly split the money from the sale in 1900.

The Capitol Hotel (formerly Best Western) now occupies the former site of Polk Place in downtown Nashville.

[10][11] An iron fountain, garden urns, and gate were preserved from the property and are now located at the President James K. Polk Home & Museum in Columbia.