Historical Markers in
Williamson County, Tennessee

125th O.V.I. 183rd Ohio Volunteer Infantry 320 Main Street 3" Ordnance Gun 403-405 Main Street 430 Main Street 432-438 Main Street 44th Missouri Infantry A Crucial War Zone 1863 A Dream Postponed Abram Maury Advancing With Scott's Brigade Advancing With Scott's Brigade Advancing With Scott's Brigade African-American Schools in Franklin / African-American Schools in Williamson County Alabama Alexander Smith House Twenty-Four Trees Allen Manufacturing Company Andrew Crockett 1745-1821 Andrew Jackson Arkansas Arno Community/Wesley Chapel Methodist Church Arrington Ash Grove Attack on the Union Left Bank of Leiper's Fork / Hillsboro Methodist Church Bate's Division Battle Ground Academy Battle Ground Academy Battle Ground Academy Battle Ground Academy Battle of Franklin Battle of Franklin Battle of Franklin Battle of Franklin Battle of Franklin Battle of Franklin, Aftermath Battle of Franklin, Eastern Flank Battle of Franklin, Eastern Flank Battle of Franklin, Eastern Flank Battle of Franklin, Eastern Flank Battle of Franklin, Eastern Flank Battle of Franklin, Eastern Flank Battle of Franklin, Eastern Flank Battle of Franklin, Eastern Flank Battle of Franklin, Eastern Flank Battle of Franklin, Eastern Flank Battle of Franklin, Eastern Flank Battle of Franklin, Eastern Flank Battle of ThompsonÂ’s Station Beasley Town / Bate's Division on the Western Flank Becoming the Front Line 1862 Beechville Bending Chestnut Benton's Well and Slave Cabin BerryÂ’s Chapel Church of Christ BerryÂ’s Chapel Stone Wall / Berry's Chapel Community Bethesda Bingham Boiling Spring Academy Bostick Female Academy Boston Boyd Mill Pike / Franklin-South Harpeth Turnpike Boyd's Mill Brentwood United Methodist Church Brigadier General Hiram B. Granbury Brigadier's Walk Brown's Division Burwood Captain Theodrick (Tod) Carter Carnton Carnton Carnton Plantation Carothers Family Carter Gin House Carter House Carter's Cotton Gin Charles C. Johnson School Chestnut Blight Chickasaw Treaty Council Cistern and Root Cellar City Cemetery Civil War Franklin CleburneÂ’s Division Cockrell's Missouri Brigade CSA College Grove Methodist Church College Grove, Tennessee Confederate Cemetery Confederate Reunions at McGavock's Grove Cool Springs House Cottonport Courthouse Cross Keys Cummins Street Church of Christ / Elder A.N.C. Williams (1844-1930) Dan German Hospital Daniel M. Robison Davidson County / Williamson County DeGraffenreid Cemetery Dewitt Smith Jobe Dr. George B. Hunter Farm / Along Leiper's Fork Eastern Flank Battlefield Park Edmondson - Little Spring House Edward Swanson Edwards Grove Church Elmbrooke Barn Epic Struggle in the Carter Garden Epicenter of the Battle of Franklin Epworth United Methodist Church Evangeline Bowie, M.D. Ewen Cameron Ewingville / Alexander Ewing Federal Breastworks Federal Forward Line Fernvale Field Hospitals Fifth Third Bank Fight at Hollow Tree Gap First Presbyterian Church Flagpole Campground / Pinewood Road Forest Hill Forest Home Forge Seat Forrest's Brentwood Raid Fort Granger Fort Granger Fort Granger Fort Granger Fort Granger Fort Granger Fort Granger Fort Granger Fort Granger Fort Granger Federal Garrison Fourth Avenue Church of Christ Franklin Cotton Factory and Foundry / Lillie Mills Franklin Cumberland Presbyterian Church Franklin Downtown Historic District Franklin High School Franklin High School Gymnasium Windows Franklin Historic District - Historic Home Franklin Housing Authority (FHA)/ Reddick Street Franklin Interurban Franklin Noon Rotary Rodeo Franklin Railroad Depot Franklin Special School District Franklin Town Square Franklin-Hillsboro Turnpike / Franklin's Water Supply Franklin's Green Book Entry FranklinÂ’s Civil War Sites Freeman's Battery, Forrest's Artillery Garrison General Granger and Emancipation Glass Mounds Archaeological Site Glen Echo Grassland Community Grave of Midnight Sun Green Grove Primitive Baptist Church / Green Hill Green Hill & Cannon Farm Green Hill Shrine Greenbrier Halfacre Reams Fleming Family Cemetery Hard Bargain Hardscuffle Community Hardy Murfree Harpeth Academy Harpeth Church Harpeth River Restoration and Fish Passage Harpeth Square / Harpeth Square and Historic Neighbors Harris-McEwan House Highland View Hincheyville Historic Franklin Masonic Hall Homestead Manor Hood and Schofield Hood and Schofield Hood's Retreat Hood's Retreat Ida Allen McKay In Memory of Gideon Riggs 1790-1871 Jasmine Grove / Myles Manor Park Jingo Post Office / Triangle School John Adams John C. Carter