Statements
Mission
The mission of the Battle of Franklin Trust is to preserve, understand, and interpret the story of a people forever impacted by the American Civil War.
Background
The Battle of Franklin Trust is a 501(c)(3) organization. Through the preservation, restoration, and maintenance of the historic structures, artifacts, documents and first person personal narratives connected to the Battles of Franklin and Spring Hill, the classroom is set for an entertaining yet informational experience. These engagements had a profound and lasting impact on this community and, in a wider sense, on the nation at large. The Trust manages three historic sites in Franklin and Spring Hill, Tennessee that are intimately connected to the battles: Carter House, Carnton, and Rippa Villa.
The Carter House was built in 1830 by Fountain Branch Carter and is a State of Tennessee Historic Site. By the time of the American Civil War, the family farmed nearly 300 acres, and twenty-eight enslaved people lived and worked there. The home was commandeered by Gen. Jacob Cox as Federal headquarters early on November 30, 1864. The U. S. defensive position stretched across the farm and through the family garden. The Carter family, along with several enslaved people, as well as neighbors from across the street, sheltered in the cellar of the home during the battle. The site has been open to the public since 1953.
Carnton was built in 1826 by Randal McGavock. By the time of the Civil War it was home to John and Carrie McGavock. At that time the farm encompassed about 700 acres, and forty-four enslaved people lived and worked at Carnton. Situated on the eastern flank of the Franklin battlefield, Carnton served as the largest field hospital in the area during and after the battle. In the spring of 1866, Carnton became the final resting place for almost fifteen hundred Confederate soldiers who were killed at Franklin. It has been open to the public since 1978.
Rippa Villa was completed around 1852 by Nathaniel Francis Cheairs IV. Nat's wife, Susan, and at least three of her children were in the home when the Battle of Spring Hill unfolded across their fields on November 29th. The Army of Tennessee's failed flanking maneuver there led directly to the intensity of the Battle of Franklin the following day.
Each of these families, the farms, and the enslaved who lived there, help tell a story of life before, during and after the War through their unique perspectives offering a comparative and contextual learning environment and experience.
Impact
The Battle of Franklin Trust interpretation begins with the founders of America and their audacious experiment in liberty. It examines challenges to that experiment in the nineteenth century that propelled us toward war, and the three constitutional amendments which followed. Finally, it traces the evolution of liberty into the twenty-first century and confronts the challenges still facing us today. Tours and exhibitions continually develop to reflect recent research, tackling crucial topics such as slavery and the enslaved, Reconstruction, and life in post-war America. Our three sites welcome more than 100,000 visitors each year, thus preservation for future generations is an ongoing enterprise.
Needs
Telling the story of America's transformation through the events before, during and after the Civil War is the principle mission of the Trust. To convey this message, both in person and across various digital platforms, and to continue conducting ongoing research requires funding beyond our primary revenue source which is tour admissions. Through the unique learning experience at each of the Trust properties, both young and not so young explore how America was redefined and impacted by the Civil War. Specific areas of need are:
1. General Operations support
2. Preparing for the New Carter House Visitor Center Museum
3. Ongoing restoration and maintenance of the historic properties
4. New interpretive exhibits and displays throughout each historic property and museum to better tell the more complete story of the Civil War
5. Reclamation of Battlefield for a seamless visitor experience.
6. Ongoing conservation of photographs, documents, textiles, and other artifacts in our Permanent Collection
7. Research & digitization of materials to expand free access from anywhere in the world
CEO Statement
One key goal at the Trust is to teach a wide audience about why there was a terrible Civil War, right here in America, and why its outcome is so very relevant to those of us living today - and ultimately how we can move America forward together with each of our diverse backgrounds and perspectives. This includes those who have lived here for generations, recent immigrants, as well as those who aspire to migrate here as soon as possible.
It is our job to educate, and sometimes history can be uncomfortable. Some find it difficult to let go of the past, while others find parts of history almost impossible to concede. Furthermore, as the old saying goes, history is not just black and white, but it is filled with shades of gray. We so often want things to be just one way or the other, when in truth the various elements of our shared history - like culture, race, economics, birthplace, and even our memories and understandings of what is it to be an American - are far from it.
Our history belongs to all of us. It is not Southern history, or Northern history, nor is it based solely on race, and it certainly is not about who was here before or after the Civil War, or who only moved to this country in the more recent years. If we embrace our history, the good with the bad, we truly can learn from it. But that means sometimes our heroes might not have been heroic. They were just people, living in their time, but they are all connected to us by the 'mystic chords of memory.' -Eric Jacobson, CEO/Historian, BOFT
Board Chair Statement
I'm honored and privileged to chair the Board of Directors for The Battle of Franklin Trust during a period of expansive dialogue and transformation throughout the field of historical preservation and interpretation. I often ask myself to define just what makes our Trust so valuable. Is it the ground upon which so many thousands of soldiers and leaders fought, suffered, and died which we preserve and protect for future generations? Is it the historical homes and structures that we preciously maintain to allow our guests to personally experience life and livelihood as it was in the 19th Century? Is it the pictures and artifacts that will find a home in one of the visitor centers or homes? Could it be the skilled presentation of the stories and fact-based narrative surrounding the people and events which defined this complex period in our history, including the Battle of Franklin and its aftermath? Or is it a combination of all of the above which enables our guests to explore the continuing relevance of the American saga during the formative years of our nation? I hope that you, too, recognize the value and importance of our mission, and I encourage you to continue to support and contribute to The Battle of Franklin Trust as we move forward. -Gary Rosenthal, Chairman of the Board
Service Categories |
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| Primary Category: | Arts, Culture & Humanities - Historical Organizations |
| Secondary Category: | Education - |
| Tertiary Category: | - |
Areas Served
Situated in Middle Tennessee, Carnton, Carter House, Rippavilla, and both the Franklin and Spring Hill Battlefields serve visitors from across the United States, as well as around the world, who are interested in the Civil War, mid-nineteenth century America, how the time period redefined America, and how it still relates to our society in the present day.
| TN |
| National |
| TN - Williamson |
| TN - Maury |
