On a campus known for its historic buildings Rebel's Rest has always stood out at Sewanee the University of the South.

The log cabin style residence was built in 1866 for one of the University's founders, George Fairbanks.

Wednesday night the building sustained heavy damage in a fire that appears to have started on the upper level.

"When I came here it was engulfed in flames and it was a shock to see," said Sewanee graduate Jaina Patel.

Rebel's Rest is the only structure remaining on campus from the University's re-founding after the Civil War.

Sewanee Professor Waring McCrady says the building is important for more than its history though.

Many students and alumni have known the place in modern times as a location for receptions and the University's Guest House.

"Really does symbolize historic continuity and devotion to this place," said McCrady.

That's why the fire is hitting so many people personally at Sewanee.
Students and alumni like Patel stopped to take pictures Thursday afternoon.

Even people who aren't affiliated with Sewanee like Bob Burns stopped to look at the damage.

"This building in particular has so much meaning to so many people," said Burns.

As chance would have it though the fire does have a silver lining.
Three of the most priceless art pieces, including a portrait of the original resident George Fairbanks were moved recently for renovations.

It remains to be seen if those paintings might someday return home but McCrady is among those who believe it's possible.

He believes there's enough left on the bottom level of the residence to rebuild.

"There's enough here to work with even if they have to pull it down to the ground and build it back up. They got the pieces for the facade," said McCrady.


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The Van Ness family owned the boarding house for over half a century, but in the wake of the Depression the University purchased the building. They divided it into apartments for married students. In 1963 the boarding house was torn down to make way for the duPont library.
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Chitty, A. B. (1978). Sewanee Sampler. Sewanee, Tennessee: The University Press.

Williamson, S. R., Jr. (2008). Sewanee Sesquicentennial History: The Making of the University of the South. Sewanee, Tennessee: Sewanee Sesquicentennial History Project.]]>
The Van Ness family owned the boarding house for over half a century, but in the wake of the Depression the University purchased the building. They divided it into apartments for married students. In 1963 the boarding house was torn down to make way for the duPont library.
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Chitty, A. B. (1978). Sewanee Sampler. Sewanee, Tennessee: The University Press.

Williamson, S. R., Jr. (2008). Sewanee Sesquicentennial History: The Making of the University of the South. Sewanee, Tennessee: Sewanee Sesquicentennial History Project.
]]>
The Van Ness family owned the boarding house for over half a century, but in the wake of the Depression the University purchased the building. They divided it into apartments for married students. In 1963 the boarding house was torn down to make way for the duPont library.
]]>
Chitty, A. B. (1978). Sewanee Sampler. Sewanee, Tennessee: The University Press.

Williamson, S. R., Jr. (2008). Sewanee Sesquicentennial History: The Making of the University of the South. Sewanee, Tennessee: Sewanee Sesquicentennial History Project.
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Chitty, A. B. (1978). Sewanee Sampler. Sewanee, Tennessee: The University Press.

Gailor, C. (1970). Old Sewanee Houses; The First Fifty-Years, 1860-1910. Unpublished manuscript, Sewanee: the University of the South, Sewanee.
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Chitty, A. B. (1978). Sewanee Sampler. Sewanee, Tennessee: The University Press.

Gailor, C. (1970). Old Sewanee Houses; The First Fifty-Years, 1860-1910. Unpublished manuscript, Sewanee: the University of the South, Sewanee.
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In 1894 William Boone Nauts, who graduated from the University in 1882 and was professor of Latin from 1893-1931, bought the house and lived in it until his death in 1931. Both of his sons also went to the University. Nauts, an ardent collector of materials printed in Sewanee, sent his collection to be on exhibit at the Chicago World's Fair in 1893. Unfortunately it was all lost in transit. However, he was able to later compile another collection, with only a few exceptions. After his death Mrs. Nauts gave the materials to the University Archives. Nauts was a part of Sewanee life for so many years that someone once joked, “In the flood, Noah just missed landing on the Mountain with Nauts and MacKellar.” During the 1930s, the house was rented to various people. When the old "rectory" burned in 1939, Misses May and Susie DuBose bought the house. After Miss May’s death, the University bought it and in 1964 it was sold to Harry Stanford Barrett, artist-in-residence.

The house has been owned by Doug and Anne Seiters since 1999.
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