Built on Thompson Lane in 1877, Brightwood was owned by Joseph “Joe” Hamilton Thompson (?-1917) and Ella Vaughn Thompson (1854-1896).
Photo from Beautiful Homes and Gardens, R. Seawell
The land was his portion of the Glen Leven estate after his father, John Thompson, passed away. It was located on/near the site of Thompson’s Station on which now stands Pepsi Bottling plant at 715 Thompson Lane. The home was basically across the road from Melrose property, and in 1963, Brightwood estate’s address was 1500 Franklin Rd. - thus the main entrance was on Franklin Rd. with a long entry road to Brightwood.
Joseph started a business career with Nashville Fire and Marine Insurance and became president in 1883. In 1890, he became vice-president of Nashville Trust Company, and after Nashville Fire & Marine Co. was closed in 1893, he became president of Nashville Trust. During the rest of his professional career, he served as president of Morgan-Hamilton Bag Manufacturing Co., president of Kemter-Woolune Candy Cracker Col, president of Webb Manufacturing, and as vice-president of Nashville Gas Co. After Ella passed away, Joseph married Willie Demoville (1872-1950).
The other son, Joseph “Joe” Hamilton Thompson Dickinson (1913-1986) and Billie Frank Smith Dickinson (1917-2012) resided at Brightwood as well. Joe served in World War II and returned to Nashville. Their daughter, Ida Hamilton Thompson Dickinson (1884-1963) married Col. Henry Dickinson (1881-1957) in 1907, and they resided at Brightwood.
Col. Dickinson evidently split his time between Nashville and Seattle, WA. He was vice president of the Great Northern Mill Company, president and treasurer of the Henry Dickinson Lumber Company, treasurer of the North American Investment Company, treasurer of the Union Fish & Packet Co., trustee of Elliott Bay Ironworks and a member of several clubs - all in Seattle.
After Henry died, Ida had the land rezoned for commercial use after 1957.
Two years after Ida’s death, about 1965, Nashville businessman Lee Beaman purchased the land for a bottling plant - now Pepsi Bottling Company purchased the Brightwood estate for its bottling company. One Hundred Oaks Shopping Mall as well as other development down to the Berry Hill property also was developed commercially. See One Hundred Oaks entry: In 1968, the Smartt family who owned Hundred Oaks and the Dickinson family who owned much of the surrounding land sold to Belz investment company which began to develop 100 Oaks Shopping Mall. Thompson Lane, a major Nashville artery, recognizes the family’s memory.
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