Did you know that the construction of a Carnegie library resulted in the destruction of the Kappa Alpha house at Pi Chapter in Knoxville, Tenn., in 1910?
That bit of information is one of the many interesting facts that Robbie D. Jones (Pi -University of Tennessee ‘87) has discovered during his 13 year career as an architectural historian.
Jones is proud to be an eigth generation Tennessean whose ancestors from Oxford, England, settled Virginia in 1650 and East Tennessee in 1795. He attended the University of Tennessee at Knoxville where he concentrated on architectural history and historic preservation. He joined Kappa Alpha’s Pi Chapter due to the Order’s emphasis on traditions such as honor, loyalty, and gentlemanly conduct.
“I have benefited from being exposed to the mindset of a true gentleman,” said Jones. “I have Lee’s ‘definition of a gentleman’ framed in my apartment as a constant reminder of what being a KA is about.”
He earned his bachelor of architecture degree from the University of Tennessee and a master’s in history from Middle Tennessee State University. He has documented thousands of buildings throughout the East Coast. Based in Tennessee and North Carolina, he has worked for government agencies, private consultants and non-profit organizations. The work he did during his graduate internship resulted in Loretta Lynn’s Ranch outside of Nashville, Tenn., being listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
He has authored and co-authored several books and articles on architectural history and Tennessee history, including The Historic Architecture of Sevier County, Tennessee, which is the first publication of its type in the state.
Since 2000, Jones has served as the architectural historian for The Hermitage, home of President Andrew Jackson, in Nashville. He is the project manager for the “First Hermitage Restoration Project” which will restore the original log farmhouse and kitchen outbuilding where Andrew Jackson resided with his family and slaves in 1804-1821, before building a mansion nearby. This nearly $1 million restoration project is a Save America’s Treasures official project and is scheduled for completion in July 2004 to commemorate the bicentennial of The Hermitage.
“My job is very challenging, but rewarding and definitely never boring,” said Jones. “Turning challenges into opportunities is what keeps me motivated.”
Currently, Jones is also working on publications based on his master’s thesis and on the history of The Hermitage. He serves on the board of directors for the Southern Chapter of the Society of Architectural Historians. 
