The Green House on Main
5323 Main Street
November 26th, 2024
5323 Main (or "The Green House") is one of my favorite places in Spring Hill. I first became curious about it after hearing a rumor that it was the home of Spring Hill’s first doctor, but that's actually 5322 Main Street! 😜
A doctor did live here at some point, (and used the still standing shed as a kitchen) but I haven’t found much about his residency yet, aside from it being at least a hundred years after Spring Hill's first doctor.
Interestingly, it was only recognized as a historic site on May 4th, 2024.
5323 Main St, Spring Hill - Taken by me on November 12th, 2024
Chronological History:
- 1790: The land was granted to Ezekial Polk, the grandfather of President James Polk, for serving in the Continental Army.
- 1829: Plot #16 purchased by Henry Wade.
- 1840: Building constructed (including the current hardwood floors - a fact I confirmed with current owner Doug Lackey in November 2024).
- 1850s: Carriage factory owned by J.B.F. Drake.
- 1906: Became the home of the Odil family (later Spring Hill's Mayor).
- 1988: Sold from The Odil's to George Jones.
- 2019: Sold from George Jones to Hanhar, LLC.
- Post-1980s: A boutique, pottery shop, mattress outlet, Montessori school, nonprofit bookstore and more.
In historic applications, 5323 Main is referred to as the Odil House, which can be confusing because there are several Odil houses. 😅
The Odil family had a major presence in Spring Hill in the 20th century, and played a huge role in the town's history. One infamous story is around "The Kissing House," property that was given to Sara Odil after her fiancé broke off their engagement.
Kissing House (412 McLemore) - https://www.springhilltn.org/DocumentCenter/View/4/
There's an amazing local historian (who's a teenager) that has some really great information on the Odil family and everything else in Spring Hill. His site is: www.theancestordetector.com
The picture below is from his website, of Mayor Jim Odil (who owned and lived in 5323 Main Street from 1906 to 1988) making the first phone call in Spring Hill, TN.
Jim Odil of 5323 Main Street - https://theancestordetector.com/2023/07/03/jim-odil/
The green house on main has served so many purposes over the years, and its creaking floors and steps reflect all of the families and businesses that have been housed by it. 💖 Thanks for reading about this lovely little building that I love passing by! I'll leave you with a few photos showing how it's changed over the years:
Courtesy of The Kissing House, Post-1963 Tornado
Courtesy of Doug Lackey via Spring Hill Commission Agenda, Post-1963 (left-building)
Pottery Studio and Mattress Outlet - Image © Google, Map Data © June, 2012
Fireflies Boutique Shop - Image © Google, Map Data © June, 2019
The Major 2022 Restoration - Image © Google, Map Data © July, 2022