John H. Eaton John Price Buchanan Johnson Chapel United Methodist Church Kingfield Kings' Chapel KingsÂ’ Chapel Cemetery / Major William Edmondson Kix Brooks Knox-Crockett House Legacy Walk Leigh-Morgan Property at Grassland Leiper's Fork Leiper's Fork Church of Christ Lewisburg Avenue Historic District Lipscomb Elementary School Lot 60 at the Corner of Cameron & Church Street / "Bucket of Blood" Neighborhood Lotz House Main Entrenchment Federal Battle Line Maj. Gen. William W. Loring's Division Major General Patrick R. Cleburne CSA Mallory Cemetery March To Freedom MarionÂ’s Rifles, CSA/BaxterÂ’s Company Tennessee Light Artillery, CSA Masonic Temple Maury-Darby Building Mayberry-Bailey Plantation McConnico Meeting House McEwen Cemetery McGavock Confederate Cemetery McGavock Confederate Cemetery McGavock Confederate Cemetery McGavock Family Cemetery Meeting of the Waters Methodist Church Midway Plantation Slave Cemetery Mississippi Montpier Montpier Mooreland Moses Steele Cemetery Motheral-Ring Family of Locust Guard Motheral/Moran House Mount Carmel/Duplex Mountview Natchez Street Community / Baptist Neck Natchez Trace Road New Hope Presbyterian Church Newton Cannon Nolensville Nolensville Cemetery Nolensville School Nolensville United Methodist Church Ogilvie Farm Old Factory Store Old Harpeth River Bridge Old ReedÂ’s Store One Land - Two Warriors - Two Grants Opdycke's Bridgade Original St. Philip Catholic Church Otho F. Strahl Our Ancestors Our Confederate Soldiers Owen Chapel Owen Hill Owen-Moore Cemetery Ozburn Hollow Peytonsville Presbyterian Church Protecting Our Historic Resources Railroad Section Foreman's House / Pioneers' Corner Reconstruction Rest Haven Cemetery Restoring the Chestnut Retreat Action at Franklin Retreat from Nashville Richard "Dick" Poyner Riggs Cross Roads Riverview Rock Hill Roper's Knob in the Civil War / The Union Fortification of Roper's Knob Rucker Cemetery Rusty Mechanism Sam and Kirk McGee Samuel Claybrook Locke Samuel Winstead (1778-1851) Seward Hall Sherwood Green Sneed Acres Southall Spring House St. Paul's Episcopal Church St. Philip Catholic Church Standing at the Crossroads 1861 Star Pointer States Rights Gist Tennessee Tennessee Association, Tennessee Female College Tennessee Valley Divide Tennessee, A Grave or a Free Home The American Chestnut The Battle of Franklin The Battle of Franklin The Battle of Franklin The Boiling Spring Site The Carter Farm The Carter Farm The Carter Farm The Carter Farm The Carter Farm The Carter Farm The Carter Farm The Carter Farm The Carter Farm The Carter Farm The Carter Farm The Carter Farm The Carter Farm The Carter House The Confederate Soldier The Cotton Gin Assault The Cove The Final Campaign 1864 The Franklin Riot of 1867 The Historic Shooting Range The Long Road to Recovery The McGavock Garden The Old Natchez Trace / Old Town Historic Daffodil Project The Pyle Clinic The Stone Box Indian Site Thomas Hart Benton Thompson's Station Thompson's Station Train Depot To The Soldiers Of Florida Toussaint L'Ouverture Cemetery Triangle School Trinity Church Triune Triune Cemetery Triune United Methodist Church Tyler Berry U.S. Colored Troops (USCT) U.S. Model 1841 6-Pounder Field Guns/Franklin Public Square During The Battle U.S.D. 1812 Union Headquarters Unknown Civil War Soldier Walter Aiken Roberts Welcome to Winstead Hill Park West Harpeth Primitive Baptist Church Wheeler's Raid Around Rosecrans Wheeler's Raid Around Rosecrans William Irby Boyd Homestead ca. 1807 Williamson County Williamson County Jail Williamson County Jails / The Heritage Foundation of Franklin and Williamson County Willow Plunge Wilson Creek Primitive Baptist Church Winstead Hill Winstead Hill Observation Post WSM Broadcasting Transmitter & Antenna "The Harrison House"
The city of Nashville played an important role in the civil rights movement of the 1960s. The city was the site of the first sit-in protest in the United States, when a group of African American college students staged a sit-in at a segregated lunch counter in downtown Nashville in 1960.
Originally inhabited by Native American tribes, including the Cherokee and Chickasaw, Williamson County in Tennessee was first settled by European settlers in the late 18th century. Named after Hugh Williamson, a North Carolina politician, the county was officially established in 1799. The first settlement, known as Thompson's Station, was established in 1780 by Dr. Elijah Thompson. Over time, more settlements developed, including Franklin, which became the county seat.

