Cedar Grove

Cedar Grove is one of Marion County’s antebellum homes, located just off Campbellsville Highway. Built right before the Civil War by David Shuck, the house holds deep roots in the area’s past. The bricks were fired right on the property by enslaved laborers, and while some updates over the years have enclosed porches and added modern touches, the original 10-room layout is still largely intact.

One of the more notable moments in its history came in July 1863, when Confederate General John Hunt Morgan and his troops passed through. Though uninvited, Morgan commandeered Cedar Grove as a place to rest just before raiding Lebanon.

After Shuck, the property was bought by Joseph Spalding for his nephew, Thomas R. Spalding, who moved in with his new wife, Mary Wathen. It became a popular overnight stop for the family’s friends from Taylor County—stock drivers on their way to the Lebanon rail depot. Their daughter, Annie Spalding Rankin, lived at Cedar Grove for 45 years and gave the home its current name, inspired by the row of cedar trees lining the driveway.

When Mrs. Rankin sold the property in 1941, the Gray family moved in, keeping the home’s story alive for many years. Today, it’s still privately owned, though it’s showing signs of wear and is in need of care and preservation.