Italian Sophistication Meets Southern Hospitality: Macca Villa at Riverside
By Mike Sparks
Home Worth Keeping: Riverside and the Movement to Preserve Walter Hill’s History
Drive north out of Murfreesboro along West Jefferson Pike and you can feel the pull of an older Rutherford County — the one of rolling farmland, river bottoms, and homes that have quietly watched generations come and go. It’s there, on about seven acres near the East Fork of the Stones River, that you’ll find Riverside.
On June 16, 2025, Macca Villa at Riverside held its ribbon-cutting at 1218 West Jefferson Pike. But the real story isn’t the ribbon — it’s what that ribbon represents: a growing movement in Walter Hill and across Rutherford County to hold on to the history that rapid growth is steadily erasing.
Nearly Two Centuries of Tennessee History
Riverside Farm was built in the early 1830s as a cotton plantation near the banks of the Stones River — the very river that gave the home its name. For the better part of two centuries it served as the stately home of Beverly Randolph and his descendants, and for more than a hundred years it has stood as one of the best-preserved historic homes in the county. Seven generations have lived under its roof.
Older folks in Walter Hill remember it well. It has long been a centerpiece of the community — it has hosted weddings, and at one point it even operated as an antique shop that many longtime residents recall fondly. In 2006, Riverside was added to the National Register of Historic Places.
A Landmark Without Protection
But a place on the register, as Stephanie Macca is quick to point out, isn’t the same thing as protection.
“It is a nationally registered landmark in Walter Hill. However, that does not constitute protection from a developer to demolish and develop on the seven open acres. That is why The Riverside Wedding Retreat will be an asset to the community and the entire state of Tennessee,” she said.
That concern is shared by a lot of people right now. The area north of Murfreesboro has seen explosive population growth and rapid suburbanization in recent years, and with it has come a quiet anxiety about what gets lost in the rush to build. Sold in June of 2022, Riverside has become something of a rallying point — the center of a community cry to preserve the historic homes and open land of north Rutherford County before they vanish beneath the next subdivision.
“Many homes and monuments just like it are at risk for demolition due to lack of care and maintenance. Riverside Wedding Retreat will preserve Tennessee history,” Macca wrote in a Facebook post laying out her plans.
A Family Project
Stephanie Macca, Riverside’s new owner, has poured real heart into the property, preserving its history — and it truly is one beautiful place. Her plan is to turn the home into a wedding venue, a way to protect both the house and its surrounding acreage while inviting the community back in.
The Maccas are no strangers to hospitality. The family recently closed their longtime Nashville restaurant, Joey’s House of Pizza, looking for a change while staying in the service industry they love.
“My family and I love history and we have always wanted to be involved in a project such as this,” Macca said.
For Stephanie, this is personal.
“I come from a family business who has always stuck together. This is also a family project. This home also signifies family and working together. There have been seven generations to live in this home. My family and I intend to preserve the home as well as they did. It’s a beautiful thing to keep a tradition going,” she said.
Bringing the Community In
Macca has been making the case on the Hip Walter Hill Facebook group and other community pages, and she’s hoping to win the attention and support of the local residents along with local historical societies. Her plans include historical tours for schoolchildren and the public, with proceeds potentially benefiting the Rutherford County Historical Society. The home has been well kept, but turning it into a working wedding venue will still take some updating — work she sees as part of the preservation itself.
When I had the chance to talk with Stephanie, I shared an idea I think could help the Rutherford County fall in love with the place all over again — an Italian Night.
Macca Villa at Riverside is built around the idea of Italian sophistication meeting Southern hospitality, and I could picture a relaxed evening of appetizers and good conversation. We both suggested bringing in Jim Africano, a longtime friend — owner of Affi Pest Control and Prohibition Home Brewing — to provide cigars for the occasion. There’s something about a fine cigar and an Italian-inspired evening that just fits the setting.
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