Rural Mount

Grigsby Road (No physical address), The house is one of the most unique houses in the region, but is in poor condition.  Many of the original architectural details, such as decorative scrollwork on the staircase, remain, and evidence of decorative painting can be seen on the wainscoting.  The house has been empty for over 30 years and sits in an active pasture.  Fortunately, the roof is sound and the building has been secured from vandals, but the house will not survive without a viable long term use.

This early-American home is truly a gem of East TN with it’s roots traced back to the 1790’s. Alexander Outlaw was an early proponent for the organization of the State of Franklin and later the establishment of the State of Tennessee.  Outlaw built Rural Mount as a wedding gift for his daughter Penelope.   Joseph Hamilton, Penelope’s husband, was the first clerk of Jefferson County and one of the original trustees of Greeneville College, now Tusculum College, Tennessee’s first college. Outlaw can still be seen guarding the site at dusk. This property is privately owned.