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New Photos Added !
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The Austin Hewitt Home was built in the early 1800's and many features of the home reflect the pre-Civil War period. Restoration of the
home was achieved with the beauty and atmosphere remaining intact.
This beautiful home has had a long and varied history, having been used as a school for young ladies, residence for several prominent
families, home for elderly women, and now a retirement center. During its history, the building has been altered to fit the needs.
The column brick structure holds quite a bit of Pulaski's history within its walls. Although the builders of the original building have not
been determined, the first owners were John M. Bass of Davidson County and his brother, Eli E. Bass of Boone County, Missouri. The Bass
brothers sold the property to Thomas Martin, Ben Carter, Lunsford Bramlett, Andrew Ballentine and Fountain Lester, who purchased the
antebellum home for the use of a Female Academy. The trustees sold their share of the property to Thomas Martin in 1839. Mr. Martin, who
was also the founder of Pulaski's Martin College, later sold the house and grounds to Joseph B. Childers in 1852.
In 1905 J.H. Ragsdale purchased the house and lot. Mr. Ragsdale, a former mayor of Pulaski, was the father of Mrs. David Wade, who is and has
been a lifetime resident of Pulaski. According to Mrs. Wade, her father sold some of the grounds and formed what is now Childers Street -
naming it in honor of the former owner Joseph B. Childers.
In 1917 Mr. Ragsdale traded the lot to W. Frank Ewing. Mr. Ewing sold the property in 1919 to Polk Comer who immediately sold it to Neal S.
Beasley. In 1922 the trustees for the Austin Hewitt Fund for Indigent Women purchased the home. Austin Hewitt was one of Pulaski's most
successful businessmen. When he died, he left a large estate to be used for the care of elderly ladies of Giles County. The board
remodeled the structure and in doing so almost doubled the size of the building. They also moved the large columns on the west side of the
building to the south side, making a new main entrance. The specious rooms were divided to give more bedrooms. The structure of the building
today still remains the same.
Over the years the home ran out of operating funds. In 1981 the home was sold at public auction. Robert Brindley purchased the home and the
2.5 acre estate in September of 1981. Mr. Brindley saw the possibility of returning the home to a useful service in the community and restoring
it to its original splendor. With extensive remodeling and renovation, the historic mansion now houses Pulaski's finest retirement center.
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