Wheatlands Plantation Research and Historical Property Proposal

Jamie Wade

Jun 12, 2017·9 min read

Wheatlands Plantation

Background of the Plantation
Wheatlands is an antebellum plantation in Sevier County, Tennessee. Established in 1791, it is one of the oldest surviving structures in Tennessee. It is known for its Federal-style architecture, and was one of the area’s largest plantations at the time of establishment. The “Wheatlands” name came from the overwhelming 4,600 acres of crop it was known to produce each season. Wheatlands is located at the corner of Boyd’s Creek Highway (also referred to as Old Knoxville Highway), and Cedar Spring Valley Road in the Boyd’s Creek community, halfway between Seymour and Sevierville.

Timothy Chandler and his son John built Wheatlands Plantation (the Property) utilizing funds he had received through a Revolutionary War Grant. The first location of the Property was near Rocky Springs two miles west of the present house location. Later in 1812, the present location was built by Timothy’s son, John. This home was destroyed by fire in 1825 killing 8 people. The home was eventually rebuilt at the same location during the same year. The rebuilt Property contained a summer kitchen, an operating whiskey distillery, a smokehouse, loom house, barn, and some storage sheds.
After the Civil War, freed slaves inherited much of the Property acreage, which later formed the Chandler Gap community. Seven generations of the Chandler family owned the Property until 1966, when the last surviving family member died. Through the years, the Property has varied in acreage and surviving structures, but the heart of the Property still remains.
Presently, the Property still includes the house, the summer kitchen, the smokehouse, partial loom house, the barn, a garden, and some storage sheds.

The Property is also the final resting place of several Revolutionary War soldiers, over 70 African-American slaves, 28 Cherokee Native Americans, and several generations of Chandler family members.

In 2006, Darrell Keene bought the Property for $429,900. At the time of purchase, the Property was in danger of being demolished. Keene initially had plans to restore the Property through his own efforts. However, Keene became too busy with his own personal business to restore the Property. The Property remained vacant for several years without any specific plans.

Initial Restoration Failures
In 2011, Richard Parker and John Burns became on-site caretakers and managers of the Property. At this point, the Property had been vacant for over a decade. However, with years of preservation experience between Parker and Burns, the two were expecting to successfully restore the Property to its former glory. The arrangement between Parker, Burns, and Keene was that Parker and Burns would work on restoration of the Property and possible future associated activities within, while being permitted to take up residence there for the duration of the effort. A small salary is also rumored to have been part of the arrangement, but this was not substantiated to be included in this report.

Once enough work had been completed to deem the Property presentable, the pair began holding limited events on the grounds, and began a small marketing campaign. The two created social media pages, online advertising, and a website for the Property. After two years, they managed to form the Wheatlands Foundation, classified as a 501(c)(3).

Over the duration of their time (June 2011-April 2017), Parker and Burns were able to complete a remarkable amount of restoration, but not to the extent they hoped to accomplish with the financial resources available. Over the final months of 2016 and beginning of 2017, it became clear that restoration efforts could not continue. Quotes for restoration were just too costly, some even reaching $1 million.

Historical Status of the Property
In July 1975, the Property was added to the National Register of Historic Places. However, the record on file referred to the Property as Ler-Mac (the name used during the years Adella McMahan occupied the Property) until the file was later updated.

The Tennessee Historical Commission is the State Historic Preservation Office for Tennessee. There was no paperwork found or other evidence showing any filings or pending applications at the state level. As of December 2016, according to documents provided by the Internal Revenue Service, the Wheatlands Foundation remains classified as a 501(c)(3) (Appendix C).

Impediments to Redevelopment, Restoration, or Private Use
At the present time, there are no plans for the Property, except to sell it for private use. After speaking with the current owner, and conducting other research, it seems there are several reasons the Property hasn’t been sold or restored to reach its full potential.

According to Keene, there have been several offers on the Property, but they have fallen through. Wade asked Keene specifically why, in his opinion, previous offers have not resulted in a successful purchase of the Property. Keene stated, in his opinion, that previous offers have fallen through because potential buyers could not secure a loan substantial enough to cover the cost of the purchase price of the Property as well as any desired repairs. Keene shared in his opinion however, there are no repairs needed for the Property to be lived in, and to be very clear, the Property is presently in a livable condition.

