Women’s History Month at RT Lodge: The Woman Who First Called it Home
Susan Wiley Walker in the gardens of Morningside, the woodland home where her legacy of hospitality first began
At RT Lodge, every path, garden, and gathering space has a story to tell. The story begins with a woman whose vision, generosity, and love for welcoming others helped shape this place long before it became the Lodge we know today.
In 1932, Susan Wiley Cooper Walker built a stately home in the woods beside Maryville College and named it Morningside. What began as a private residence would eventually become the heart of RT Lodge, a place where guests now gather for celebrations, retreats, and quiet moments surrounded by nature. Walker came to Maryville from Pennsylvania after the passing of her husband, who had been a business associate of Andrew Carnegie. Seeking to be near her sister, who lived on the Maryville College campus, she discovered the wooded landscape that would soon capture her imagination. With the college’s permission, Walker built her 26-room home among the trees with the promise that the property would one day be given to the college.
From the beginning, Morningside reflected Walker’s passions. She was known as a naturalist and an avid gardener who cared deeply about the land around her home. She personally oversaw the landscaping, planting shrubs, trees, and garden beds that blended naturally with the forested surroundings. Stone paths and thoughtfully designed outdoor spaces connected the house to the landscape in ways that invited her guests to explore.
Nearly a century later, that vision continues to grow. Some of Susan Wiley Walker’s original plantings are still thriving in the gardens at RT Lodge today, offering a living connection to the woman who first cultivated this peaceful setting. Guests strolling through the grounds today may notice the same sense of harmony between the home and the surrounding forest that Walker first imagined. The gardens remain an important part of the Lodge experience, changing with the seasons but always rooted in the landscape she helped cultivate. Morningside was never simply meant to be admired; it was meant to be shared.
Front View of Morningside
A Home Built for Hospitality
Walker was known for her gracious hospitality. Friends, neighbors, and members of the Maryville College community were often welcomed into her home. Morningside became a place where people gathered to enjoy good company, meaningful conversation, and the quiet beauty of the surrounding woods. When Walker passed away in 1950, she fulfilled her promise and left Morningside to Maryville College. In the years that followed, the home continued to serve the community. It became the residence of several college presidents and later evolved into an inn and restaurant where guests from near and far could experience the property for themselves. Over time, the historic home was lovingly preserved and eventually became RT Lodge, a boutique hotel and gathering place nestled in the same woods that first inspired Walker nearly a century ago.
Carrying the Spirit of Morningside Forward
Today, the legacy of Susan Wiley Walker can still be felt throughout the property. It lives in the gardens where her original plantings continue to flourish. It lives in the quiet forest paths that invite guests to slow down and enjoy the landscape she cared for so deeply. And it lives in the welcoming spirit that continues to guide the experience we hope every guest feels during their time at the Lodge. Her influence is also honored in The Morningside Room, named for the home Walker built and loved. The space serves as a place where guests can gather, share a drink, and spend time together in a setting that celebrates the history of the property. It is a fitting tribute to the woman who first imagined this place as a retreat in the woods.
The Tea House where Mrs. Walker welcomed friends and guests, now the spot where the Lodge’s Front Fireplace invites visitors to gather
Celebrating a Remarkable Legacy
During Women’s History Month, we are proud to celebrate Susan Wiley Walker and the legacy she created here. Her vision transformed a quiet corner of the Maryville College woods into a place of beauty, hospitality, and connection. While the property has evolved over the decades, the spirit she created remains very much the same.
At RT Lodge, we are honored to continue welcoming guests to the home she built and to carry forward the warmth and hospitality that defined Morningside from the very beginning. And as we begin sharing more stories from the Lodge, there is no better place to start than with the woman who started it all.