2010-27 Franklin, Tennessee
Hello All,
Arriving back home from the cruise we went to work on our yard getting it prepared for the upcoming winter months. A few days before Christmas we had all our projects completed and since we didn’t have any plans for the holiday we decided to take a short trip to Franklin, TN. Located just southwest of Nashville, Franklin is a small city with a lot of history. So early in the morning on Christmas Eve we jumped on the Natchez Trace Parkway and went north towards Franklin.
The City of Franklin was founded October 26, 1799, and was named after Benjamin Franklin. For most of its first 180 years, Franklin was a tranquil, small county seat. In the years prior to the Civil War, Williamson County was one of the wealthiest counties in Tennessee and Franklin the center of plantation economy. However, the Civil War devastated their economy. Union troops occupied the area for nearly three years.
The Battle of Franklin was fought on November 30, 1854, and was one of the war’s bloodiest battles, costing more than 8,000 casualties and turning every home and building in town into a hospital. It took 120 years for the county’s economy to reach pre-war levels. For more than a century, Franklin seemed remote, not only from Nashville, but from the rest of the world as well. Today, Franklin is one of the wealthiest cities in one of the wealthiest counties in the United States. It has a unique blend of history and progress. The best of both worlds are found here with small-town charm and big-city sophistication. There are numerous Civil War sites, museums, and magnificent Antebellum and Victorian homes.
In all honesty, Christmas Eve is not the best time to visit the area! Many establishments were closed and most folks were celebrating the holiday at home with family. With that said, we still managed to have a good time--it is all about attitude. And, we can always visit there again in the summer during peak tourist season.
Here are a few shots we snapped in the historic district of downtown Franklin.
Arriving back home from the cruise we went to work on our yard getting it prepared for the upcoming winter months. A few days before Christmas we had all our projects completed and since we didn’t have any plans for the holiday we decided to take a short trip to Franklin, TN. Located just southwest of Nashville, Franklin is a small city with a lot of history. So early in the morning on Christmas Eve we jumped on the Natchez Trace Parkway and went north towards Franklin.
The City of Franklin was founded October 26, 1799, and was named after Benjamin Franklin. For most of its first 180 years, Franklin was a tranquil, small county seat. In the years prior to the Civil War, Williamson County was one of the wealthiest counties in Tennessee and Franklin the center of plantation economy. However, the Civil War devastated their economy. Union troops occupied the area for nearly three years.
The Battle of Franklin was fought on November 30, 1854, and was one of the war’s bloodiest battles, costing more than 8,000 casualties and turning every home and building in town into a hospital. It took 120 years for the county’s economy to reach pre-war levels. For more than a century, Franklin seemed remote, not only from Nashville, but from the rest of the world as well. Today, Franklin is one of the wealthiest cities in one of the wealthiest counties in the United States. It has a unique blend of history and progress. The best of both worlds are found here with small-town charm and big-city sophistication. There are numerous Civil War sites, museums, and magnificent Antebellum and Victorian homes.
In all honesty, Christmas Eve is not the best time to visit the area! Many establishments were closed and most folks were celebrating the holiday at home with family. With that said, we still managed to have a good time--it is all about attitude. And, we can always visit there again in the summer during peak tourist season.
Here are a few shots we snapped in the historic district of downtown Franklin.
On the edge of downtown is the Factory at
Franklin, a vibrant shopping and dining destination. Built in 1929, The Factory
occupies the building that once served as the Dortch Stove Works, Magic Chef,
and later the Jamison Bedding Company. It is rich with history and with a very
careful renovation they have preserved many of The Factory’s original features
and architectural detail. The developer bought the sprawling complex seven
years ago and, after an environmental clean-up & mechanical engineering
updates, began opening the facility in sections. Today, it has 83 tenants and
hosts live concerts, dining and shopping venues, live theater, art galleries,
antique shops and office space.
As you can see from the following photos there
were only a few last minute shoppers strolling the complex on Christmas Eve.
We were hungry so one of the
first things we did was stop for lunch at a place called the Music City Dog
House. They offered an amazing variety of hot dogs. We ordered a couple of
Chicago style dawgs and chased them with root beer--they were wonderful.
After lunch we proceeded to explore the entire complex. It was tastefully decorated for the holiday. The many different buildings of the factory are tied together and we definitely got our walk accomplished. Finally, Miss Barb said she had had enough and climbed up in a big ole rocking chair to rest her feet.
After lunch we proceeded to explore the entire complex. It was tastefully decorated for the holiday. The many different buildings of the factory are tied together and we definitely got our walk accomplished. Finally, Miss Barb said she had had enough and climbed up in a big ole rocking chair to rest her feet.
This wreath was huge and unique. Those are full
size dinner plates, a rolling pin and other kitchen utensils attached to it. We
guessed it to be about seven foot in diameter.
As you can see Dave is
expressing that he has had all the shopping fun he can stand!
Since it was getting late in
the day and a front was forecast to move through the area we decided we’d
better start working our way home. But, before leaving Franklin we did take the
time to take photos of some of their beautiful old churches.
In the photo below is Franklin Cumberland Presbyterian Church. It was founded in 1871 and the first cornerstone was laid on June 3, 1876. It was designed by H.C. Thompson, architect of Nashville’s historic Ryman Auditorium.
In the photo below is Franklin Cumberland Presbyterian Church. It was founded in 1871 and the first cornerstone was laid on June 3, 1876. It was designed by H.C. Thompson, architect of Nashville’s historic Ryman Auditorium.
This is St. Paul’s Episcopal
Church. It is the Mother Church of the Diocese of Tennessee, founded in 1827
and erected in 1831.
It has been a wonderful year
for us. We’ve been fortunate to be able to travel to many new and some old
familiar destinations. We try to enjoy every day to the fullest, as we never
know what tomorrow will bring. We hope you have enjoyed the ride with us. As a
fitting ending to our travels of 2010 here are a couple of photos Miss Barb
took from our front porch on a cold winter evening. You must admit, Mother
Nature does some awesome work.
Until next time,
Dave & Barb
The Traveling Browns
Dave & Barb
The Traveling Browns