The Hermitage installs new fire protection for Andrew Jackson's home

A visitor peeks inside Andrew Jackson's bedroom Jan. 18, 2018, as plastic sheeting covers the wallpaper in the entry hall of The Hermitage. Workers are installing a state-of-the-art fire suppression system that uses mist to extinguish fires inside The Hermitage.

After his beloved Hermitage was ravaged in an 1834 fire, Andrew Jackson rebuilt the home.

He added precautions that included a metal roof and white fireproof paint over the smoke-damaged brick, which is now a signature feature of the historic home of the seventh U.S. president.

Fast forward to 2018. The Hermitage mansion is beginning the installation of a state-of-the-art fire suppression system. Through a project funded in partnership with the State of Tennessee, The Hermitage has worked closely with the Nashville Fire Marshal’s office to plan for the new system. The installation comes at a perfect time, three decades since The Hermitage last upgraded its fire suppression system in 1988. 

Tours continue as plastic sheeting covers the chandeliers and wallpaper in the entry hall of The Hermitage on Jan. 18, 2018. Workers are installing a state-of-the-art fire suppression system that uses mist to extinguish fires inside Andrew Jackson's home.

For the past 30 years, The Hermitage has used a traditional fire sprinkler system, which works by soaking an area with large quantities of water to suppress a fire until the fire department can arrive and extinguish it. But because of continued building in the area, The Hermitage is now left with diminished water pressure, and the site’s existing piping and water pressure are now unable to support a traditional sprinkler system.

The Hermitage’s new system, called an automatic mist fire suppression system, is ideal for the historic presidential home as it can extinguish fires much faster than a traditional sprinkler system while using much less water. In an almost 200-year-old building that still has seven sets of original wallpaper, less water means significantly less damage to historic objects inside the mansion as well as the structure itself. Less water also results in less time and money spent on cleanup and repair. 

Plastic sheeting covers the chandeliers and wallpaper in one of the parlors of The Hermitage on Jan. 18, 2018. Workers are installing a state-of-the-art fire suppression system that uses mist to extinguish fires inside Andrew Jackson's home.

“We know that Jackson was extremely passionate about preserving The Hermitage. By installing this new state-of-the-art system, we are carrying on Jackson’s legacy and taking every precaution to preserve The Hermitage so it can continue to be enjoyed by visitors for centuries to come,” said Howard J. Kittell, president and CEO of the Andrew Jackson Foundation. 

The installation will affect the home’s regular hours. Through Feb. 28, The Hermitage will be open from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., with tours of the mansion beginning at 11 a.m. During this time, The Hermitage also will offer a new hands-on activity designed to teach visitors how the home’s fire prevention efforts have evolved. The new activity will give visitors the opportunity to try manufacturing their own fireproof paint.

Reach Larry McCormack at lmccormack@tennessean.com.