Who We Are
Our Mission
The mission of Travellers Rest Historic House Museum, Inc. (Travellers Rest) is to preserve and interpret the Overton home and serve as a gateway for learners of all ages to explore and experience Nashville’s historic past.
Our Story
Nashville’s oldest historic house open to the public, Travellers Rest has been an integral part of the Nashville and Middle Tennessee museum community for over fifty years. Saved from demolition in 1954 by the The National Society of The Colonial Dames of America in the State of Tennessee, the historic house, built originally in 1799, was restored to interpret the early 19th century life of Judge John Overton, one of the state's first Supreme Court Justices, one of the founders of Memphis, and a close personal friend of Andrew Jackson.
Over the past half-century, the site's interpretive and educational mission has evolved and expanded to include almost 1,000 years of cultural development of the mid-Cumberland Basin, from the area's prehistoric origins as a Mississippian era village, to Nashville as an outpost on America's first frontier, politics during the Age of Jackson, slavery, the Civil War and the city's emergence as a leading capital of the New South.
Today, Travellers Rest, a National Register property, is recognized as a model of preservation excellence. Visitors can tour the house, peek into historic outbuildings, stroll eight acres with tall trees and gardens, and see award-winning exhibitions about the Civil War and enslaved people who lived here. Travellers Rest offers a wide variety of educational public programming using interactive and living experiences through field trips, summer camps for children, and the highly successful historic Trades Days Festival.
For more information, please visit our website at: www.historictravellersrest.org
Position Summary:
This is a full-time salaried position reporting directly to the Executive Director. The primary responsibility of the Collection and Site Manager is the preservation, conservation, and security of the historic collection and historic site.
Primary Duties:
Collection Management 60-70%
• Ensure that the historic and pre-historic collection is utilized in a manner consistent with current museum practices and adhering to the Travellers Rest Collections Policy.
• Generate and maintain collection records as outlined in the Travellers Rest Collections Policy. • Cleaning of the historic buildings and collection items utilizing proper cleaning procedures and knowledge of environmental issues as they pertain to the historic materials, fabric, and buildings. • Conduct and oversee any moving of objects or installation of event/seasonal setup in the historic buildings.
• Work with experts in the field regarding needed conservation and/or restoration of items in the collection.
• Work in partnership with the Director of Education, Interpretation, and Outreach on utilizing collection items in the development and implementation of interpretation at Travellers Rest through education, public programs, and events.
• Supervise graduate-level interns.
• The Executive Director may assign other duties related to department projects.
Historic Site Management 30-40%
• Lead the coordination of all vendor visits pertaining to the physical site including security, plumbers, electricians, carpenters, roofers, masons, electric gate, exterior lighting, fire extinguishers, utilities, HVAC, landscaping, etc.
• Coordinate with Events Coordinator to oversee janitorial scheduling/maintenance of modern facilities.
• Serve as the primary contact and first on the emergency response call list for after-hours emergencies/coordinate with the third-party company.
Qualifications:
• Bachelor’s degree in history, public history, museum collection management, historic preservation, cultural resource management; Master’s degree in one of the above fields of study preferred. Prior museum or non-profit experience is a plus.
• Familiarity with PastPerfect database.
• Adept at Microsoft Office (especially Office 365).
• Able to occasionally lift, carry, push, or otherwise move objects up to 50 pounds. • Patience and endurance to sit behind a desk, as well as to stand for extended periods of time. • Able to tolerate numerous interruptions throughout the day.
• Above average communications and customer service skills.
• Must be able to multitask and troubleshoot problems.
• Must be able to work with all types of people and be flexible.
• Must follow the signed code of ethics outlined in the Personnel Policies & Procedures Manual.
Personal Characteristics:
The candidate must have a passion for the mission of Travellers Rest and the Nashville community to effectively support the programs and services that the historic site provides. The individual will be capable of quickly identifying critical issues and developing plans to accomplish objectives. The successful candidate will display a level of integrity, maturity, compassion, and a leadership style that will create trust and confidence. The candidate must be energetic, positive, intelligent, and with a strong sense of team to help establish and grow the organization.
This position is full-time at 37.5 hours per week, with some evening and weekend hours, depending on programming needs. Benefits include health, dental, and vision, as well as 5 paid holidays and a week off between Christmas Day and New Year’s Day, 10 vacation days, and 4 sick days.
The position has an initial salary of $40,000 a year.
Applicants should submit a letter of interest and a current resume by email to:
Katie O’Bryan, Executive Director
director@historictravellersrest.org
Travellers Rest Historic House Museum, Inc. is an equal opportunity employer
Applications will be accepted through Monday, May 27, 2024, with rolling interviews of qualified applicants.
