New Morton Cabin Exhibit

Replace: This exhibit gained nationwide consideration after opening in June of 2021 and the Morton Household Exhibit and Opening was awarded Prime Honors for the Affiliation of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) Angela Peterson Excellence Range Award on the AZA Annual Convention in Baltimore, MD in August of 2022. This award acknowledges establishments which have made important strides in creating influential and transformative applications in variety, fairness, accessibility, and inclusion. We have been awarded prime honors for exemplifying inclusion, variety and fairness by analyzing a tough a part of native and regional historical past.

So far, the Morton Household Exhibit and Opening have been acknowledged with the next:

Tennessee Affiliation of Museums

Award of Excellence, Everlasting Exhibit

Award of Excellence, Particular Occasion (Opening ceremony)

Previous President’s award contender

American Affiliation for State and Native Historical past

Management in Historical past Award of Excellence, Particular Venture (Exhibit and Opening Ceremony)

Tennessee Historic Fee

Southeastern Museums Convention

Honorable Point out, Exhibition Competitors

Affiliation of Zoos and Aquariums

Prime Honors for Angela Peterson Excellence in Range Award

Despite the fact that Nashville Zoo is just 24 years outdated, the historical past of the Grassmere property goes again a lot farther. Earlier than the property was managed by the Zoo it was truly a household house and farm. From an unique land grant in 1786 to in the present day, many individuals have inhabited this website, together with enslaved people and tenant farmers.

In-built 1810, 5 generations lived within the house up till 1985. From 1810 till the time of Emancipation, about 33 enslaved people lived, labored and died at Grassmere. In 1919, Frank Morton and his household got here to work at Grassmere as tenant farmers. Morton’s information was essential to the continued success of the Grassmere Farm. Frank Morton and his spouse raised 9 youngsters of their years on the farm, and a few of their youngsters stayed on to work even after Frank’s passing in 1962.

Over the previous two years, we have been researching and designing a brand new exhibit to inform the story of the Morton household and their vital work. The household cabin that the Mortons resided in whereas they labored and lived at Grassmere has been refurbished due to a grant from Humanities Tennessee, and funding from the Metro Historic Fee Basis, Historic Nashville, Inc., and an nameless donor. By working with the family of Frank Morton, the Zoo was capable of create an immersive exhibit with interpretive panels that includes details about tenant farming, the dwelling house, archival photographs and quotes from farm proprietor Elise Croft’s journals, in addition to oral histories contributed by two of Frank’s daughters, finished in 1991.

We’re excited so as to add this exhibit recognizing the contributions of the Morton household to the Historic Farm. Open day by day, you may go to the cabin, situated behind the Grassmere Historic Residence, and take part in a self-guided tour in your subsequent go to!