Granville Museum, Inc.
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931-653-4544
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169 Clover Street
Granville, TN 38564
Organization Details

Programs

Description
Granville has a General Museum which was established in 1999 when Granville Museum, Inc. began. This museum has a section on; stores, music, textiles, banks, post offices, farming, the Cumberland River and riverboat days, family and genealogy resources, a military room, a one-room school classroom, and an exhibition room with changing exhibits. There are two videos to entertain and a small children's hands-on section. The farm to Table Museum has Farm to Table exhibits, farm equipment., and showcases a 1943 Ezell Dairy milk delivery truck. The Mayberry and I Love Lucy Museum tell the story of a similar life with these two popular sitcoms. Granville Whiskey Decanter Museum contains about 2,000 unique decanters many produced by Regal China. Thsi is an art museum. Visitors also visit Clemons Carm Museum, Whistle Stop Saloon, and the post office and barbershop museum. These museums contain displays, exhibits, artifacts, and programming to educate and entertain.
Program Successes
Our Museums have been recognized of the Tennessee Association of Museums with awards. Mr. Charloes Barrett recently donated his entire collection of Jim Beam decanters to Granville. He donated the glass shelving and helped to set up the museum. He drives from another middle Tennessee town to volunteer in the museum and tell visitors about the collection. This is a must-see art museum, not whiskey bottles.
Beneficiaries
General Public
Families
Long-term Success
many of the museum items were donated, thus an example of the trust these donors have in our success. Two years ago, we had many days with no visitors. Today, we are averaging about 30 on a slow week day and about 100 on Saturday.
Short-term Success
The comments in the registration book and the amount of money in the donation jar speak to the short-term success.
Program Success Monitored By
Attendance and comments verbally and written in the registration book.
Program Areas Served
The seven museums have programming that attracts a regions audience
Description
Sutton Homestead, a historic home, conducts tours with storytelling tour guides. The theme of the house changes annually and minor changes are made to the displays quarterly. Each room features a unique artifact with a story to tell. The Pioneer Village contains a barn, antique farm equipment and tools, antique car and transportation museum, an 1800's cabin, a cottage garden, and farm outbuilding. A newly added feature is an Arts and Crafts Building where local crafts and artists demonstrate their crafts.
Program Successes
A lady from Crossville with no ties to Granville came through the historic home as a visitor. Upon returning home, she called and wanted to donate her grandmother's vintage Bavarian china to the house. She was impressed with the care given to details, the manner in which items were preserved, and the manner in which the donor was mentioned and honored.
Beneficiaries
General Public
Long-term Success
The Homestead and Pioneer Village have been successful in maintaining a volunteer base to keep it operating. Volunteers change the exhibits, write the script, and serve as guides.
Short-term Success
The number of visitors has greatly increased
Program Success Monitored By
By the number of volunteers who help change exhibits, clean and prepare home for visitors, the number of guides, and the number of visitors. The best measure of success is in the comments by visitors. A written evaluation is available but few utilize that.
Program Areas Served
Sutton Homestead and Pioneer Village serves local and regional visitors.
Description
Historic Granville/Granville Museum, Inc has utilized theme-based programming annually for the past few years. In 2021, we have focused on Contributions of Women. He did decades, such as the Roaring '20's, the '50's were more than Poddle Skirts, and The '40', World War ii and Romance. These themes have served to keep us on track, bring a focus to our programming. At times we were hit or miss without a consistent message. Now, all sites and volunteers are working toward a common story, just using different strategies. The proposed them for 2022 is Untold Stories: Music, Arts/Craftsmen and Local Heroes.
Program Successes
The theme Tennessee's Mayberry Town came about because of the three annual Mayberry play performances. Mayberry characters were painted and on the streets. People liked them and continued to use them as selfie spots, we left them out. Tourism, magazines, and newspapers referred to Granville as Mayberry. Why fight success, we are now Granville: Tennessee's Mayberry Town.
