The 1929 Club at Cheekwood Welcomes Patrick McIntyre

Established in 2014, the Cheekwood Estate & Gardens 1929 Club was created to raise funds for the historic refurbishing of period rooms in the mansion. After the completion of the project in 2017, the club’s purpose evolved to fund historic initiatives and endowment of the mansion and its surrounding acreage. On the first chilly night of winter, guests arrived to a warm welcome in Cheekwood’s Botanic Hall. Amos Gott of AmosEvents designed a tasteful and elegant room of crisp white linens and floral centerpieces. Flavor Catering passed small bites throughout the space, as established club members met and mingled with the large class of new inductees.

Once guests were seated for dinner, Cheekwood president and CEO Jane MacLeod took the podium to welcome new members to the club. She noted that The 1929 Club had thus far raised $3.6 million for Cheekwood. She also recounted the club’s recent trip to Newport, Rhode Island, sharing that these adventures reliably inspire new ideas for preserving history and furthering the mission of Cheekwood Estate & Gardens. The 2024 trip is planned for the Hudson River Valley.

After dinner, Patrick McIntyre, guest of the evening and executive director of the Tennessee Historical Commission, joined Jane onstage for a conversation about the importance of preservation. Patrick shared some information about the Tennessee Historical Commission’s state historic sites, which currently have almost $40 million in capital projects underway — before the duo discussed the possibility of Cheekwood receiving National Landmark status. This important recognition would place Cheekwood in an elite group of 30 landmarks across the state that are recognized as nationally significant. 

Patrick noted that Cheekwood is one of the best of the best. In addition to its historical significance, Cheekwood is a place where neighbors greet neighbors — a true community. As Jane and Patrick continued to discuss Cheekwood’s future, Jane concluded by noting its many deferred improvements. “I look forward to the day where the word ‘deferred’ is no longer part of our conversation,” she said.