The Hidden Stories of Franklin TN: History That Shaped Tennessee
The Franklin TN history tells the story of a town that bears deep scars from one of America’s bloodiest Civil War battles. The Battle of Franklin lasted just five hours but left almost 10,000 casualties29 and changed this Tennessee community forever. This remarkable town has preserved its historic homes and structures for more than 200 years while uncovering its citizens’ fascinating stories30.
My visits to historic Franklin TN always remind me how Franklin Tennessee’s history lives in its architecture. The battle turned 44 buildings across town into field hospitals23. The Carter House stands as one of the most important landmarks in Franklin TN’s history. It still shows the marks of about 1,000 bullets23 and remains one of the Civil War’s most bullet-riddled buildings31. The town’s legacy goes beyond the battlefield. The McGavock family’s home porch became the resting place for four Confederate generals’ bodies after the devastating battle on November 30, 186430. Confederate General John Bell Hood lost nearly a third of his men in the conflict30. Franklin TN’s Civil War history serves as a powerful reminder of our nation’s past.
This piece will take you through the hallowed grounds, preserved homes, and untold stories that make Franklin a must-visit destination for history enthusiasts.
The Battle That Changed Franklin Forever
November 30, 1864 marked a defining moment in Franklin TN’s history. The battle claimed 8,578 lives in just five hours of fierce fighting1. This wasn’t just another Civil War clash – its intensity and scale matched the famous Pickett’s Charge at Gettysburg2.
General John Bell Hood’s Confederate troops launched their attack against Union forces who had dug in their positions. Three historic buildings became crucial battleground locations. The Carter House served as Federal headquarters under Brigadier General Jacob D. Cox3. The Lotz family ran from their wooden house to seek shelter with the Carters in their brick basement4. Both families crouched together while brutal hand-to-hand combat erupted above them.
The battle’s toll was devastating. Carnton plantation became the area’s largest field hospital where surgeons worked tirelessly in every room. Nearly 300 wounded Confederate soldiers filled the house by midnight, while hundreds more lay on the grounds5. Morning revealed a heartbreaking sight – four Confederate generals’ bodies (Patrick Cleburne, John Adams, Otho F. Strahl, and Hiram B. Granbury) lay on Carnton’s back porch6.
Captain Tod Carter’s story embodies the battle’s personal tragedy. He fell mortally wounded just 500 feet from his family home7. His family searched the battlefield with lanterns until they found him among the wounded. They carried him to his sister’s room where he died two days later.
These historic sites still stand today, letting visitors experience Franklin TN’s Civil War history directly. Cannon ball damage marks the Lotz House8. More than 1,000 bullet holes pepper the Carter House9. Blood stains from wounded soldiers remain permanently on Carnton’s floors10 – all evidence of Franklin TN’s significance in American history.
Walking Through Time: Exploring Historic Franklin TN
Franklin’s historic sites give visitors many ways to experience the city’s rich history firsthand. Six historic parks tell different chapters of the area’s fascinating past.
The Eastern Flank Battlefield Park spans 110 acres of the former Battle of Franklin site, which was once the Franklin Country Club and Golf Course11. The City of Franklin bought the property in 2006. Since then, extensive restoration has created a natural setting that resembles its Civil War-era look11. Today, visitors can walk through grounds with 394 trees, including the McGavock Orchard’s 34 apple trees11.
Winstead Hill Park stretches across 61 acres with a 3/4-mile walking trail and Civil War monuments12. Confederate General John Bell Hood stood at this spot and surveyed the valley before making his historic decision: “We will make the fight”13. Visitors will find interpretive signs, a large military map, and memorials dedicated to fallen Confederate generals14.
Several walking tour companies bring Franklin’s history to life. Franklin on Foot leads historic tours, ghost tours, and Civil War-focused walks15. Their popular 90-minute Haunted Franklin tour takes visitors to 5-6 downtown locations where stories tell of departed socialites, Civil War spies, and a ghost dog16.
The city also provides a free self-guided audio cell phone tour of 16 historic sites. Visitors can call 615-216-1597 to learn about places like Fort Granger and Toussaint L’Ouverture Cemetery17.
History buffs can discover Franklin’s historic districts beyond the battlefields. The Hincheyville Historic District, Franklin’s first residential addition, showcases homes built between 1828 and the 1930s. These homes feature architectural styles from Federal to Tudor Revival18. The Lotz House features specialized tours, including a Women’s History Tour that highlights civilian life in the 1860s through Matilda Lotz’s story19.
Preservation efforts have kept much of historic Franklin intact, making it a living testament to the city’s rich past.
The Untold Stories: African American History and Hidden Landmarks
Franklin’s history runs deeper than its battlefields, especially when you look at its African American citizens’ experiences. These powerful stories remained hidden from official historical records for many years.
Harvey McLemore, a former slave, built the McLemore House in 1880. This house became one of the first homes in Hard Bargain, Franklin’s first black middle-class neighborhood where teachers, carpenters, masons and farmers lived20. The McLemore family kept ownership of this homestead from 1880 to 199721. Now, the house serves as a museum that preserves Franklin’s African American cultural heritage.