Beneficiaries
General Public
Long-term Success
This has been successful for us as it has brought a common focus to our programming. You will find something on the theme at each festival that provides a new activity while maintaining the old proven programming. We developed temporary exhibits around a theme to find that they evolved into permanent exhibits.
Short-term Success
Volunteers felt included, even if they were not from here, had a voice, and if the theme was not their interest, they knew it was only for a year.
Program Success Monitored By
Participation and passion for the idea have kept us going with programming.
Program Areas Served
Theme Programming has appeal across states.
Description
Youth, ages 7 to 17 who are bluegrass performers will have the opportunity to perform on stage with professional artists weekly.
All youth who participate will also be asked to come back and perform at the Uncle Jimmy Thompson Bluegrass Festival each May.
Category
Arts, Culture & Humanities  - Music Performances Presenting 
Beneficiaries
K-12 (5-19 years)
Long-term Success
To inspire kids 7-17 to have a life long passion for the arts. Bring together professional artist and the youth of today to build an preserve the arts.
Program Areas Served
Tennessee
Description
The 'Jimmy C. Gotcher After-School Music Program' is managed by the Granville Museum Inc. It was started in 2006 by a donation honoring the father of the local high school and middle school band teacher. Since that time hundreds of after-school music lessons and workshops have been given to all area students who have asked to participate. These are free of charge and given by local college students and professional musicians. Not only do the students experience a musical culture they might never have known, the College students learn to be a mentor to youth in one of the highest drug problem area's per population in the state. In the past the Community Foundation has recognized us with a one time Chet Atkins Music Grant. In order to continue this wonderful, educational program we are asking for your donations as we strive to do our part for our youth. Thank you for your consideration.
Program Successes
Some of the prior students are now serving as tutors.
Beneficiaries
Children and Youth (0 - 19 years)
K-12 (5-19 years)
Long-term Success
The program has provided music lessons for students who were unable to afford lessons.
Short-term Success
Happiness and acceptance of students who particiapte.
Program Success Monitored By
By the evaluation by students and teachers
Program Areas Served
After school music lessons for Jackson County students
Description
The Granville Museum www.granvillemuseum.com hosts a variety of annual events: Genealogy Festival, Mayberry and I Love Luch Day, Heritage Day (May) - Uncle Jimmy Thompson Bluegrass Festival, Antique Car Show and Antique Tractor & Engine Show. Fall Celebration Jazz on the Cumberland at the Granville Veterans Park (October) on the banks of the picturesque Cumberland River/Cordell Hull Lake (featuring workshops for students and adults, Performances by Mid - H.S. Jazz Bands, College and Professional groups. Scarecrow Festival in October when the Scarecrows outnumber the residence, Quilt Festival - over 100 quilts in competition and on display, Storytelling, Arts/ Craftsmen Festival and Ralph Maddox Motorcycle Show. Granville Christmas-A Christmas To Remember (December) . These festivals are advertised locally, regionally, and on social media to reach a broad audience. Guests purchase a Town Tour ticket for $5.00 , admission to all sites and events are free with this ticke
Program Successes
Heritage Day started with about 200 people in attendance. In 2021, we had about 10,000 people in attendance. Attendance is easily measured, the area for which we feel the most pride is in the interaction with me. Vendors now call us and request to come to the festival. Scheduling speakers and entertainment were very difficult when people asked, "Granville, Where is Granville?" We are now able to schedule performers from a distance away who actually have followers. One success story is the Skip and Susan Peek, they are broom makers who for several years came to festivals from Kentucky. They now own a home in Granville and have opened Granville Broom Works and Granville Textile Shop.
Although we do have more income, the cost to hosts a festival is overwhelming. We continue to struggle financially.
Beneficiaries
General Public
Families
Adults
Long-term Success
The festivals have been very successful for us. We have reached a much broader audience with a specific interest in designated festivals. EX: We may reach those interested in Mayberry or I Love Lucy on that particular day but we find that they return to Granville for visits. We continue to add to the agenda to reach a broader audience. The Arts and Craftsmen Festival is new and was started when we realized there was a need to showcase the local talent of many of the crafts of yesteryear. The festivals are implemented by volunteers and this is a challenge to continue to staff with all volunteers. We have reached out to school groups to provide students and we make a donation to their school organization. The Youth Bluegrass Program has opened doors for a younger audience. We find that programming in Granville is evolving, ever-changing.
