Two Rivers Mansion is dressed for the holidays — and the public is invited in. The historic 1859 Italianate mansion in Donelson, one of the earliest and best-preserved of Nashville’s great homes, welcomes the season with its festive Holiday Open House on November 12, 2026, hosted by Metro Parks and the Friends of Two Rivers Mansion.
Visitors can wander the mansion’s grand rooms decked in period holiday décor, from the sweeping central staircase to the double parlors where the McGavock family once celebrated Christmas on their 447-acre estate along the Cumberland River. Knowledgeable guides share stories of the house — built for David and Willie McGavock, saved from demolition in the 1960s, and now listed on the National Register of Historic Places — while the grounds, with their ancient magnolias and river views, invite a crisp autumn stroll.
The open house is a gentle reminder that Nashville’s history lives well beyond Broadway’s neon. Two Rivers hosts tours, school programs and seasonal events throughout the year, and its holiday opening is a favorite local tradition: part history lesson, part festive outing, and entirely charming.
For details on hours and admission, check the Friends of Two Rivers Mansion and Metro Parks pages before you go — and bring the family. A Nashville Christmas from another century is waiting.
Photo: Wikimedia Commons
