Homes for the Holidays benefiting Bridges Domestic Violence Center & Historic Preservation
Dates: Saturday, Dec. 12 and Sunday, Dec. 13 from 5:00 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.
What: Visitors will get an inside look into several Franklin homes and churches and enjoy the various styles of holiday decorations that exhibit the balance between historic charm and modern allure. The tour falls on the same weekend as the Heritage Foundation’s Dickens of a Christmas event, and guests are encouraged to come for the celebration and stay for the home tours. Period costumed and festive interpreters and holiday music will be at many of the sites throughout the tour.
Music: Provided by Summit High School Advanced Chorale, Earl Nichols on piano, and Jon Rosenthal/Blended 688
Festive Sweets: Home baked treats will be served at various sites, and hot cider will be served at the Lotz House.
Tickets: Advance tickets are $30 per person or two for $55 and include a tour of all homes and churches. Tickets at the door on Dec. 12 and 13 are $32 per person or two for $60. Groups of 10 or more are $25 each. Please note that tickets are non-refundable. Tour patrons are welcomed to split up the tour over both days if desired.
Tickets are available at these locations:
Lotz House, 1111 Columbia Avenue, 615-790-7190, www.lotzhouse.com
The Heritage Foundation, 134 2nd Ave North, 615-591-8500, www.historicfranklin.com
Bridges Domestic Violence Center, 615-599-8064, www.bridgesdvc.org
Westhaven Resident’s Club, 401 Cheltenham Ave, 615-791-9250, www.westhaventn.com
Williamson County Convention & Visitors Bureau, 150 4th Avenue North G-250, 615-791-7554, www.visitfranklin.com
The Shop Around The Corner, 117 3rd Avenue North, 615-599-1652
FirstBank, 510 Columbia Avenue, Suite 106 at 5 Points, 615-435-2460, www.firstbankonline.com
Information about each home/church on tour:
Phillip Catholic Church – Old Sanctuary, 113 2nd Ave. South
This old sanctuary has never been on the home tour before. It is simple and stately and stands on land once North Carolina. John Henry Eaton built a home here then left Franklin in 1830 and sold the land to a local farmer, James Woods. In 1847 the Bishop Miles of Nashville purchased the land for $400 in gold given to him by the Franklin Female Academy for the purpose of building a church. Dominican father James L. Orengo born in Italy in 1820 was instrumental in the construction of the church. Bricks were burnt in the church yard and the Catholic townspeople did much of the work. Many parishioners were Irish immigrants who had come to work on the railroads and decided to settle in the area.
2.Cumberland Presbyterian, 615 W. Main Street
This charming church has not been on the tour for many years. The sanctuary is decorated with a 25 ft. Christmas tree and festive music is provided by Earl Nichols. It was first organized in 1871 with less than 20 members who originally met at the Masonic Hall, Tennessee Female College and old Baptist church. It is one of the 4 oldest churches in town and was built in 1876 for $8,000 (valued at $10,000) in Gothic Revival style, designed by H.C. Thompson architect of the Grand Ole Opry/Ryman Auditorium. The stone front steps are weathered by many pilgrims over time and the foundation stones from the Hughes Farm on Boyd Mill Pike. The handmade wood pews are fastened with wooden pegs instead of nails. In the 1940’s a severe storm blew the steeple down and later replaced in the 21st century. The church was listened on the National Register of Historic Places in 1982.
3. Lotz House, 1111 Columbia Avenue
Decorations in this house will be representative of the time period of the Battle of Franklin, with fresh décor of pulled cotton, harvested nuts, fresh apples, magnolia leaves and holly. In 1855, German immigrant Johann Albert Lotz purchased five acres of land from Fountain Branch Carter. Three years later, after doing most of the work himself, he completed his home. By trade, he was a master carpenter and a piano maker. His home served as his “show house” to demonstrate his carpentry work to potential clients. The three fireplace mantles demonstrate his range from simple to very complex designs. There are several battle scars including the charred, rounded indention in the wood flooring where a cannonball flew through the roof, a second story bedroom, and then landed on the first floor and rolled. In addition, the home has an impressive solid black walnut wraparound handrail that starts on the ground floor and wraps all the way around to the second floor. The outside of the home indeed is a testament to Mr. Lotz’s talent. All the hand carved acorn finials, millwork, and cartouches were constructed by Lotz.
4. Ty’s House – Hard Bargain Association, 608 Mt. Hope Street
The Hard Bargain neighborhood was a thriving African American neighborhood (80 homes) originally built by freed slave W.S. McLemore on 15 acres of land. It was aptly named because of the difficult deal struck in 1866. The green clapboard home was originally built for the caretaker of the Mt. Hope Cemetery and features a handsome turret. The community center was renamed and dedicated Ty’s House in honor of a Brentwood High track star Ty Osman, who while attending Harding University, was fatally struck helping a travel companion on a Texas highway when returning from a mission trip. The structure was renovated by numerous volunteers and Solomon Builders receiving a Preservation Award in 2007 from the Heritage Foundation. Most recently, Southern Living Magazine awarded the center Best Community Revitalization Project August 2015. The Ty House is dedicated to building moderately priced work force housing and offers classes, an internet café, hosts special events and a community picnic area.
