The site of a bloody Civil War battle in 1864, the city of Franklin sits in the heart of central Tennessee, less than 20 miles south of Nashville. Its quaint brick-paved downtown shopping district plays host to festivals virtually every month of the year according to Travel + Leisure magazine, which once singled out Franklin as one of America’s favorite towns. The city embodies the can-do spirit of the New South in combination with a deep and abiding respect for the rich legacy of its past.
Sites of the Civil War
- Two of Franklin’s historic landmarks bore silent witness to the Battle of Franklin on November 30, 1864. Preserved and operated by the nonprofit Battle of Franklin Trust, Carnton Plantation and Carter House played pivotal roles in the Civil War battle and its aftermath. Confederate forces used Carnton Plantation as a field hospital for their wounded. Carter House, a modest brick home built in 1830 by Fountain Branch Carter, served as a command post for Union forces. Both landmarks are open to visitors seven days a week with guided tours of the plantation available for a small fee.
Stroll Historic Downtown Streets
- At the heart of Franklin’s downtown shopping district is a 16-block area that comprised the city’s original downtown core. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1972, Historic Downtown Franklin is a shopper’s paradise. Its streets are lined with antique shops, book stores, boutiques and art galleries. The district also contains a number of lovingly restored homes and more than 20 restaurants where you can enjoy a meal or snack. Stroll the brick-paved sidewalks of this historic district on your own or join a guided tour conducted by Franklin on Foot, which also offers a variety of other tours in the Franklin area.
Shop the Factory
- The Factory at Franklin is the brainchild of developer Calvin Lehew, who describes it as a place “for artists and creative folks.” The 12-building retail, dining and entertainment complex occupies 1920s-era structures that for many years served as factory space for a succession of regional manufacturers. The small boutique shops at The Factory, selling antiques, crafts and more, are quite unlike the businesses you would find in the typical suburban mall, and that’s precisely what Lehew had in mind when he developed the complex. Scattered among the shops and restaurants are learning centers where children and adults can make pottery or take lessons in art, drama or music.
Tour Cheekwood Gardens
- Cheekwood Gardens lies roughly midway between Franklin and downtown Nashville. The 55-acre complex includes botanical gardens, a 30,000-square-foot art museum and a woodland sculpture trail. Cheekwood occupies the former estate of the Cheek family, owners of the wholesale grocery firm responsible for developing the coffee blend served at Nashville’s Maxwell House hotel and later marketed nationwide under the Maxwell House brand. Visitors can browse through the museum and gardens on their own or with a docent-led tour. The museum’s permanent collection includes a cross section of American art, including examples of artwork from some of the country’s best-known contemporary artists, including Andy Warhol and Larry Rivers.
