How to Save The Franklin Battlefield

On the evening of November 30, 1864, tens of thousands of men marched into Franklin, Tennessee for what would be one of the bloodiest battles of the Civil War. Carrie McGavock’s Carnton Plantation quickly became a makeshift hospital for the wounded and dying. Today the antebellum home is restored and open to the public, but The Franklin Battlefield has lost its luster as developers dream of using it for a golf course and commercial property. Nashville music producer Robert Hicks couldn’t bear to see so much history on the chopping block, so he wrote bestselling novel The Widow of the South to further his campaign to preserve the countryside where so many fought and died. You can join him in his mission and help have the land turned into a commemorative park instead.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderate

1. If you live in the state of Tennessee, vote for politicians who support public funding of a Civil War Battlefield Park in Williamson County.
2. Take family and friends to tour Tennessee Civil War sites like Carnton, The Carter House and Fort Donelson National Battlefield. It is difficult to understand and appreciate the need for preservation without seeing the land and hearing tales of battle from certified historians on staff.
3. If you own land, research its history before deciding whether to keep it, sell it, develop it or will it to family. If it has historical value, consider putting an easement on it through the Tennessee Land Trust to permanently restrict its use.
4. Donate funds to non-profit organizations Safe The Franklin Battlefield, Inc. and Franklin’s Charge for the purchasing and protecting of parcels of land that have yet to be developed. One acre can cost up to $45,545.54.