Now through the end of the year (12/31/23) you can play a part in the opening and the successful launch of The History and Culture Center! Opening in late fall 2023, the History & Culture Center (HCC) of Williamson County will be a destination for exploring our past and present. As Williamson County’s first permanent, interactive exhibition space dedicated to telling the region’s history, the Center will honor and share stories of the people and places that comprise the fabric of middle Tennessee.
Your gift purchases an item to be placed within an exhibit with your logo or name for one year and permanent recognition as an original founding member of the Heritage Hundred in the lobby! Our gift options are as follows:
- A Signature Bottle of Stable Reserve Spirits ($5,000)
- Etched glassware or drinkware ($1,000)
Save the date for TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 28TH as Daniel Bird, owner and founder of The Dan Company, speaks at our next Practical Preservation Series meeting!
The ins and outs of historical renovations are complex and often filled with unexpected twists and turns. Construction has evolved considerably over the past century, and with the multitude of historic properties in Franklin, starting your renovation equipped with the knowledge you need is the best way to ensure a smooth and stress-free project. Local general contractor Dan Bird of The Dan Company addresses common mistakes homeowners make when pursuing a historic renovation and how to plan for success.
We'll see you at the Old Old Jail on November 28th at 6 PM!
December 9-10 // Main Street, Downtown Franklin, TN
Dickens of a Christmas presented by Wilson Bank & Trust recreates the time of Charles Dickens using historic downtown Franklin’s charming architecture as the backdrop. A variety of musicians, dancers and Dickens characters will fill the streets. Expect to see and interact with the nefarious Fagin from Oliver Twist; Jacob Marley, Ebenezer Scrooge, Tiny Tim and the rest of the Cratchit family from A Christmas Carol; and of course, a Victorian Father and Mother Christmas with treats for children.
The non-profit Heritage Foundation operates The Franklin Theatre, Downtown Franklin Association, Franklin Grove Estate & Gardens, and the History & Culture Center of Williamson County, TN to preserve and enrich Williamson County for the betterment of its citizens and visitors.
Support the critical work of the Heritage Foundation today. Each gift funds preservation & education initiatives in our area that sustain the historic charm that makes Williamson County so beloved.
Download Resources to Help Your Pursuit of Historic Preservation Practices.
The historic building will be transformed into Williamson County’s first state-of-the-art, interactive exhibition space dedicated to telling its comprehensive countywide history.
Quaint main streets? Beautiful landscapes? Charming homes? Historic sites & parks? Each needs active preservationists like you to retain our County's quality of life. Join us today.
To preserve and share regional history, local historic places and signature events that carry on our community traditions and cultural heritage through fundraising, research, advocacy, education, preservation and community engagement.
Through preservation, education, and events, we actively maintain the historic beauty of Williamson County for our residents and visitors. Without this paramount work, significant buildings and locations representing our area’s diverse history and vibrant culture would be lost forever.
To preserve and share every local historic place and every associated personal story.
Whether you have time, funds or business connections to give, each are vitally necessary to sustain the work the Heritage Foundation does to enrich Williamson County. Let's talk, we know there is a meaningful way to get you involved.
Located in northwest Williamson County, Vaughn Road segment from Sneed Road to Strickland Road represents a portion of Williamson County’s original Natchez Trace, an ancient network of trails that led from Nashville to Natchez, MS. This portion lies directly on, across, and over the footprint of the original Natchez Trace and still retains its historic, culturally significant, and scenic integrity on the Natchez Trace Historic Rural Landscape.
Built c.1823, the Historic Franklin Masonic Hall is the oldest three-story building in Franklin and is the earliest significant Gothic Revival building in Tennessee.
The Burns Farm and House on Patton Road is the last functioning rural farm with a historic house in the fast-developing Triune area. The two-story vernacular farmhouse was built ca 1900 and may contain an original log structure from the early 1880s.
The Natchez Street Historic District, a National Register District listed for its African American ethnic and cultural heritage, is in danger of losing its historic integrity from the rapid development pressures in Franklin. The Natchez Street Historic District, unlike Franklin’s four other National Registered Districts, is not within the Franklin Historic Preservation Overlay. Currently, new development and demolition is expanding in and around the district, placing significant pressures on this historic neighborhood.
The Gaylor House, originally built ca 1900, is a contributing structure to the Nachez Street Historic District in Franklin. Today it is owned by the Shorter Chapel AME and is slated to be used as a community center; however, the structure has significant water damage and structural issues.
The Creekside home is significant for its age and also because it was the home of Sarah Florence McEwen Adkerson (1846-1867), who was one of the daughters of John B. McEwen, mayor of Franklin during the Civil War.
Located at the crossroads of Carter Creek Pike and Southall Road, Beard’s Grocery & Market, a ca. 1900 building, has been a general store since around 1945. The crossroads has long been a community hub.
The Frierson-Voorhies Cemetery is the final physical reminder of the once thriving African American Hardscuffle community in Brentwood. Hardscuffle, founded just after the Civil War by formerly enslaved people, began to decline after community members sold their property during the construction of the nearby Interstate 65. Without its community and ownership unclear, the cemetery has become neglected.
The Nolensville Historic Corridor and business district along Nolensville Road continues to be threatened by development pressures. State Hwy 31, Nolensville Road, is a main thoroughfare between Nashville’s suburbs and Nolensville's own explosive growth. Increased traffic along the highway and new development threaten the historic business district.
The Daniel McMahon house is a two-story frame and log residence located on the Franklin First United Methodist Church property near Franklin Road and Mack Hatcher. This home, added to the National Register in 1988, started around 1812 as a sprawling farm owned by one of the county's earliest settlers, Revolutionary War veteran Daniel McMahon. The house, long neglected, suffers from water damage, mold, and other issues.
