Calling all high school parents and students! The Franklin Theatre is thrilled to announce the return of our third annual Summer Sessions program, a dynamic three-day intensive designed specifically for high school students passionate about music. This year, we're taking it to the next level with Emmy Award-winning songwriter Trey Bruce and a team of top industry professionals!
From July 21-23, 2025, students will be fully immersed in key areas of the music industry, gaining invaluable insights and hands-on experience. If you dream of a career in music, this is your chance to learn from the best. We're incredibly grateful to our generous sponsors, FirstBank and Jackson, for helping make this enriching program possible!
This July, we are celebrating all the things about Williamson County that make it the one of the most special places to live! Your subject can be anything - people, places, events - but the only requirement is that it must represent small-town charm within Williamson County. Submissions will be open until July 31, then the top three photographs will be posted on our social media channels for the community to vote on the top one.
The winning submission will get a special Franklin Theatre package with a four-pack of tickets, popcorn and soda vouchers, and theatre-branded merchandise!
This Grandparent's Day (Friday, August 1st), give a gift that lasts a lifetime! Join the Heritage Foundation of Williamson County in downtown Franklin for "Once Upon a Yesterday," a special event dedicated to preserving the invaluable oral histories of your loved ones. Capture their unique stories, wisdom, and laughter to honor their legacy and create an enduring family heirloom for generations to come.
Event Details:
Date: Friday, August 1st
Time: 9:00 AM - 3:00 PM (by reserved time slot)
Location: Moore-Morris History & Culture Center (108 Bridge St., Franklin, TN)
What: A dedicated opportunity to record the oral history of your grandparents or special elder friends.
The Heritage Foundation of Williamson County is proud to unveil our annual list of historically significant and vulnerable sites in Williamson County. From the Williams-Fitzhugh-Gooch Home in Nolensville to the iconic Dry Stack Stone Walls, these properties highlight our shared history and urgent preservation needs.
Your engagement helps us protect these vital resources! Learn more about the specific properties in Franklin, Leiper's Fork, and Nolensville, and how you can join our efforts to preserve our community's rich heritage for future generations.
From deep roots to new beginnings, everyone cherishes special Williamson County places. We're inviting you to celebrate the landmarks and locations throughout our community that have shaped your life. Through our My Square Mile campaign, we're connecting people and places across our community.
Share your story and help us preserve what matters, together!
The non-profit Heritage Foundation operates The Franklin Theatre, Downtown Franklin Association, Franklin Grove Estate & Gardens, and the Moore-Morris 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 of Williamson County today! Each gift funds preservation & education initiatives in our area that sustain the historic charm that makes our community so beloved.
The Heritage Foundation of Williamson County, TN is a nonprofit that preserves, promotes and advocates for the historic places, stories and culture of our community.
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 be the reason the world knows and falls in love with Williamson County’s culture and history.
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.
Includes: Beechwood Hall (1856), Grasslands (1802, 1850), and Old Town (1846)
Photo of Beechwood Hall, March 2024. Anna Marcum.
WHY: Pryor Lillie built three of the most significant antebellum homes in Williamson County. To have an extant portfolio of an antebellum builder's work in Williamson County is extremely rare and these properties should be preserved as a group.
Pictured, Frierson-Voorhees Cemetery, Brentwood and Tombstone of the Wife of Dr. William Searcy Removed from its Original Location, Nolensville. Both images submitted by nominator.
WHY: Intimate family cemeteries are abundant in Tennessee and an important feature of the state's landscape. As more folks move to Middle Tennessee and development ramps up, it's crucial that people are on the lookout for these cemeteries and are aware of how to appropriately handle them.
James Scales House, 2014. Wikipedia.
WHY: The James Scales House is a lovely example of Eastlake Victorian architecture and the I-house form in Williamson County. Despite the land around it being used as construction storage, the home still retains a remarkable amount of its Eastlake decoration on the porch.
Dry stack stone walls in Williamson County. Both images submitted by nominator.
WHY: These walls are a defining feature of the Tennessee landscape that are not protected by any kind of historic preservation ordinance. With rapid development, many are being lost simply because people don't understand their significance.
The Tucker Home, Architect Burney Tucker, Brentwood, 1967. Photo courtesy Zillow.
WHY: As the construction of I-65 progressed through Williamson County in the 1950s and 60s, towns along the interstate route exploded in growth and along with that growth came a number of lovely Mid-Century Modern homes. Many don’t see the historic value in modern architecture, but these homes are not only an excellent example of the style but also indicative of an important part of Williamson County’s recent history.
