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"
About Williamson County
Williamson County Timeline
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.
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.
Williamson County Timeline
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.