During the early years of its settlement, Williamson County was primarily an agricultural community, with crops such as tobacco and cotton being the main source of income for many residents. Slavery was widespread in the area, and Williamson County had one of the highest slave populations in Tennessee. This led to a strong pro-secession sentiment during the Civil War, and the county became a major battleground. The Battle of Franklin, fought in 1864, was one of the bloodiest battles of the war, with thousands of casualties.

After the war, Williamson County slowly recovered and began to modernize. Agriculture remained important, but industry and commerce started to play a larger role in the local economy. Railroads were built, connecting Williamson County to other parts of the region, and the population steadily grew. In the early 20th century, a strong sense of community and preservation of historical landmarks emerged, leading to the establishment of organizations such as the Heritage Foundation of Franklin and Williamson County.

Today, Williamson County is one of the wealthiest counties in Tennessee and has experienced rapid growth. It has a diverse economy, with sectors such as healthcare, technology, and entertainment contributing to its prosperity. The county is known for its beautiful landscapes, historic sites, and vibrant cultural scene, attracting tourists and residents alike. Despite its modernization, Williamson County continues to honor its rich history and maintain a strong sense of community.

This timeline provides a condensed summary of the historical journey of Williamson County, Tennessee.

  • 1799 - Williamson County is established by the Tennessee General Assembly.
  • 1800 - The county's first courthouse is built in Franklin.
  • 1818 - The Battle of Franklin takes place during the War of 1812.
  • 1830s - The county's economy revolves around agriculture, particularly cotton and tobacco.
  • 1861-1865 - Williamson County is heavily impacted by the American Civil War.
  • 1868 - Freedmen's Bureau established in Franklin to assist newly freed slaves.
  • 1874 - The Agricultural and Mechanical College of Tennessee, now known as the University of Tennessee, opens its doors in Nashville.
  • 1925 - Harlinsdale Farm, a renowned thoroughbred horse farm, is established in Franklin.
  • 1960s-1970s - Suburbanization begins as Franklin and other areas experience significant population growth.
  • 1997 - The Cool Springs Galleria, a large regional shopping mall, opens in Franklin.