Decorating with the Lost Cause
The Civil War & Slavery in the decor of the Sewanee Inn

The Sewanee Inn, which opened in 2014, is a gracious hostelry that welcomes visitors to the campus of the University of the South in Sewanee, Tennessee. Its comfortable furniture, cathedral ceiling, expensive wood paneling, and massive fireplace open on both sides: All lend the ambience of a historic and rustic mountain lodge. The Inn is a venue for conferences, colloquiums, and workshops. It is where many academic guests are taken, whether for lodging, drinks, or dinner. The Inn is the first place where many parents try to stay during Family Weekend, and students order their first legal drink. Guests play golf on the course behind the Inn. Young couples celebrate their vows in its event spaces. Little wonder it is marketed and often functions as the University’s “living room.”