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Preservation Resources

Heritage Foundation Research and Resources

Preservation-Minded Articles

PEOPLE FIRST PRESERVATION: Community As The Cornerstone Of Historic Preservation

Looking Back, Facing Forward: Recapping A Historic 2023 At The Heritage Foundation

Hidden In Plain Sight: Cemeteries, Preservation Advocacy, And Placemaking

Heritage Foundation of Williamson County Celebrates Groundbreaking For Franklin Grove Estate & Gardens

Find Us In The Field: Mapping For Williamson County's Future

Historic Property Research

  • Library of Congress | LINK (Historic American Buildings Survey, City Directories, Sanborn Fire Insurance Maps, Newspapers, and more.)
  • Internet Archive | LINK  (Non-profit online library of millions of free books, movies, software, music, websites, and more.)
  • HathiTrust | LINK  (Public domain digitized documents from libraries all over the world.)
  • Ancestry.com | LINK
  • Newspapers.com | LINK
  • Old Maps Online| LINK
  • Chronicling America: Historic American Newspapers | LINK

  • Tennessee State Library and Archives Architectural Resources | LINK
  • Tennessee National Register of Historic Places and Tennessee Historical Commission Surveyed Properties | LINK
  • Tennessee Virtual Archive (TeVA)| LINK (Collection of all digitized materials in the Tennessee State Library and Archives including photographs, documents, maps, postcards, film, audio and other records relating to the history and culture of Tennessee.)
  • Tennessee Civil War GIS Project | LINK
  • Tennessee Historic Cemeteries Map | LINK

  • Williamson County Archives Guide to Researching Historic Homes and Properties |
     LINK
  • All History is Local: Guide to Using Primary Sources at the Williamson County Archives | LINK
  • Williamson County Property Assessor | LINK
  • Williamson County GIS Map | LINK
  • Williamson County Archives Online | LINK
  • Historic Newspapers at Williamson County Archives | LINK
  • Local Histories, City Directories, Biographies, and Periodicals available in the Special Collections at the Williamson County Public Library | LINK
  • Franklin Sanborn Fire Insurance Maps | LINK and LINK

  • Franklin GIS Maps | LINK
  • Franklin Historic Preservation Program | LINK
  • Franklin Local Historic Districts | LINK
  • Franklin Historic District Design Guidelines | LINK

  • Brentwood GIS Maps | LINK
  • Brentwood Historic Commission | LINK
  • Brentwood Historic Homes and Sites | LINK
  • Brentwood Historic Cemeteries | LINK

  • Nolensville GIS Map | LINK
  • Nolensville Historic Zoning Commission | LINK
  • Nolensville Historic District Streetscape Project | LINK
  • Nolensville Historical Society | LINK  

  • Spring Hill GIS Map | LINK
  • Spring Hill Historic Commission | LINK
  • Spring Hill Historic Sites Video Series | LINK
  • Spring Hill Historically Significant Properties | LINK

  • Thompson’s Station GIS Map | LINK

  • Fairview GIS Map | LINK

Other Resources

"Rehabilitating historic properties conserves taxpayers’ dollars, conserves our local heritage, and conserves the natural environment. Rehabilitating historic buildings and using the infrastructure that is already in place to serve them is the height of fiscal and environmental responsibility."

– Donovan Rypkema , Place Economics