In the 1970s, Johnny Cash bought a Tennessee hideaway that later became a museum

For nearly three decades, Johnny Cash had a place in Bon Aqua, Tennessee, where life moved at a quieter pace than the recording studios and stages he knew so well. The 107-acre property became a private retreat for Cash and his wife, June Carter Cash, after he found it in the early 1970s. He used the farm as a place to garden, cook, read, write and spend time away from public life. After Cash died in 2003, the property was left unused and gradually deteriorated. More than a decade later, new owners began bringing it back. Today, the former hideaway is open to visitors, with the farmhouse and surrounding property preserving a lesser-known part of Cash’s life.How Johnny Cash turned his Bon Aqua farm into a peaceful retreatCash’s connection with the Tennessee countryside developed during a period when his professional life was already closely tied to the state. He performed and recorded in Nashville and Memphis, while Bon Aqua offered something considerably removed from the demands of his career.The property came into his possession during a complicated period involving his finances. Cash discovered in the 1970s that his accountant had been embezzling money and had acquired real estat...