The city of Franklin, TN was named after the great Benjamin Franklin. The city was founded on October 26, 1799. It is located in Williamson County, and prior to the Civil War, Franklin was known as the center of the plantation economy in a county that was considered one of the richest counties in the state. Franklin was a small, quiet county seat from which three Secretaries of State had come and two Presidents had come to visit.

Things in Franklin took a turn for the worse, however, after the Civil War. The area was occupied by Union troops for almost three years, and the once thriving economy became ravaged. On November 30, 1864, one of the Civil War's bloodiest battles took place. Known as the Battle of Franklin, every building in the area, including homes, was basically turned into a hospital, and this battle ended up claiming the lives of over 8000 people.

Seeming as remote to Nashville as it was from the rest of the world, it would take well over a century before Franklin's economy would again attain levels that were comparable to it's pre-war success. Franklin has now once again established itself as one of the richest cities in one of the richest counties in all of the United States. Franklin is still one of the fastest growing cities in the state of Tennessee and is approximately the tenth largest.

Franklin is a city mixed with big-city culture and small-town allure. You will find arresting Victorian and Antebellum homes, amazing festivals, the Cool Springs Galleria, compelling museums and Civil War sites, one-of-a-kind entertainment and dining, and a downtown shopping area that is booming. Franklin is no longer the tiny, agricultural community it started out as. The city has grown into a healthy mix of corporate, business, and residential individuals.

The Carnton Plantation is just one of the locations you will find that is part of the historic city of Franklin. You can take a tour through the home of John and Carrie McGavock, which became the largest Confederate field hospital, as well as the two acres they donated which became a cemetery and final resting place for over 1,400 soldiers, and also view the battlefield on which thousands of these soldiers died.

There is also the Carter House, which was built in 1830 and was also caught in the middle of the Battle of Franklin. It is a registered National Historic Landmark, and was used as the Federate Command Post during the war while the Carter family hid out in the basement. This has been deemed the most battle damaged building resulting from the Civil War, and on your tour you can still see the remnants of over 1,000 bullet holes that remain present in the building today.

Franklin, TN, is a place rich in history, and a place that has proven that no matter how bad things get, you can rebuild and make things better. From these old historic landmarks to the newer businesses and homes that make up this historical city, this is a place that every American should take the chance to visit at least once.

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