Milky Way Farm
Encyclopedia
Milky Way Farm in Giles County, Tennessee
, is the former estate of Franklin C. Mars, founder of Mars Candies
. The property is named for the company's Milky Way candy bar. During the Great Depression
, the estate was the largest employer in the county. The estate is listed on the National Register of Historic Places
as an historic district
; its manor house is now a venue for special events.
s, as well as small loan
s and other forms of assistance.
Mars died in 1934, too soon to see the success of the farming operations. He was buried in a mausoleum
on Milky Way Farm. His widow, Ethel Mars, oversaw the planned livestock operations. Milky Way Farm produced prize-winning Hereford cattle and thoroughbred horses that were winners on the racetrack, beginning with the farm's first racing season in 1934. Winnings in 1936 totaled $206,450, making the Milky Way Farm stable the season's most successful owner on the U.S. thoroughbred racing circuit. In 1940, Milky Way Farm’s Gallahadion
won the Kentucky Derby
.
In March 1945, when Ethel Mars was in declining health (she died in December 1945), the farm was sold. In the subsequent decades it fell into disrepair.
trees, and had an outdoor swimming pool
and tennis courts.
Outbuildings included 70 cottages, 30 barns, and a horse-racing track. Local limestone
was used in most of the farm buildings, which have been described as having Spanish
-inspired architecture. In Ethel Mars' day, the property had 35 miles (56.3 km) of fence
s and 20 miles (32.2 km)of roads. Outbuildings that were still intact as of 2007 included the groundskeeper’s cottage; several of the barn
s, including an octagonal barn
; stable
s; and well-houses. Although Franklin Mars' remains were reinterred in a Minnesota
cemetery, his mausoleum at Milky Way Farm still stands.
Milky Way Farm was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on September 27, 1984. It was described as significant for its role in sustaining the local economy during the Depression, its association with Franklin Mars, and its architecture
.
club including a horse track and polo
field, a golf course
, and equestrian trail
s. The developer succeeded in selling only a few lots and the property went into foreclosure
in May 2009. In 2010, another developer acquired 300 acres (121.4 ha) of the property in 2010 and announced plans for a less ambitious residential development. Under the current ownership, the manor house is being made available as a private venue for special events.
Tennessee
Tennessee is a U.S. state located in the Southeastern United States. It has a population of 6,346,105, making it the nation's 17th-largest state by population, and covers , making it the 36th-largest by total land area...
, is the former estate of Franklin C. Mars, founder of Mars Candies
Mars, Incorporated
Mars, Incorporated is a worldwide manufacturer of confectionery, pet food, and other food products with US$30 billion in annual sales in 2010, and is ranked as the 5th largest privately held company in the United States by Forbes. Headquartered in McLean, unincorporated Fairfax County, Virginia,...
. The property is named for the company's Milky Way candy bar. During the Great Depression
Great Depression
The Great Depression was a severe worldwide economic depression in the decade preceding World War II. The timing of the Great Depression varied across nations, but in most countries it started in about 1929 and lasted until the late 1930s or early 1940s...
, the estate was the largest employer in the county. The estate is listed on the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
as an historic district
Historic district (United States)
In the United States, a historic district is a group of buildings, properties, or sites that have been designated by one of several entities on different levels as historically or architecturally significant. Buildings, structures, objects and sites within a historic district are normally divided...
; its manor house is now a venue for special events.
History
Franklin Mars and his second wife, Ethel V. Mars, purchased the 2800 acres (11.3 km²) property in 1930, shortly after establishing a southern office of Mars Candies in Nashville. Architect James F. Drake was hired to design the Tudor Revival manor house and farm facilities for breeding thoroughbred horses and Hereford cattle. Construction peaked between 1931 and 1933. With 800 workers during construction, Milky Way Farm became the largest employer in Giles County. During construction, many of the workers lived on the farm with their families. Mars is reputed to have been generous to his workers, who received free candy barCandy bar
A chocolate bar is a confection in bar form comprising some or all of the following components: cocoa solids, cocoa butter, sugar, milk. The relative presence or absence of these components form the subclasses of dark chocolate, milk chocolate, and white chocolate. In addition to these main...
s, as well as small loan
Loan
A loan is a type of debt. Like all debt instruments, a loan entails the redistribution of financial assets over time, between the lender and the borrower....
s and other forms of assistance.
Mars died in 1934, too soon to see the success of the farming operations. He was buried in a mausoleum
Mausoleum
A mausoleum is an external free-standing building constructed as a monument enclosing the interment space or burial chamber of a deceased person or persons. A monument without the interment is a cenotaph. A mausoleum may be considered a type of tomb or the tomb may be considered to be within the...
on Milky Way Farm. His widow, Ethel Mars, oversaw the planned livestock operations. Milky Way Farm produced prize-winning Hereford cattle and thoroughbred horses that were winners on the racetrack, beginning with the farm's first racing season in 1934. Winnings in 1936 totaled $206,450, making the Milky Way Farm stable the season's most successful owner on the U.S. thoroughbred racing circuit. In 1940, Milky Way Farm’s Gallahadion
Gallahadion
Gallahadion was an American Thoroughbred racehorse best known as the 1940 winner of the Kentucky Derby. A son of the Champion sire Sir Gallahad III, his damsire was U.S. Horse of the Year Reigh Count who won the 1928 edition of the Kentucky Derby. Owned by Ethel V...
won the Kentucky Derby
Kentucky Derby
The Kentucky Derby is a Grade I stakes race for three-year-old Thoroughbred horses, held annually in Louisville, Kentucky, United States on the first Saturday in May, capping the two-week-long Kentucky Derby Festival. The race is one and a quarter mile at Churchill Downs. Colts and geldings carry...
