Home | Mission | Preservation | Newsletter | Events | Contact

Preservation

Recent Studies and Inventories

 of Civil War Site in Williamson County

Franklin Battlefield Conferences - 1992, 1993, 1994 - These three conferences were sponsored by the City of Franklin, Williamson County, the Heritage Foundation and other local groups to bring together business and historical groups to discuss methods of preserving local historical resources, and of establishing heritage tourism in Williamson County.  Speakers came from national preservation groups, Tennessee Historical Commission, and other groups.  The conferences generated much interest in the general public for preserving some of our local Civil War sites.  Original research produced battlefield maps and a Battle of Franklin Driving Tour Map.

 Profiles of America's Most Threatened Civil War Battlefields - 1993 (revised 1998) - National Parks Service - American Battlefield Protection Program - a survey of the Nov 30, 1864 and April 10, 1863 battlefields in Williamson County.  The maps define the area that was studied, and the boundaries of the 'core battlefield' areas.  This study encompassed dozens of Civil War Battlefields in several states, and is planned to be updated.

Winstead Hill Park and Fort Granger Study - 1995 - A City of Franklin sponsored study that resulted in land being purchased on the north face of Winstead Hill.  Fort Granger had been purchased by the city in the mid 1970's, and the Winstead Hill acreage was purchased by the city just for the park.  Interpretative signs were place at both of these passive parks which are now open to the public.

US Highway 31 Battlefield Corridor Protection Plan - 1996 - Sponsored by the Heritage Foundation with a grant from the American Battlefield Protection Program to identify all historic sites, including battlefield parcels, along US Highway 31 from Mack Hatcher Parkway north of Franklin to Saturn Parkway near Spring Hill.  The study addressed preservation priorities for the identified resources, land use and zoning, highway frontage, set-back requirements, and other characteristics.  For whatever reasons, the plan was not adopted as a guideline for development planning by the city or the county.

Preservation and Interpretation Plan Summary for Civil War Resources in Tennessee - 2000 - Sponsored by the Tennessee Wars Commission, this summary is a "how-to" preservation guide for local governments and organizations that can produce a statewide Interpretation Plan for Civil War sites.  These plans define five regional themes, and six statewide themes.  The regional theme for Williamson County is "Hood's Tennessee Campaign".  The second revision of companion booklet A Path Divided is a statewide driving tour guide that was developed in cooperation with the Tennessee Wars Commission.

Tennessee Historical Quarterly - A Master Plan for the Tennessee Civil War National Heritage Area - 2002 - Prepared by the Center for Historic Preservation, MTSU for the Board of Advisors of the Tennessee Civil War National Heritage Area.  In 1995 Congress established National Heritage Areas program as part of its National Parks Service.  Forty-one states submitted proposals, and Tennessee, with the assistance of Congressman Bart Gordon, was one of the eight states chosen.

In 1996 Congress funded Tennessee Civil War National Heritage program at MTSU with the goal to establish a strategy, coordinated with local governments and preservation groups, for interpreting Tennessee's Civil War era for the years 1850-1870 including the Reconstruction years.  After public meetings and fact-finding across the state, this resultant Master Plan helps local governments and groups become part of the statewide preservation effort to protect and interpret our local historical resources.