Local leaders started “The Fuller Story” project in 2017 after the white supremacist rally in Charlottesville. The project team placed five markers around the Public Square in 201922. These markers tell stories about the market house where slave trading occurred, the 1867 race riot, reconstruction, and African American life before, during, and after the Civil War23.
The project reached its peak in 2021 with the revealing of the “March to Freedom” bronze statue that honors United States Colored Troops (USCT)24. Sculptor Joe Frank Howard created this powerful statue showing a soldier with broken shackles under his feet, which symbolizes freedom from slavery25. The statue stands in the exact spot where freed slaves once went to the Courthouse to join the Army23.
The Historic Masonic Hall holds another important piece of history. President Andrew Jackson met the Chickasaw delegation here in 1830 for the first treaty negotiation under the Indian Removal Act26. This meeting later led to the forced migration known as the Trail of Tears27.
The hall, 198 years old, was once the tallest building west of the Allegheny Mountains28. During the Civil War, it served multiple purposes and became quarters and a hospital for U.S. Colored Troops from 1864 to 186528.
Conclusion
Franklin’s mixture of history shows more than battles and old buildings. This town stands as evidence of American resilience through tragedy and change. These streets tell powerful stories. The bullet-riddled walls, blood-stained floors, and memories of famous generals and unnamed soldiers who fought their last battles here leave a lasting impression.
The Battle of Franklin shaped this community’s identity. Nearly 10,000 casualties occurred in just five hours. Notwithstanding that, Franklin’s story goes beyond that fateful day in 1864. The town’s preservation work creates an immersive experience where people can touch history at the Carter House, Carnton plantation, and Lotz House.
Franklin has substantially changed how it tells its story. The Fuller Story project and landmarks like McLemore House now reveal previously untold stories of African Americans who built this Tennessee community. The “March to Freedom” statue honors United States Colored Troops and shows a town accepting its complex past.
Real people experienced this history in real places. Captain Tod Carter died in his childhood bedroom. The McGavock family watched their home become a makeshift hospital. Harvey McLemore built a free life after enslavement. These personal stories connect us deeply to our shared past.
After learning about historic Franklin, visitors gain deep appreciation for how a community faces difficult truths while protecting its heritage. The town doesn’t glorify or hide from its Civil War history. Franklin helps people understand American history’s complexity through this remarkable Tennessee town’s story. This honest preservation approach makes Franklin valuable not just for history enthusiasts but also as an example for other communities facing their challenging pasts.
References
[1] – https://www.battlefields.org/visit/battlefields/franklin-battlefield
[2] – https://www.battlefields.org/learn/civil-war/battles/franklin
[3] – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carter_House_(Franklin,_Tennessee)
[4] – https://williamsonheritage.org/portfolio-posts/the-lotz-house/
[5] – https://boft.org/history
[6] – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carnton
[7] – https://www.battlefields.org/learn/articles/10-facts-battle-franklin
[8] – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lotz_House
[9] – https://www.battlefields.org/visit/heritage-sites/carter-house
[10] – https://visitfranklin.com/history/carnton/
[11] – https://www.franklintn.gov/government/departments-k-z/parks/park-locations/eastern-flank-battlefield-park
[12] – https://www.franklintn.gov/government/departments-k-z/parks/park-locations/winstead-hill
[13] – https://www.tnvacation.com/civil-war/place/2073/winstead-hill/
[14] – https://www.battlefields.org/visit/heritage-sites/confederate-memorial-park-winstead-hill
[15] – https://www.franklinonfoot.com/
[16] – https://www.franklinonfoot.com/ghosttour
[17] – https://www.franklintn.gov/government/departments-k-z/parks/historic-parks-audio-tour
[18] – https://www.franklintn.gov/government/departments-k-z/planning-and-sustainability/historic-preservation-program/franklin-s-historic-preservation-overlay
[19] – https://www.lotzhouse.com/march-womens-history-month
[20] – https://www.americanheritage.com/content/mclemore-house-museum
[21] – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/McLemore_House
[22] – https://www.franklintn.gov/our-city/the-fuller-story
[23] – https://visitfranklin.com/blog/what-every-history-lover-must-see-in-franklin/
[24] – https://visitfranklin.com/blog/the-telling-of-the-fuller-story-in-franklin/
[25] – https://www.nytimes.com/2021/10/24/us/confederate-statue-tennessee-black-troops.html
[26] – https://williamsonsource.com/reps-franklin-lodge-treaty/
[27] – https://www.nativehistoryassociation.org/midtn_sites.php
[28] – https://lovelyfranklin.com/forgotten-treasures-unveiling-the-hidden-history-and-endangered-legacy-of-franklins-masonic-hall/
[29] – https://www.mattwardhomes.com/blog/discovering-franklin-tn-glimpse-into-tennessees-historic-town/
[30] – https://visitfranklin.com/blog/how-to-explore-franklins-history-in-3-hours-or-3-days/
[31] – https://www.visittheusa.com/destination/franklin