Franklin Sweet Franklin

Its quaint Main Street and Civil War history make Franklin one of America’s hidden gems.

by Laurette M. Veres

DO YOU LOVE SPENDING The signature wine experience includes wines, SATURDAYS ON THE COUCH cheese and a commemorative wine glass. Kix WATCHING HALLMARK Brooks of the Grammy Award winning country MOVIES? Then visit Franklin, TN, music group Brooks and Dunn, is a partial owner a picture-perfect Americana town. and all guests are invited to become a member of

So perfect several Hallmark movies have actually Kix’s Wine Club. been filmed here. The local bookstore, Landmark

Booksellers, inspired the novel The Bridge which VISIT: LEIPER’S FORK also became a Hallmark movie. That’s the sort Just fifteen minutes from Franklin, the winding of town Franklin is. It’s also the site of the Battle roads, rolling hills, and beautiful natural landscape of Franklin, so Civil War references abound. take your breath away. The Copper Fox, Leiper’s

Here,couples create their own pieces of history Creek Gallery and David Arms are some of the and write their own stories. art galleries drawing visitors to Leiper’s Fork. Williamson County's newest

SIP: ARRINGTON VINEYARDS Just fifteen minutes distillery, Leiper's Fork Distillery, has a passion for the history

Arrington Vineyards is the only area winery and an ideal venue for events, from Franklin, the winding roads, and heritage of Tennessee whiskey. Group tours are available and include a whiskey parties and even weddings. Sitting on 100 acres of a previous hog and cattle rolling hills, and beautiful natural tasting. Hear stories of ghosts, the Civil War and more as you experience Tennessee White farm, the tasting lodge is open seven days a week; reservations not required. landscape take your breath away. Whiskey, Colonel Hunter’s Tennessee Select Bourbon and Rye White Whiskey.

PREVIOUS PAGE: MAIN

STREET FRANKLIN, TENNESSEE

THIS PAGE, LEFT TO RIGHT: THE ARRINGTON VINEYARDS OFFERS GUESTS A MEMBERSHIP TO KIX'S WINE CLUB; LANDMARK BOOKSELLERS HAS INSPIRED A BOOK AND A HALLMARK MOVIE

OPPOSITE PAGE, TOP TO BOTTOM: A VIEW OF THE NATCHEZ TRACE PARKWAY BRIDGE; THE LEIPER'S FORK DISTELLERY OFFERS WHISKEY TASTINGS

BELOW: THE COURTYARD AT THE HARPETH HOTEL, A PART OF THE ESTABLISHMENT THAT'S BECOME KNOWN AS FRANKLIN'S LIVING ROOM.

OPPOSITE PAGE: THE CARNTON PLANTATION IS PIECE OF AMERICAN CIVIL WAR HISTORY

ESSENTIALS boft.org visitfranklin.com harpethhotel.com arringtonvineyards.com

Thursday is open mic night at Puckett’s Leiper’s Fork. Enjoy patio or indoor seating along with pulled pork sandwiches or southern fried catfish. This is the Tennessee music scene; singers and songwriters share their talents on stage starting at 6:00 pm.

You can can experience history at the area’s Civil War museums and battlefields. A must on any war of secession tour, Carnton Plantation, is seven minutes from town. The plantation served as a Confederate field hospital after the Battle of Franklin. Hear the unbelievable story of a battle basically occurring in the backyard and the pivot from private home to becoming a makeshift hospital. Even today some of the hardwoods are blood stained. So many soldiers died here, it's also home to one of the largest Confederate cemeteries. The building is maintained by The Battle of Franklin Trust whose mission is to preserve, understand and interpret the story of a people forever impacted by the American Civil War.

STAY: THE HARPETH

The Harpeth broke ground in 2017 and opened in 2019; the development includes a hotel, apartments and retail and takes up an entire city block. Southern hospitality is the order of the day at what is destined to become “Franklin’s living room.” Arriving at The Harpeth is like entering a Southern home. It’s welcoming, friendly and the actual check-in space looks like a living room with couches and desks instead of counters. The concierge doesn’t have a desk, he glides over the chevron flooring and comes to you. Head straight through the lobby to a large courtyard with French doors opening to private meeting spaces on either side, fountains and plush seating. The grand staircase begs for a selfie or family photo to be taken and the gas lamps provide the perfect candle-lit glow. The hotel is nestled on the banks of the Harpeth river, right in the heart of historic downtown Franklin. Rent an electric bike from Pedego in the lobby and head out on your Civil War history tour.

The hotel has several dining options. A Eurocoffee bar by day, McGavock’s Coffee Bar & Provisions also has a select amount of premium wines, local craft beers and a small selection of liquors with a strong focus on French and Italian vermouths, aperitifs and craft cocktails. It is named for GG McGavock who lived in Carnton Plantation when it became a hospital in 1864 after the Battle of Franklin. The wood on the walls is reclaimed from a nearby tobacco barn. Honest Coffee Roasters is a great place for a quick pick me up, and another true gem is The Harpeth’s 1799 Kitchen & Cocktails. Named for the year Franklin was established, the decor is created to feel like the inside of a whiskey barrel. The menu changes seasonally and focuses on farmer’s market ingredients. The full-service bar has a heavy focus on handpicked bourbon, rye and American whiskeys. They work closely with Heath Clark of H. Clark Distilleries and sampling his Rye and Malt Whiskeys is a must.

The Harpeth is sure to be full of Southern charm and hospitality. There's more than 5,000 square feet of flexible event space; the property features the Riverside Ballroom and Maury Boardroom, as well as a courtyard with a grand staircase and picturesque fountains.

The town of Franklin offers a beautiful glimpse into true Americana. Historic Main Street offers unique, non-chain shopping, bars, restaurants, tasting rooms and more. You can easily explore all of downtown on foot, only returning to the

Harpeth to drop off your bags. H