Save Historic Greenbrier Distillery

"On a hot summer day in 2006, Bill Nelson invited his two sons, Andy and Charlie, to go see a butcher in Greenbrier, Tennessee. As the three men drove to Greenbrier, they recalled the stories that had been passed down to them about the family whiskey business that had been located in the small town.

When the trio arrived and started asking questions about the old Nelson Distillery, the butcher, Chuck, could hardly contain his excitement. “Look across the street over there,” Chuck exclaimed. “Your granddaddy built that warehouse. This street is Distillery Road, you know, and that spring, it’s never stopped running. It’s as pure as pure can be.”

Chuck then pointed them in the direction of the Greenbrier Historical Society. Here, the Nelsons met with the curator, who revealed her most prized possessions: two original bottles of Nelson’s Green Brier Tennessee Whiskey.

It was love at first sight. Charlie and Andy stared at the perfectly preserved bottles and then looked back at one another, knowing what the other was thinking: “This is our destiny.” With sincere conviction, they made a pact to bring the family whiskey business back to life."


Though Charlie and Andy have restarted the business in Nashville, they have a deep appreciation for their Robertson County roots and would love to bring a portion of the business back to Greenbrier. In the meantime, the original distillery warehouse, listed on the National Register of Historic Places, is in grave danger of structural damage. The Robertson County Chamber of Commerce is partnering with the Nelson's and Robertson County Archivist Yolanda Reid to raise the necessary funds to stabilize the warehouse and preserve it for future use. A preservation grant has been applied for through the Tennessee Historical Commission which will cover up to 60% of the cost. The Chamber has committed to spearhead a drive to raise the matching funds for the project.

On June 5, 2015, the Chamber will host "Spirits of the South: A Dinner for the Distillery" on the historic Court House Square in Springfield. A portion of the proceeds will go towards this fund. Tickets may be purchased online at the Robertson County Chamber website .

We welcome your participation in this event, but if you cannot attend and would like to help preserve this Robertson County treasure, please make a donation through this GO FUND ME account! All donations will be processed through the Robertson County Community Foundation Chamber Fund, a 501 (c) 3 certified charitable organization.