Rock Castle Visitor & Event Center

For more than 240 years, Rock Castle has been a cornerstone of the Hendersonville community and one of Middle Tennessee's most significant historic landmarks. As Tennessee's oldest surviving home, the site tells the story of the region's early settlement, the Native Americans who first inhabited the land, the enslaved people and sharecroppers who lived and worked on the property, and the generations of community members who have preserved its legacy. Today, Rock Castle remains a destination for history, education, and community engagement.

The new Rock Castle Visitor & Event Center builds on that legacy by expanding the historic campus with a flexible venue for exhibitions, educational programming, weddings, community events, and year-round gatherings. The approximately $9 million project enhances accessibility and overall visitor experience while preserving the character and cultural significance of one of Tennessee's most treasured historic sites.

CSDG is providing civil engineering and landscape architecture services to support the campus's long-term vision. Our team is designing site improvements that strengthen accessibility, pedestrian circulation, parking, grading, drainage, utility infrastructure, and outdoor gathering spaces while seamlessly integrating new development into the historic landscape. As part of the project, we completed a comprehensive campus accessibility assessment and designed ADA-compliant improvements, including sidewalks, accessible routes, curb ramps, paving enhancements, and parking upgrades that improve access for visitors of all abilities.

By balancing modern infrastructure with historic preservation, the project creates a more accessible and welcoming destination while ensuring Rock Castle continues to educate, inspire, and bring the Hendersonville community together for generations to come.