Few People Know President Polk Is Buried At The State Capitol In Tennessee
By Meghan Kraft|Published April 28, 2020
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Meghan Kraft
Author
Meghan Kraft loves to travel the world, but she makes her home right here in Nashville, Tennessee. She holds a degree in English, and has worked in the digital marketing realm with companies such as Apartments.com, USA Today and HarperCollins Publishing.
The United States is rife with a fascinating and unique history. The country itself remains quite young by the world’s standards, yet the nation has managed to gather quite the number of highs and lows. Here in Tennessee, most of the state’s history is caught up around its active role in multiple wars and as the home of a handful of presidents. Most notably Andrew Jackson, but also James K. Polk. Polk served as the President of the United States from 1845 to 1849 and is actually buried on the grounds of the capitol in Nashville. Learn more about his unique final resting place below!
Here on the grounds of the Tennessee state capitol, you'll find one of the most unique presidential graves in the nation. James K. Polk, the 11th President of the United States, is buried here with his wife Sarah.
Polk may have only served a single term, but he's best known for leading the nation through the Mexican-American War and for being one of the most youthful presidents at the start of his term at only 49. He also negotiated the Oregon Treaty, which expanded the nation to the west coast.
Whereas Polk doesn't get a ton of attention afforded other, flashier presidents, he did manage to re-establish the Independent Treasury System and acquire California and New Mexico. He sure was busy during his four years in office, and you can now honor the dedicated politician at his gravesite in Nashville.
Polk has been interred on the capitol grounds for the last 125 years, and his final resting place is actually the center of hot debate in Tennessee. in fact, the Tennessee House of Representatives actually voted on whether or not to move Polk's body from the capitol to his home in Columbia, Tennessee. The motion failed by one vote.
Polk died of cholera in 1849, and he was at first buried in the municipal cemetery required by Nashville law by cholera victims. His remains were then moved to Polk Place while his wife Sarah was still alive, but after her death, everything got a bit blurry.
Polk's will allowed for his estate to be upheld by the state of Tennessee after Sarah's death. After the sale of Polk Place, his remains and his wife's were moved to the capitol grounds. Some argue this leaves him overlooked and underrespected, and want to move him to his old home in Columbia. Others believe Polk is residing just where he should be, in the heart of the state he loved so dearly.
What do you think? Should Polk's remains be moved to his home in Columbia, or does Nashville suit him just fine? Chime in with your opinions below in the comments!
