The Event: Why Franklin Matters
By Polly Bibb
On June 22 and 23, Franklin’s Charge will host Franklin’s first-ever summer civil war symposium, "Why Franklin Matters."
Attendees will enjoy two days of learning about the Battle of Franklin, participating in round-table discussions on historic preservation, listening to select speakers such as Robert Hicks, author of The Widow of the South and Dr. Carroll Van West, director of the Tennessee Civil War National Heritage Area and director of the Center for Historic Preservation at Middle Tennessee StateUniversity.
In addition, guests will experience a six-hour tour of significant Civil War sites in Williamson County led by Thomas Cartwright. “Why Franklin Matters” is the event of the summer, and you do not want to miss it!
Franklin’s Charge, in cooperation with Tennessee Civil War National Heritage Area, the Tennessee Civil War Preservation Association, the Civil War Preservation Trust, the Williamson County-Franklin Chamber of Commerce and the Tennessee Preservation Trust will explore the preservation and interpretation of Franklin’s Civil War story.
Symposium guests will experience a variety of activities during the summer symposium. Thomas Cartwright, executive director of The Carter House, will lead the six-hour tour discussing Franklin’s role in the Civil War. Beginning at The Harrison House, the tour will go to the Carter House, the McLemore House, Winstead Hill Overlook, Fort Granger, Carnton Plantation, Confederate Cemetery National Landmark and the Eastern Flank of the Battlefield.
“The Battle of Franklin is titled the bloodiest hours of the whole war,” Cartwright says. “In five hours, approximately 9,000 soldiers were wounded and killed. It is the Pickett’s Charge of the West. The Battle of Franklin is one of the few night battles of the Civil War, with 95 percent of the war fought at night. This includes night skirmishes after 9 p.m.”
In addition to the tour led by Cartwright, each day of the symposium will include various educational sessions covering battlefield preservation and historical roundtable discussions. Among those leading the discussion is Van West.
“‘Why Franklin Matters’ is an opportunity to showcase one of the most exciting battlefield reclamation projects in the nation and how battlefield reclamation can happen when dedicated partners from the private and public worlds work together,” Dr. Van West says. “The battle is a pivotal moment in the Civil War, when one of the South’s great armies, the Army of Tennessee, was crushed and battered, effectively bringing to an end the war in the western theater. Today the battle reminds us of how transformative the Civil War was to America, to southern society and to our own neighborhoods and landscapes.”
In addition to the tours and discussions on preservation and historical roundtables, guests will enjoy a number of fun activities such as a lunch with Hicks.
“‘Why Franklin Matters’ is far more than just a conference on a battle in the western campaign toward the end of the Civil War,” Hicks says. “For our community – for Franklin – it is a giant step toward reevaluating not only the past, but our future as understood through the past.”
As Hicks explains, this summer is an opportunity for the community to gain a deeper understanding of where we came from and how we can preserve and protect historical landmarks.
“Walt Whitman once wrote that the Civil War (was) ‘the defining point’ in our nation’s history,” Hicks continues. “It isn’t just important because some family fought for the South or some other family was freed or another family fought for the North. Understanding the Civil War is important if your family came here from Ecuador last year. If you are throwing your lot with this nation, you are far poorer if you don’t take it upon yourself to understand how we got here, howwe became – are becoming – a nation.
“Because of the Civil War, we have become more than Tennesseans and Georgians, New Yorkers and Californinians. We became Americans. It redefined us, it redefined freedom, it redefined citizenship, it redefined liberty. If truth be known, we are still struggling with many of these issues yet, the Civil War was where the discussion began.”
Heritage tourism has become highly competitive in the Southeast, so “Why Franklin Matters” will hold two sessions emphasizing Franklin’s heritage tourism potential in view of its role during the Civil War. Nancy Conway, president and CEO of the Williamson County-Franklin Chamber of Commerce, acknowledges that Williamson County is located in a “hot spot” for heritage tourism. She says it is imperative that this community takes proactive steps to plant and nurture the Battle of Franklin’s tourism potential.
“‘Why Franklin Matters’is a direct link to tourism,” Conway explains. “This conference demonstrates that the community is making a proactive step.”
Hicks agrees and adds that this symposiumis a unique, meaningful opportunity for locals, visitors and out-of-town guests.
“Let me be perfectly clear,” Hicks says, “reconciliation of neither the nation nor of the races began here. It’s silly to even try to make such a claim. But what we can claim is that with the blood of Bloody Franklin, something important was paid in full. ‘Why Franklin Matters’ will give all of us the best chance we have ever had, maybe the best chance we will ever have, to understand what happened here and what the ramifications of those five bloody hours were to our community and to our nation.
“Not taking part in this symposium would be like living your entire life across the Seine from the Louvre and never going in to see what all the fuss is about. Sure, you can live your life here without ever knowing, but do you really want to?”
Get your tickets today! June 22 and 23 are right around the corner. To find out more about “Why Franklin Matters” and register for this exciting summer symposium, visit www.franklinscharge.com, call 615.595.0636, send an e-mail to info@franklinscharge.com or fax 615.742.7214. You also may contact the organization at its address: Franklin’s Charge Inc., 604 West Main Street, Franklin, TN 37064
There are a variety of registration rates to choose from: General Registration, City and Government Registration, Student Registration and Battlefield Tour Only Registration. All registration rates include breakfast on Friday and Saturday, lunch on Friday and Saturday, a reception on Friday evening and dinner on Saturday evening. For more detailed information, please visit the Web site, listed above.
“Why Franklin Matters” will give attendees insight and knowledge into how the Battle of Franklin was fought. It also will offer strategies for preserving battlefields and other historical landmarks. Guests will be educated by Civil War scholars who will instruct on heritage tourism and its importance.
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