Location: 1345 Eastern Flank Circle, Franklin, TN 37064

Summary: Located at the entrance to Carnton, learn about the lives of Franklin's Black residents during and after the Civil War, including several who fought in the United States Colored Troops. After the Civil War, freedmen and women established their own neighborhoods and business districts. Prominent businessman A. N. C. Williams opened a store downtown. Another formerly enslaved person, Harvey McLemore, established the Hard Bargain neighborhood.

Dive Deeper: Many Black men from Williamson County joined the United States Colored Troops during the Civil War. Click the "Learn More" link below to read about one regiment from Tina Jones’ Slaves to Soldiers Project.

Visitor Experience: To learn more about the road from slavery to freedom, contact the African American Heritage Society for a tour of the McLemore House, the historic home of Harvey McLemore: info@aahswc.org or (615) 305-0904.

Location: 418 Lewisburg Ave., Franklin, TN 37064 (Collins Farm)

Summary: On the site of the home of Carnton’s overseer William Collins, Confederate troops attacked the U.S. Army during the devastating Battle of Franklin. Federal forces responded by laying thorny brush along the earthworks to defend their position. The farm was later sold to Thomas P. Henderson, who would conspire to kidnap Kaiser Wilhelm during the First World War.

Dive Deeper: To learn more about reburial efforts following the Civil War, click the "info" button to read an article from the National Park Service.

Visitor Experience: Stop for a visit on your way to Carnton or Fort Granger.

Location: 1345 Eastern Flank Circle, Franklin, TN 37064

Summary: Built by Randal McGavock and his enslaved people in 1826, Carnton was a prosperous and prominent farm before the Civil War. After the Battle of Franklin, the house served as a Confederate hospital. The family—John, Carrie, Hattie, and Winder McGavock—cared for the wounded following the battle. The house also tells the powerful story of freedwoman Mariah Reddick, who returned to Franklin after the war.

Dive Deeper: Mariah was not the only emancipated person at Carnton to return to Franklin after the Civil War. Click the "info" button to dive into Susanna McGavock Carter’s life at both Carnton and Belle Meade.

Visitor Experience: Got two hours? Take a tour of Carnton’s main house and walk the grounds to view self-guided exhibit, or purchase the Tennessee Campaign ticket, which includes entrance to Carnton, Carter House, and Rippa Villa. Tickets can be purchased in the gift shop or at the Franklin Visitor Center.

Location: 1140 Columbia Avenue, Franklin, TN 37064; behind the Carter House, within the grounds. Can be accessed if house gate is open from Columbia Avenue, otherwise by taking a tour.

Summary: Find this marker on the grounds behind the Carter House. The Carter family established their small farm in 1829. By the 1850s, the farm was prosperous, and the Carter family enslaved 28 people. While all three sons enlisted in the Confederate Army, one—Tod Carter—returned to fight in the Battle of Franklin. Tod was mortally wounded nearby during the battle, passing away here in his family home a few days later.

Dive Deeper: Two enslaved people worked for the Carter family before the Civil War and remained after emancipation. Click the "info" button to read about Calfurnia and Jack Carter.

Visitor Experience: Tour Carter House for $22 and wander the grounds afterward. Wanting to really dive in? Purchase a Tennessee Campaign ticket, which includes Carter House, Carnton, and Rippa Villa, or purchase a Battlefield Tour to understand the troop movements on the evening of November 30th. The Carter House also features a Slavery and Enslaved Tour that goes in-depth into the lives of the enslaved people at Carter House. Here, you can also view bullet holes in the farm office. On your way out, stop across the street at the Fainting Goat for a quick pick-me-up to sustain your energy and continue the trail! (Psst, have you seen our Craft Coffee Trail?)

Location: 506 West Main Street, Franklin, TN 37064

Summary: After the Battle of Franklin, which resulted in thousands of casualties, 44 field hospitals were established across Franklin. Field hospitals for the Battle of Franklin included St. Paul’s Church, the Presbyterian Church, and the Franklin Female College around the Five Points area.

Dive Deeper: Click the "info" button to read about typhoid, one of the many diseases lurking in the army camps.

Visitor Experience: Dive into local history afterward by stopping at the Williamson County Archives & Museum. Museum exhibits include local industries—tobacco, dairy, and chairmaking—and check out the rotating exhibit. This is at the edge of historic downtown Main Street. Take some time to shop and explore!

Location: 1116 Davenport Boulevard, Franklin, TN 37069; in the center of the roundabout.

Summary: Before the Civil War, around 1790, settlers from Fort Nashborough crossed through Holly Tree Gap into Williamson County. After the Battle of Nashville in December 1864, Confederate troops retreated back toward Franklin. They skirmished with Federal soldiers from the 9th and 10th Indiana and the 19th Pennsylvania Cavalry at Hollow Tree Gap (also referred to as Holly Tree Gap). This marker is located in the center of the roundabout on Davenport Boulevard.

Dive Deeper: Click the "info" button to learn about the life of one of the young casualties, Duane Lewis from the 9th Indiana.

