The grand Belmont Mansion, completed in 1853 by the wealthy Adelicia Acklen and her second husband, Colonel Joseph Acklen. (Courtesy of Bob Schatz) RELATED LINKS Return to Nashville City Guide

The pre-Civil War years brought tremendous prosperity to central Tennessee, with an elite class of wealthy plantation owners building extravagant mansions on their country estates. Seven of these magnificent homes, all well preserved and open to the public, are featured on the Tennessee Antebellum Trail, an enchanting self-guided itinerary that encompasses scenic rural landscapes and historic villages east and south of Nashville.

Stops along the way include the homes of Andrew Jackson, seventh U.S. President; 11th president James Polk; Randal McGavock, an early pioneer and former mayor of Nashville; John Overton, once the state's richest man and largest landowner; and Adelicia Hayes Franklin Acklen Cheatham, one of the wealthiest women in America when she and her second husband built their 36-room Italianate villa in Nashville.

The entire loop covers about 90 miles and can be driven in a single day, though you could easily devote several days to lingering over the historic sites and charming small towns along the way.