O’More College of Design, 423 S. Margin Street
O’More College, also known as the Winstead House built circa 1866 and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The original mansion was used for a hospital and the basement used for a morgue during the Civil War’s Battle of Franklin in 1864. The college was founded by Eloise Pitts O’More in 1970 with only 9 students and was modeled after Le College Feminine in Paris which Pitts attended in the 1920’s. The trailblazing Mrs. O’More died in 2002. The campus of O’More College of Design will be decorated by its talented design students.
6. Landmark Books, 114 E. Main Street
Across from the historic St. Phillip Sanctuary in grand Greek revival, this 4 Doric columned building was built in 1808, is on the National Historic Register and is known as The Old Factory Store. Illustrious citizens such as President Andrew Jackson and Davy Crockett and Sam Houston visited here. It operated as a steam powered grist mill and later a brick structure was used as a store. Like 43 other Franklin structures, the building was used as a hospital during the 1864 Battle of Franklin. The building has also been used as a grocery, antiques/furniture repair, restaurant and bank. This shop boasts over 60,000 new and hard to find rare books including over 1500 signed first editions.
7. The home of Lisa and Brian Beathard, 704 Fair Street
This stone house was built in 1938. Mrs. J.M. King purchased the lot from the Newton Cannon estate and originally the structure was an apartment house. The John Jewell family was the first tenant.
The home of Kelly and Chad Dannenfelser, 315 Fourth Ave. South
This farmhouse Victorian was constructed around 1890. The home started out as two rooms and grew as the family needs grew, as is evidenced by different styles of trim and roof structures. It has been completely refurbished by the homeowners, including relocating the kitchen to the back of the house and adding a master bedroom with new bath.
The home of Ann Johnson, 1211 Carnton Lane
The home was built in 1998 and has been completely updated. The floral design is from Garden Delight of Grassland. The downstairs floors are vintage barn wood and came from Woodstock vintage lumber. The Koi pond is from Moonshine Hill in Leiper’s Fork, a country event space and lodge which is also owned by the home owner.
The home of Lydia and Tom Miller, 1328 Carnton Lane
When the homeowners moved to Franklin in 1985, they bought a new home in Heath Place that backed to an abandoned barn on land “that wasn’t going to be developed.” When they found out that a developer had purchased the land, they bought this lot and had the home built where the barn had been. Their home isn’t historic or a “showplace,” but a family home! It has 2.9 acres and, although they live in Heath Place with great neighbors, when they sit on their back porch, they feel like they are out in the country. Children and grandchildren have been raised here and love playing in the creek, family camp-outs and cookouts over bonfires and playing football games in the field next to our home. Many of the furnishings are from family or by family. The house is too big for the two of them, but too small when their five children, four spouses, and twenty-one grandchildren visit! Their Christmas tree is a tree filled with memories. Each ornament was either made by one of the children, grandchildren, or friends; was given by someone special to, or has a significant meaning to the family.
11. The home of Erika and Marcus Frazier, 1508 Holmes Circle
This home was built in 1985 and is located in the Heath Place Subdivision. This is a two-story Federalist style architectural home. Also known as Adam style, it dominated the American architectural landscape from roughly 1780 to 1840’s. Many historians today think of this style as merely a refinement of the Georgian style, a view easily justified by a close comparison of the two. This home incorporates the homeowner’s own decorating style which they call “Restoration Hardware mixed with Hampton Chic.”
The home of Rebecca and John Burns, 1136 Carnton Lane
Rebecca, who has long owned Rebecca’s Furniture & Design in Franklin, has put her touches on the home with her sense of refined, but relaxed elegance. Visitors are greeted by a large cloche which has been in John’s family since the 1870’s and which houses orchids for the holidays. The tree in the foyer is decorated with vintage ornaments crocheted by John’s late mother, Mary Louise Burns. Other pieces of note include a cherry sugar chest, pie safe and pine hutch which have been in Rebecca’s family for generations and date to the early Nineteenth Century. Visitors will also notice throughout the house a collection of bird prints including drawings by Audubon and engraved by J. Bien, ca. 1860, lithographs by John and Elizabeth Gould, ca. 1870, a large grid display of vintage duck decoy prints, paintings by regional artists including Alexander John Drysdale, Lucille Parker, and Walter Anderson; lastly, also, on display, are a pottery collection, featuring both rustic farm pieces and more modern pieces, by McCarty and oyster plates collected in and around New Orleans.
About Bridges Domestic Violence Center: Bridges Domestic Violence Center serves women, men and their children affected by domestic violence, ensuring a safe transition to successful independent living through education, intervention and case management. www.bridgesdvc.org
About First Tennessee Bank: First Tennessee Bank was founded during the Civil War in 1864 and has the 14th oldest national bank charter in the country, as well as one of the highest customer retention rates of any bank in the country. First Tennessee and FTN Financial are part of First Horizon National Corporation (NYSE:FHN), which has 4,300 employees. First Horizon has been recognized as one of the nation’s best employers by Forbes, Working Mother and American Banker magazines. More information is available at www.FirstTennessee.com.
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