Visitor Experience: If you are visiting in the morning, grab a coffee at Flower Kitchen or breakfast at Herban Market. If you are stopping in the evening, head over to Sopapilla's afterward to try some Southern-New Mexican fusion cuisine. All three are local businesses to support in the shopping plaza right next door.

Location: 300 Eddy Lane, Franklin, TN 37064; in Fort Granger Park.

Summary: Walk along the earthworks U.S. General William Rosencrans ordered General Gordon Granger to build at Franklin in 1863. Today, a 14-acre city-owned park, the fort housed Federal troops from Indiana and Ohio as well as contraband (self-emancipated enslaved people who sought freedom at U.S. Army lines). Stroll through the park to learn more from interpretive markers that share the fort’s history and enjoy a fantastic view of Franklin.

Visitor Experience: Continue down the rock pathway and along the trail to reach Pinkerton Park (a wonderful park for kids of all ages!) and downtown Franklin. Please note this trail is not wheelchair or stroller accessible.

Location: 405 Murfreesboro Road, Franklin, TN 37064; Pinkerton Park

Summary: Occupying U.S. troops erected Fort Granger over a 10-week period in 1863. The fort provided defenses for stationed troops as well as self-emancipating enslaved people (referred to as contraband). Fort Granger was named after General Gordon Granger. The general entered Galveston, Texas, on June 19, 1865. He read General Order Number 3, a decree from the United States government, that all enslaved people were now forever free.

Dive Deeper: Juneteenth became a federal holiday in 2021. The African American Heritage Society of Williamson County organizes a free public yearly celebration. Click the "info" button to read more about Juneteenth.

Visitor Experience: Bring the kids to this historic marker where they can enjoy the park’s extensive playgrounds and walk the storybook trail. A pedestrian bridge connects Pinkerton Park to downtown Franklin along South Margin Street where you can easily access the antique stores like Carpe Diem and the Franklin Antique Mall.

Location: 115 2nd Avenue South, Franklin, TN 37064

Summary: The first three-story building in Tennessee when it was constructed in the 1820s, the Hiram Masonic Lodge No. 7 witnessed the Chickasaw Treaty signing of 1830. During that meeting, President Andrew Jackson met with Chickasaw leaders including Kinheche. The building earned the designation of a National Historic Landmark as one of the only places outside of Washington, D.C., where a sitting president negotiated a treaty. During the Civil War, Confederate women sewed bandages in the Hall and when the U.S. Army moved in, the Hall housed the 2nd and 14th Michigan Cavalry, and the 17th Infantry of the United States Colored Troops.

Visitor Experience: Around the corner, the Franklin Bakehouse has fresh bread and wonderful coffee to enjoy a stroll downtown historic Main Street.

Location: 1111 Columbia Avenue, Franklin, TN 37064

Summary: The Lotz house, built by German emigrant Johann Albert Lotz ca. 1858, bore witness to the Battle of Franklin and served as a hospital following the battle. Here, U.S. Army regiments formed a line to defend Franklin from the approaching Confederates. Following the war, the Lotz family moved to San Jose, California.

Dive Deeper: Click the "info" button to learn more about Matilda Lotz, the daughter of Johann Albert, who became a world-renowned painter by watching this quick biography of her artistic life.

Visitor Experience: Purchase a ticket to tour the Lotz House on location or at the Franklin Visitor Center to learn about the master woodworker Albert Lotz and view several paintings by his daughter Matilda.

Location: 1345 Eastern Flank Circle, Franklin, TN 37064

Summary: The McGavock Confederate Cemetery, established in 1866, inters the remains of over 1800 Confederate soldiers who died in the Battle of Franklin. John and Carrie McGavock donated the two acres of land for the cemetery and hired the Cuppett brothers to reinter the remains. Burials are arranged by state of service, and a book sits at the front of the cemetery to identify the men buried there. Carrie Winder McGavock served as the first caretaker of the cemetery before deeding the property to the McGavock Cemetery Association at the end of her life.

Dive Deeper: View this photograph from 1866 after the McGavock Confederate Cemetery was completed. The visible headstones are carved from wood. Click the "info" button to read a letter sent to Carrie McGavock in appreciation for her care for the gravesites of the Confederate dead.

Visitor Experience: Stop at the McGavock Family Cemetery, attached to the Confederate Cemetery, to pay respects to the McGavock family and enslaved people buried there. Wanting to also pay respects to the U.S. dead from the Battle of Franklin? Drive out to Stones River National Battlefield where several soldiers were interred at the end of the war. You can also read The Widow of the South by Robert Hicks, a historical fiction novel based on the true experiences of a Civil War heroine witnessing the bloodshed of the Battle of Franklin."

Location: 239 Franklin Road, Franklin, TN 37064; inside The Park At Harlinsdale Farm. Enter and approach the Main Barn, to the right will be the sign and about 10 feet away is the gravesite of Midnight Sun, the famous racing horse; 35° 56.185′ N, 86° 51.882′ W.

