Bowen Plantation House

History

Built around 1787, the Bowen House is truly a Tennessee treasure. Captain William Bowen was awarded land grants for military services during the Revolutionary War. He and his wife, Mary, brought four young children to the frontier, and soon Captain Bowen and Mary had 10 children.

Through his hard work and own ambitions, Bowen became prosperous in the new settlement and eventually owned over 2,000 acres. William Bowen died in 1804, and Mary died in 1827. The house was then occupied by their son, William Russell Bowen, until it was sold in 1835.

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Bowen House Construction
Bowen Plantation House

Restoration

After being sold out of the family, the Bowen house went through a series of ownerships and was used as a tenant house until approximately 1960. After that time, it was abandoned due to its deplorable condition.

Committee

In 1975, the Goodlettsville American Revolution Bicentennial Commission decided to restore the Bowen Plantation House. A committee was formed (The Bowen-Campbell House Association) to carry out the project that was funded with federal and state grants along with private donations.

Restoration Process

During the restoration process, any materials salvageable were restored and reinstalled. Today, about 70% of the woodwork is original. Almost all of the floorboards are original. All of the exterior doors were restored and one door still retains the original lock. The house was opened for tours in 1980.