Another fact Keene shared is that the largest loan amount quoted to several potential buyers is approximately $417,000. This amount was the highest any lender was willing to offer regardless of the circumstances of the potential buyer. The Property value currently stands at $387,500 (land $161,300 and improvement value $226,200). Keene currently has the Property listed with Tennessee Homes Realty for $329,900. He is very adamant that he cannot accept an offer below $325,000.

Also upon further research, the Property was one of several properties used to secure a loan in the amount of $1,525,350.00 (Appendix D). The Property would have to be released from the loan being held by Citizens National Bank in Sevierville, Tennessee. The exact amount that would have to be paid before the Property would be released from the loan is unknown. Only one other property has been released from the loan as of May 31, 2017. Also, the loan was only recently originated in January 2017. When examining the recent origination date and the fact that only one other property has been released, it appears unlikely that this Property will be released from the loan in the near future unless it is sold. This may cause further difficulty for the owner to negotiate the sale of the Property.

Lastly, there are a few issues that may create difficulty for a potential buyer who does not want to use the Property as it is currently arranged. The Property is the final resting place of almost one hundred people including African-American slaves, Cherokee Native Americans, soldiers, and family members buried on the Property. Although permission to move the remains could possibly be granted, this would be quite an undertaking before or after sale of the Property. There has also been an arrangement in place since 1957, referred to in the Deed of Trust, with regard to water rights (Appendix D) and illustrated in Appendix E. This arrangement may also influence the intentions of a potential buyer.

Restoration Funding Sources
Funding Sources with the Most Potential
Funding options for development or restoration depend upon what the Property is being used for, as well as its classification. There are several possible options to explore for funding at the state and federal level. This list includes those sources that appear to have the most potential based on their frequency awarded, chances of qualification, and funding available. It does not include programs that are occasionally authorized but seldom funded, because they have minimal potential.

Federal Preservation Grant
The Tennessee Historical Commission has federally funded grants available each year after Congress passes the federal budget. Exact amounts of the grants vary. Each year, once submitted, applications are reviewed, rated, and ranked. Selection processes for these grants emphasize projects including architectural and archaeological surveys, design guidelines for historic districts, and restoration of historic buildings that are listed in the National Register and pertain to public use. Priorities for grants include areas experiencing threats to cultural resources, areas where there are gaps in knowledge about the culture, and areas of rapid growth and development. Restoration must follow the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for the Treatment of Historic Properties. The grants are matching grants and will reimburse up to 60% of the costs of approved project work. The remaining 40% must be provided by the grantee as matching funds (http://www.tennessee.gov/environment/article/thc-federal-preservation-grants#sthash.Nuon6Isi.dpuf).

Investment Tax Credit Program
The Investment Tax Credit (ITC) Program offers two options. A 20% ITC exists for a certified historic structure available to owners, and in some cases renters of income-producing properties. The credit is 20% of what an owner spends restoring and rehabilitating the building. However, acquisition costs are not included. There are several qualifications that must be met to qualify for the 20% credit. The Property meets the first qualification as it is already listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Another requirement is that the rehabilitation project must meet the “substantial rehabilitation test.” The repairs must equal the adjusted value of the building or $5000, whichever is greater. The figure is derived by subtracting the value of the land from the cost of the building and land together. After rehabilitation, the structure must be income producing for five years (commercial, rental, B&B). The rehabilitation must meet The Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for Rehabilitation and Guidelines for Rehabilitation of Historic Buildings. However, the qualifications specifically state that the credit “cannot be used to rehabilitate your personal residence in which you live.”
The second option is to receive a 10% (ITC) for a non-historic structure. To qualify, the structure must have been built before 1936 and is not “historic” (must not be listed or eligible for listing on the National Register of Historic Places). As the Property is currently listed on the National Register of Historic Places, it does not qualify for the 10% ITC (http://www.tennessee.gov/environment/article/thc-federal-investment-tax-credit-program#sthash.N8pCDF6x.dpuf).

