Get ready for an extraordinary experience at the 51st Annual Heritage Ball on October 5th, 2024!
This year, we're introducing three exclusive gatherings, each offering a unique and unforgettable experience that can only be found through the Heritage Foundation of Williamson County. From intimate gatherings to grand affairs, these events promise to be the talk of the town. Tickets are limited, so secure yours today to support our mission of preserving the rich heritage of our community for generations to come. Plus, stay tuned for an exciting live auction item at the Heritage Ball!
The Heritage Foundation is excited to announce that we have compiled our fourth annual Sites to Save list, which seeks to identify historic places in Williamson County that are vulnerable to demolition, development, or neglect.
Our 2024 Sites to Save list features:
- Pryor Lillie Works (Includes Beechwood Hall)
- Williamson County Cemeteries
- James Scales House
- Williamson County Dry Stack Stone Walls
- Williamson County Mid-Century Modern Homes
Calling all teachers and educators! This year's Summer Educator Institute theme is "Cultivating Conversations", where we will equip educators to both initiate and facilitate conversations in the social studies classroom.
*This two-day information-packed conference is FREE for educators!
Although the Heritage Foundation’s mission remains the same as when we first began in 1967, our work has adapted, our strategies diversified, and our approach modernized. Through Preserve Williamson, we will remain at the forefront of the preservation movement creatively working to preserve places and stories, affect positive policy change to sustain the unique character and historic charm so our shared history can be enjoyed for generations to come.
The Moore-Morris History & Culture Center (located at 108 Bridge Street, Franklin, TN!) is Williamson County’s first state-of-the-art, interactive exhibition space dedicated to telling its comprehensive countywide history. Surrounded in historic brick and hardwood décor with beautiful archways and stairwells that help you traverse into distinct thematic “room,” The Center transports guests to different environments within its 6,000 square feet and three stories. Multi-sensory experiences leverage the latest immersive technologies to wrap you in the sights and sounds of our history through interactive touchscreens, projected videos, audio accents, and tactile artifacts.
Be one of the first to experience this historic space, and plan your visit today!
Looking back on a beautiful and momentous night in the history of our organization!
After many years of planning and perseverance, the Heritage Foundation of Williamson County, TN and our extraordinary project partners were able to successfully relocate the Lee-Buckner Rosenwald School to our Franklin Grove Estates & Gardens property. This school holds a remarkable history, and we are grateful for the opportunity to save it, relocate it, restore it, and share its stories with the public.
Stay tuned for progress updates on this historic project!
Make plans to attend our next Warwick Lecture Series at the Moore-Morris History and Culture Center on Wednesday, May 16th! Join us as Williamson County historian Rick Warwick dives deeper into the history of the historic Poynor Chairs.
You can play a part in the opening and the successful launch of The History and Culture Center! Opening soon, the History & Culture Center (HCC) of Williamson County will be a destination for exploring our past and present. As Williamson County’s first permanent, interactive exhibition space dedicated to telling the region’s history, the Center will honor and share stories of the people and places that comprise the fabric of middle Tennessee.
Your gift purchases an item to be placed within an exhibit with your logo or name for one year and permanent recognition as an original founding member of the Heritage Hundred in the lobby! Our gift options are as follows:
- A Signature Bottle of Stable Reserve Spirits ($5,000)
- Etched glassware or drinkware ($1,000)
The non-profit Heritage Foundation operates The Franklin Theatre, Downtown Franklin Association, Franklin Grove Estate & Gardens, and the Moore-Morris History & Culture Center of Williamson County, TN to preserve and enrich Williamson County for the betterment of its citizens and visitors.
Support the critical work of the Heritage Foundation today. Each gift funds preservation & education initiatives in our area that sustain the historic charm that makes Williamson County so beloved.
The Heritage Foundation of Williamson County, TN is a nonprofit that preserves, promotes and advocates for the historic places, stories and culture of our community.
Through preservation, education, and events, we actively maintain the historic beauty of Williamson County for our residents and visitors. Without this paramount work, significant buildings and locations representing our area’s diverse history and vibrant culture would be lost forever.
To be the reason the world knows and falls in love with Williamson County’s culture and history.
Whether you have time, funds or business connections to give, each are vitally necessary to sustain the work the Heritage Foundation does to enrich Williamson County. Let's talk, we know there is a meaningful way to get you involved.
Includes: Beechwood Hall (1856), Grasslands (1802, 1850), and Old Town (1846)
Photo of Beechwood Hall, March 2024. Anna Marcum.
WHY: Pryor Lillie built three of the most significant antebellum homes in Williamson County. To have an extant portfolio of an antebellum builder's work in Williamson County is extremely rare and these properties should be preserved as a group.
Pictured, Frierson-Voorhees Cemetery, Brentwood and Tombstone of the Wife of Dr. William Searcy Removed from its Original Location, Nolensville. Both images submitted by nominator.
WHY: Intimate family cemeteries are abundant in Tennessee and an important feature of the state's landscape. As more folks move to Middle Tennessee and development ramps up, it's crucial that people are on the lookout for these cemeteries and are aware of how to appropriately handle them.
James Scales House, 2014. Wikipedia.
WHY: The James Scales House is a lovely example of Eastlake Victorian architecture and the I-house form in Williamson County. Despite the land around it being used as construction storage, the home still retains a remarkable amount of its Eastlake decoration on the porch.
Dry stack stone walls in Williamson County. Both images submitted by nominator.
WHY: These walls are a defining feature of the Tennessee landscape that are not protected by any kind of historic preservation ordinance. With rapid development, many are being lost simply because people don't understand their significance.
The Tucker Home, Architect Burney Tucker, Brentwood, 1967. Photo courtesy Zillow.
WHY: As the construction of I-65 progressed through Williamson County in the 1950s and 60s, towns along the interstate route exploded in growth and along with that growth came a number of lovely Mid-Century Modern homes. Many don’t see the historic value in modern architecture, but these homes are not only an excellent example of the style but also indicative of an important part of Williamson County’s recent history.
