Attorneys at Law
- Representing Donelson and Surrounding Communities for 40 Years -
The Stanford House
3052 Lebanon Pike, Nashville, TN
Office History
The Stanford House at 3052 Lebanon Pike is a truly historical property that has seen a tremendous amount of change in its nearly 90 years of history. It is currently is home to Kennedy & Associates, PLLC. The home has served a residential purpose for most of its history, and the residential nature of the house has been largely maintained to the present time. The home began to serve as a law office in 2001 when Randy Kennedy, David Kennedy, Jr.'s father and now Circuit Court Judge in Davidson County, moved his practice to the home. David took over his father's practice in 2003, and the office operated as Kennedy & Brown for a number of years until the firm was reorganized as
Kennedy & Associates, PLLC in 2017. Much more information about the history of the Stanford House before its time as a law office can be found below.
The History of the Stanford House
The Stanford House owes it name and its history to two of the most prominent and influential men in the history and development of Donelson, Tennessee. Brothers A.F. Stanford and Robert D. Stanford, originally from Trousdale County Tennessee, made their fortunes as wholesale furniture dealers in Oklahoma and returned as millionaires to Donelson in 1918. The brothers purchased the sprawling, historic Clover Bottom Farm in 1918 for $220,000. The Clover Bottom Farm encompassed some 1800 acres and included Clover Bottom Mansion and land on the opposite side of Lebanon Pike known as old "Millionaire Row" as well as a significant parcel of land fronting Stewart's Ferry Pike that is now home to The Tennessee School for the Blind. Clover Bottom was also home to a racetrack and amphitheater frequented by Andrew Jackson. Loena Taylor Aiken, author of Donelson, Tennessee: Its History and Landmarks, called the farm "some of the most historic property in Middle Tennessee."
Historic Clover Bottom Mansion Built in 1858
The Stanford brothers split the Clover Bottom Farm, with R.D. Stanford taking the portion that came to be known as "Millionaire Row" along Lebanon Pike. He began constructing beautiful homes along Lebanon Pike opposite the Clover Bottom Mansion in the early twenties. He enlisted the help of architect William N. Meredith (who was R.D.'s father-in-law and was responsible for designing many of the courthouses throughout Oklahoma, Colorado, and Texas) to design the homes on "Millionaire Row"that made up the first residential development in Donelson. The other major development of the day, the Bluefields, also came to be owned by the Stanfords after the real estate company that began the project went bankrupt. These developments together formed the foundation for the future development of Donelson.
The property that is now home to Kennedy & Associates was built by architect William Meredith in the English Tudor Cottage Style in the early 1920's. It was owned by R.D. Stanford and his heirs until 1959 when the home was sold. It was owned by the Hale family until 2001 when it was purchased by the Kennedys. The home was featured by the Board of the Donelson-Hermitage Chamber of Commerce Association for the Preservation of Tennessee Antiquities in the 200 Years of Donelson-Hermitage Architecture Tour in 2003. Although it has been modified slightly to serve as an office, the residential character of the home has been maintained, and it remains a beautiful landmark while functioning perfectly as a law office.