Imagine a beautiful and intimate museum of art right in the heart of Williamson County. The plans for Franklin Grove include repurposing the historic Perkins-Winstead Mansion into the Robert N. Moore Museum of Art. This iconic location will curate the artistic works of local and national artisans with a rotating display of painting, photography, sculpture, artifact, furniture exhibitions, and be a place for education opportunities connected to the exhibitions and the mission of Franklin Grove.
The Museum of Art further aligns with the history of the property and will help preserve and honor the property’s legacy as a center for visual art education during its years as the O’More College of Design.
(note: representational stock photo only)
Historic writings about the property cite “...lofty trees of Elm and Poplar, beautiful flowers of almost every description, extensive and well laid-out gravel walks”.
To uphold this past, 3.5 acres of the Franklin Grove estate will offer a haven for the natural beauty of Middle Tennessee’s horticulture. Current plans for the gardens include open green spaces, water displays, seasonal plant and flower exhibits, formal gardens, secluded spaces for peace and reflection, and beautiful landscaping throughout the grounds that also highlight the signature, estimated 200-year-old McDowell Oak Tree. We envision a place where thoughts meander, senses ignite, and tranquility abounds.
(note: representational stock photo only)
Originally the site of a post-Civil War Freedmen Bureau school, Franklin Grove is steeped in African American history. This historical thread is tied to more recent history through the circa 1927 historic Lee-Buckner Rosenwald School. Following its relocation from Spring Hill, TN to Franklin Grove, this immersive experience will allow guests to sit at desks, look at artifacts, discover stories from students, and reveal the lasting impact educational pursuits have had on Williamson County.
The Rosenwald Fund, which supported the efforts to build Rosenwald Schools to educate African American children across the rural, segregated South, was established through a unique partnership between Booker T. Washington (Founder of the Tuskegee Institute) and philanthropist Julius Rosenwald (CEO of Sears & Roebuck). The effort has been called the most important initiative to advance Black education in the early 20th century. Today, only 10% of the 5,357 schools constructed between 1917-1932 have survived, and The National Trust for Historic Preservation lists Rosenwald Schools on its 11 Most Endangered Historic Places list. Lee-Buckner is the last remaining Rosenwald School in Williamson County (read its history here).
The LeHew Mansion now boasts the first innovation and entrepreneurial center in Williamson County within a historic property. In partnership with Williamson, Inc. (the Williamson County chamber of commerce), the Franklin Innovation Center is an incubator for numerous local start-up businesses, offering office space at below-market rates to encourage their success and growth, while retaining local talent.
The building was formerly known as the Haynes-Berry house. Richard Haynes, a local hardware merchant and entrepreneur, purchased a piece of land and hired famed Nashville architect of the Ryman Auditorium, Hugh C. Thompson, to design his home in 1889. It remains an excellent representation of New South architecture, combining Romanesque Revival and Queen Anne designs.
Imagine a beautiful and intimate museum of art right in the heart of Williamson County. The plans for Franklin Grove include repurposing the historic Perkins-Winstead Mansion into the Robert N. Moore Museum of Art. This iconic location will curate the artistic works of local and national artisans with a rotating display of painting, photography, sculpture, artifact, furniture exhibitions, and be a place for education opportunities connected to the exhibitions and the mission of Franklin Grove.
The Museum of Art further aligns with the history of the property and will help preserve and honor the property’s legacy as a center for visual art education during its years as the O’More College of Design.
(note: representational stock photo only)
Historic writings about the property cite “...lofty trees of Elm and Poplar, beautiful flowers of almost every description, extensive and well laid-out gravel walks”.
To uphold this past, 3.5 acres of the Franklin Grove estate will offer a haven for the natural beauty of Middle Tennessee’s horticulture. Current plans for the gardens include open green spaces, water displays, seasonal plant and flower exhibits, formal gardens, secluded spaces for peace and reflection, and beautiful landscaping throughout the grounds that also highlight the signature, estimated 200-year-old McDowell Oak Tree. We envision a place where thoughts meander, senses ignite, and tranquility abounds.
(note: representational stock photo only)
Originally the site of a post-Civil War Freedmen Bureau school, Franklin Grove is steeped in African American history. This historical thread is tied to more recent history through the circa 1927 historic Lee-Buckner Rosenwald School. Following its relocation from Spring Hill, TN to Franklin Grove, this immersive experience will allow guests to sit at desks, look at artifacts, discover stories from students, and reveal the lasting impact educational pursuits have had on Williamson County.
The Rosenwald Fund, which supported the efforts to build Rosenwald Schools to educate African American children across the rural, segregated South, was established through a unique partnership between Booker T. Washington (Founder of the Tuskegee Institute) and philanthropist Julius Rosenwald (CEO of Sears & Roebuck). The effort has been called the most important initiative to advance Black education in the early 20th century. Today, only 10% of the 5,357 schools constructed between 1917-1932 have survived, and The National Trust for Historic Preservation lists Rosenwald Schools on its 11 Most Endangered Historic Places list. Lee-Buckner is the last remaining Rosenwald School in Williamson County (read its history here).
The LeHew Mansion now boasts the first innovation and entrepreneurial center in Williamson County within a historic property. In partnership with Williamson, Inc. (the Williamson County chamber of commerce), the Franklin Innovation Center is an incubator for numerous local start-up businesses, offering office space at below-market rates to encourage their success and growth, while retaining local talent.
The building was formerly known as the Haynes-Berry house. Richard Haynes, a local hardware merchant and entrepreneur, purchased a piece of land and hired famed Nashville architect of the Ryman Auditorium, Hugh C. Thompson, to design his home in 1889. It remains an excellent representation of New South architecture, combining Romanesque Revival and Queen Anne designs.
You can make a direct impact on the county’s future by helping to preserve its past. Monetary contributions make a critical difference: though our organization continuously works to generate needed operating funds through events, products, and fundraisers, donations make an important difference in the Foundation’s preservation efforts. To learn more about opportunities to financially support Franklin Grove, please email Melissa Houck at mhouck@williamsonheritage.org.
Thank you for your support!
