The Savage House
The Savage House Inn at
167 Eighth Ave No.(old Spruce street) one/half block south offÊ Church
Street. The Townhouse Tearoom resturant is attached to one side of the
old home and uses part of the first floor. It is one of the few remaining
early family townhouses left in the downtown area. This one has been
turned into a bed and breakfast called the Savage House Inn.
History of the old house:
The lot was part of a land grant given to John Overton in the 1700's
and later to George Deaderick then to Jacob Lindsley. The house is believed
to have been built by Mary Clayborn in 1859. The original address was
139 North Spruce Street. In 1893 it was used as a Jewish men's club
called "The Standards Club". Around this time time, a ballroom was added
to the back of the home and Nashville's first Bowling Alley was placed
in the basement. In 1898 the house was sold to Dr. Giles and Leslie
Savage. Dr. Savage was an eye surgeon who used the basement of the ballroom
as an infirmary. His daughter Kate Savage Zerfoss also an eye doctor
and owned the house until 1980. The city directory lists the property
in 1953 as the "Savage Studios."