Tennessee Wars Commission
The Tennessee Wars Commission oversees planning, preservation, and promotion of structures, buildings, sites, and battlefields of Tennessee associated with the French and Indian War, American Revolution, War of 1812, U.S.-Mexican War, and the Civil War. The Commission provides incentives to landowners and governments to preserve and restore associated historic sites. The Commission has the authority to award grants and funding to various parties for the purposes of maintaining and restoring historic properties. The Commission is also authorized to receive and accept sources of funding and contributions for the purposes of maintaining and restoring such historic properties. The Commission may make funds available for the maintenance and protection of battlefields and memorials. The Property appears to be eligible to receive assistance from the Commission based on historic battles held on the grounds, and the soldiers buried there (http://www.tennessee.gov/environment/article/thc-tennessee-wars-commission#sthash.7LCYNw4I.dpuf).

Other Funding Sources
As mentioned earlier in this report, the Property is the final resting place of over 70 African-American slaves and 28 Cherokee Native Americans, among others. The University of Tennessee, Knoxville performed services to help determine locations of the slave gravesites. It is unknown about documentation to substantiate this event. It is unknown if such services have been performed to identify the location of the Native American gravesites as well. At first glance, there are over 30 agencies interested in supporting the interests of the ethnic groups represented on the Property. For instance, the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation’s (ACHP) Office of Native American Affairs, would have a special interest in the Cherokee remains. Special non-profit organizations such as The Slave Dwelling Project, helps causes such as the one on the Property involving African-American slave remains, and numerous non-specific grants exist to help other preservation efforts due to the origination of those and other known remains existing on the Property. If described archaeological services were performed and documented on all remains existing on the Property, this and other funding would be possible.

Any other grants, loans, and tax advantages to aid in the restoration of the Property would require further specific research of existing documentation and specificity as to what the Property would be used for. As more documented information about the Property becomes available, there may be an increased number of funding options to explore at the local, state, and federal level.

References
ACHP Office of Native American Affairs. http://www.achp.gov/nap.html.
Blackstock, Judy. (2014, July 17). Graves, wars, and whiskey make Wheatlands Plantation a living history book. KnoxZine. Retrieved from http://knoxzine.com/better-living/travel/2014/07/17/3858/.
Brock, Joan. (2011, July 27). Developers plan renovation of Sevier’s historic Wheatlands. Knoxville News Sentinel. Retrieved from http://archive.knoxnews.com/business/developers-plan-renovation-of-seviers-historic-wheatlands-ep-403529014-357649061.html.
Davis, Jason. (2017, April 4). Sevier’s ‘most historic home’ up for sale. The Mountain Press. Retrieved from http://www.themountainpress.com/news/sevier-s-most-historic-home-up-for-sale/article_2db0dbc3-9265-5347-9c49-d173161a9ef2.html.
Internal Revenue Service. (2017). Exempt Organizations Select Check Page. Retrieved from https://www.irs.gov/charities-non-profits/exempt-organizations-select-check.
Keene, D. Owner, Wheatland’s Plantation; (personal communication, 2017, May 31).
Sevier County GIS. http://scgis.maps.arcgis.com/apps/Viewer/index.html?appid=c2e3d550984a4f73b773fc64a1b63a6c.
The Slave Dwelling Project. http://slavedwellingproject.org/.
Smoky Mountain Ancestral Quest. https://www.smokykin.com/tng/getperson.php?personID=I250724&tree=Smokykin.
Tennessee Department of Environment & Conservation. Federal Preservation Grants. http://www.tennessee.gov/environment/article/thc-federal-preservation-grants#sthash.Nuon6Isi.dpuf.
Tennessee Department of Environment & Conservation. Investment Tax Credit Program http://www.tennessee.gov/environment/article/thc-federal-investment-tax-credit-program#sthash.N8pCDF6x.dpuf.
Tennessee Department of Environment & Conservation. Tennessee Wars Commission. http://www.tennessee.gov/environment/article/thc-tennessee-wars-commission#sthash.7LCYNw4I.dpuf.
Wheatlands Plantation website. http://www.wheatlandsplantation.org/index.html.