Short-term Success
The short term success is recognized and celebrated after each event. The short term is we provide an agenda of interest to a specific group.
Program Success Monitored By
After each major event, the Board of Directors and the Committees for that event recognize and celebrate the successes. Notes are made about areas of need, things that could be improved and things that need to be repeated. Each major site has a notebook for visitors to write a comment, there are reviewed and appropriate action is taken. There is a method in place for volunteers for a particular area to share comments with a Board Member or leader for that area. We provide written comment cards for smaller venues.
Program Areas Served
Festivals serve a broad audience with people locally, regionally, and from other states. We work with TN Tourism Dept to make this happen.
Description
On the banks of the Cumberland River stands the award-winning Sutton General Store. Built in 1800s, the two-story building's unique style features a balcony with many of the products the store offered for sale during its 90 years of service. The original building has much of the same interior fixtures it had at the turn of the 20th century. July 2000, Harold and Beverly Sutton purchased the store which was in a state of devastation. In September 2007, Harold and Beverly donated the renovated store, contents, and property to the Granville Museum, Inc., in order that the store could once again be a viable part of society and operate within the community of Granville. The store offers dinner and a Bluegrass Radio Show each Saturday night. Furnishings and memorabilia are on display; unique gifts and merchandise are for sale. Walking back in time will be fun, interesting, and educational. Granville Arts & Cultural Center is located upstairs in Sutton General Store.
Program Successes
Country Living Magazine listed Sutton General Magazine as one of the top 13 general stores in the South. taste of the South listed Sutton General Store as the Number 1 store to visit.

Beneficiaries
General Public
Long-term Success
Sutton General Store serves as the anchor for Historic Granville/Granville Museum, Inc. , it operates as a general store, serves meals, and is home to Sutton Ole Time Music Hour. The store offers locally made crafts for purchase. many of the museum-quality furnishings have been in the store since the early 1900's making it a museum.

This is our longest operating site and continues to bring visitors to Granville.
Short-term Success
Sutton Store makes enough money to pay a store manager.
Program Success Monitored By
The number of repeat visitors speaks to the success of the store.
Program Areas Served
Sutton General Store serving food reaches a broad audience in Middle Tennessee.
Description
'Sutton Ole Time Music Hour' from Sutton General Store in Granville, TN Tennessee's Best Bluegrass and Old Time Music Bands perform live each Saturday night 6-8PM. There is a warm-up show and then Sutton Ole Time Music Hour is broadcasted with the live audience to radio stations. Sutton Ole Time Music Hour on April 18, 2020 celebrated its 12th Anniversary. Our show is recorded for syndication in front of a live audience from the T.B. Sutton General Store in Granville, TN. We presently air in all 50 states and listeners from all around the world may tune-in streaming stations every day of the week. Our host Jimmy Bilbrey brings the best in Bluegrass and ole time music bringing his listeners an opry feeling from the 1880 general store. In 2020 our goal is to be aired on 50 radio stations, increase our live audience attendance. We will also begin our new endeavor: a mini series on WCTE- PBS broadcast for viewers. Since 2008 we have held 600 live performances and helped 3K+ artist.
Beneficiaries
General Public
Long-term Success
This is one of Granville's longest-running and most successful programs. The show is now broadcast to every sate in the United States, every country, every military base, and is on the world-wide web.
Short-term Success
It brings a very specific audience to Granville.
Program Success Monitored By
Attendance continues to increase. Some Saturday nights, we have two full seatings for dinner and the show. The increase in the number of radio stations that carry the show and, the ease with which we can now schedule bands; is evidence of our success. A written comment card is available to guests.
Program Areas Served
The Bluegrass Dinner Show is broadcast all over the world.