CLARKSVILLE, TN (CLARKSVILLE NOW) – The Joseph Dunlop House is set to be demolished pending approval from the Clarksville-Montgomery County Historic Zoning Commission and Common Design Review Board.

The applicant, George Terrell, has requested for the current structures to be demolished at 517 Madison Street, which is currently for sale.

While it’s yet to be determined what would go in the house’s place, the demolition project would open up other avenues of development.

Joeseph Dunlop Mansion History

The history behind the Joseph Dunlop House begins with the architect behind the project – Russell Eason Hart.

Hart worked on a number of developments throughout Middle Tennessee, with most of his projects located in Nashville, Tennessee, according to The Cultural Landscape Foundation.

His first project within the state came when he was hired on to supervise the construction of the Hermitage Hotel in Nashville, which Historic Hotels described as “a cherished landmark in downtown Nashville…its story has been created by thousands of events and millions of guests served over more than a century of the city’s history.”

After construction had completed on the Hermitage Hotel, Hart settled down in Nashville, which resulted in him being a part of the construction of other historical sites such as the following:

• The Mayors Mansion in Nashville, TN.
• Dudley Field at Vanderbilt University.
• Tennessee’s first international airport.
• The Greenhill Shopping Center.

Hart eventually went on to design the Dunlop House for Joseph Phillips Dunlop, who was the co-owner of Dunlop Mills on 1138 Franklin Street, according to a report by VIP Clarksville.

The report also mentioned that the house was actually featured in Robert Penn Warren’s novel, At Heaven’s Gate. In addition, the Red Cross previously used the building for operations, according to Visit Clarksville.

Historical Society Statement

The Clarksville Historical Society sent the following statement to Clarksville Now.

“Historic buildings are important community assets that can benefit everyone who lives and visits here when they are valued and maintained as homes, businesses and public venues. They add so much to the character, appeal, uniqueness, and sense of heritage of a place.

“Clarksville-Montgomery County has relatively few of these structures left. There is little to protect them from being demolished or neglected beyond repair.

“The Montgomery County Historical Society strongly advocates for the preservation of all historically and/or architecturally significant buildings and places. We urge your support of historic preservation through effective protection of these properties via transparency on threats to historic properties, code enforcement on neglect issues, expansion of historic protection overlays and resources and support for owners of historic properties.”

The Clarksville-Montgomery County Historic Zoning Commission and Common Design Review Board will meet on Monday to decide the mansions fate. The meeting is set to take place at 3 p.m.

Clarksville Now has reached out to George Terrell for comment.

Clarification: The article has been updated with the meeting day and time.