.
In March 1945, when Ethel Mars was in declining health (she died in December 1945), the farm was sold. In the subsequent decades it fell into disrepair.
Description
The 25000 ft2 Tudor Revival manor house has 35 rooms, including 21 bedrooms, and 15 bathrooms. The house was designed for entertaining, and many of the individual rooms are unusually large. The living room features exposed beams and a 40 feet (12.2 m) ceiling. The Mars' dining room table is reputed to have been the largest private dining table in Tennessee. The house was surrounded by landscaped grounds, including magnoliaMagnolia
Magnolia is a large genus of about 210 flowering plant species in the subfamily Magnolioideae of the family Magnoliaceae. It is named after French botanist Pierre Magnol....
trees, and had an outdoor swimming pool
Swimming pool
A swimming pool, swimming bath, wading pool, or simply a pool, is a container filled with water intended for swimming or water-based recreation. There are many standard sizes; the largest is the Olympic-size swimming pool...
and tennis courts.
Outbuildings included 70 cottages, 30 barns, and a horse-racing track. Local limestone
Limestone
Limestone is a sedimentary rock composed largely of the minerals calcite and aragonite, which are different crystal forms of calcium carbonate . Many limestones are composed from skeletal fragments of marine organisms such as coral or foraminifera....
was used in most of the farm buildings, which have been described as having Spanish
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
-inspired architecture. In Ethel Mars' day, the property had 35 miles (56.3 km) of fence
Fence
A fence is a freestanding structure designed to restrict or prevent movement across a boundary. It is generally distinguished from a wall by the lightness of its construction: a wall is usually restricted to such barriers made from solid brick or concrete, blocking vision as well as passage .Fences...
s and 20 miles (32.2 km)of roads. Outbuildings that were still intact as of 2007 included the groundskeeper’s cottage; several of the barn
Barn
A barn is an agricultural building used for storage and as a covered workplace. It may sometimes be used to house livestock or to store farming vehicles and equipment...
s, including an octagonal barn
Round barn
A round barn is a historic barn design that could be octagonal, polygonal, or circular in plan. Though round barns were not as popular as some other barn designs, their unique shape makes them noticeable. The years from 1880–1920 represent the height of round barn construction. Round barn...
; stable
Stable
A stable is a building in which livestock, especially horses, are kept. It most commonly means a building that is divided into separate stalls for individual animals...
s; and well-houses. Although Franklin Mars' remains were reinterred in a Minnesota
Minnesota
Minnesota is a U.S. state located in the Midwestern United States. The twelfth largest state of the U.S., it is the twenty-first most populous, with 5.3 million residents. Minnesota was carved out of the eastern half of the Minnesota Territory and admitted to the Union as the thirty-second state...
cemetery, his mausoleum at Milky Way Farm still stands.
Milky Way Farm was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on September 27, 1984. It was described as significant for its role in sustaining the local economy during the Depression, its association with Franklin Mars, and its architecture
Architecture
Architecture is both the process and product of planning, designing and construction. Architectural works, in the material form of buildings, are often perceived as cultural and political symbols and as works of art...
.
Development plans
In 2007 the property was sold for a reported price of $10 million. The buyer announced plans for a $400 million development of a luxury residential community to consist of 750 to 900 homes, an equestrianEquestrianism
Equestrianism more often known as riding, horseback riding or horse riding refers to the skill of riding, driving, or vaulting with horses...
club including a horse track and polo
Polo
Polo is a team sport played on horseback in which the objective is to score goals against an opposing team. Sometimes called, "The Sport of Kings", it was highly popularized by the British. Players score by driving a small white plastic or wooden ball into the opposing team's goal using a...
field, a golf course
Golf course
A golf course comprises a series of holes, each consisting of a teeing ground, fairway, rough and other hazards, and a green with a flagstick and cup, all designed for the game of golf. A standard round of golf consists of playing 18 holes, thus most golf courses have this number of holes...
, and equestrian trail
Trail
A trail is a path with a rough beaten or dirt/stone surface used for travel. Trails may be for use only by walkers and in some places are the main access route to remote settlements...
s. The developer succeeded in selling only a few lots and the property went into foreclosure
Foreclosure
Foreclosure is the legal process by which a mortgage lender , or other lien holder, obtains a termination of a mortgage borrower 's equitable right of redemption, either by court order or by operation of law...
in May 2009. In 2010, another developer acquired 300 acres (121.4 ha) of the property in 2010 and announced plans for a less ambitious residential development. Under the current ownership, the manor house is being made available as a private venue for special events.