Summary: Walk the fields of one of the largest cavalry charges of the Civil War. After the Battle of Nashville in December 1864, the Confederate Army retreated toward Franklin. U.S. forces followed the Confederates, routing what was left of the Army of Tennessee. It was every man for himself as the Confederate Army crossed the railroad trestle in their retreat. Today, this 200-acre park offers trails, catch and release pond fishing, and a dog park.

Dive Deeper: View this map of C.S. General John Bell Hood’s retreat from Nashville to understand his route.

Visitor Experience: Visit the gravesite of Midnight Sun, the world-renowned Grand Champion Tennessee Walking Horse, and learn the history of the horse farm industry in Middle Tennessee. Warm day? Load up the canoes and utilize the canoe drop located at the farm. If you get hungry, across the street is The Factory, where you can dig into Nashville Hot Chicken at Hattie B’s.

Location: 1550 Thompson’s Station Road West, Thompson’s Station, TN 37179

Summary: Stand where troops under C.S. General Nathan Bedford Forrest’s command burned down the Thompson’s Station railroad depot and stopped the 175th Ohio Infantry regiment from utilizing Columbia Pike to reach Franklin. On November 29, 1864, Confederates cut off U.S. troops marching toward Franklin. A temporary retreat to await orders was a fatal mistake as U.S. General John Schofield snuck past the Confederate Army and on to Franklin. The U.S. Army under General John Schofield would enter Franklin on their way to Nashville with C.S. General John Bell Hood following close behind. General Hood later ordered an attack on the town of Franklin the following evening.

Dive Deeper: Click the "info" button to dive into the Battle of Thompson’s Station with this blog from journalist John Banks.

Visitor Experience: Walk around the restored Railroad Depot that previously served as Thompson Station’s Town Hall; then, hop in your car and drive up the road to Preservation Park to hike the Battle of Thompson’s Station battlefield trail. The hike is 1.1 miles (Battlefield Trail) and markers along the trail narrate the March 5, 1863 battle. If you’ve worked up an appetite, head over to Circa Grill across from the Railroad Depot and finish the evening off with a tasting at Company Distilling.

Location: 209 East Main Street, Franklin, TN, 37064; just to the right of McPhail-Cliffe Office

Summary: On the morning of November 30, 1864, U.S. General John Schofield turned Dr. Daniel Cliffe’s house and office into his headquarters. Schofield’s headquarters moved north of town at 2 p.m. before C.S.A. General John Bell Hood launched his attack at 4 p.m. from Winstead Hill.

Dive Deeper: Click the "info" button to read about Dr. Daniel McPhail and Dr. Daniel Cliffe, both physicians whose practices operated out of this building.

Visitor Experience: Want to see where General Schofield moved his headquarters? Head to The Factory, which is across the street from the A. A. Truett house (228 Franklin Road) where Schofield established his headquarters on the evening of November 30. Please be respectful as this is a private residence, and view from the public sidewalk. You can also grab yourself a sweet treat across the street at Sweethaven. Try their season flavors or go with a classic like Old Fashioned Vanilla!

Location: 4023 Columbia Avenue, Franklin, TN 37064; just past Tractor Supply on Columbia Pike (US 31) going south out of Franklin

Summary: Stand where C.S. General John Bell Hood ordered the assault on Federal troops occupying Franklin on November 30, 1864. This historic park, co-owned by the Sons of Confederate Veterans as a memorial site and by the City of Franklin as a passive park, preserves the historic landscape of Franklin on the eve of the Battle of Franklin. The memorial portion includes an observation lookout where John Bell Hood surveyed Franklin prior to the battle and memorials to the fallen Confederate soldiers from Florida, Tennessee, Alabama, Missouri, Arkansas, and Mississippi.

Dive Deeper: Learn more about landowner Samuel Winstead. Visit his gravesite, 200 yards away from here.

Visitor Experience: Enjoy a .75-mile hiking trail winding through meadows and preserved forest area. You can even see the restoration of the American chestnut tree! Climb to the observation lookout to view Franklin from above and view the tactile map of the Battle of Franklin. Please note while the paved hiking trail is wheelchair and stroller-friendly, the observation lookout and memorials are only accessible on foot. Work up an appetite after walking the trail? Head to M.L. Rose for a refreshing craft beer and burger after.

Location: 1345 Eastern Flank Circle, Franklin, TN 37064

Summary: Catch five quick vignettes of the lives of women who lived in Franklin during the Civil War period: Miss Sallie Gaut, Fannie Courtney, Mariah Reddick, Mathilda Lotz, and Carrie Winder McGavock. Two spies, an enslaved woman, an artist, and a caretaker who all survived the war.

Dive Deeper: Click the "info" button to read a letter written by Fannie Courtney to the U.S. Sanitary Commission following the Battle of Franklin.

Visitor Experience: Looking for more fascinating stories about Franklin’s notable women? Take Franklin Walking Tours' Fierce Females Tour at 1 p.m. weekly. Owner Alicia King will expound on the stories of Sallie Gaut, the Courtney sisters, and many others while walking you around downtown Franklin.