The Home Page Guide to Williamson County

WILLIAMSON COUNTY THE HOME PAGE GUIDE TO

P U B L I C AT I O N SPONSOR

THE MAKERS How Arts, Food & Entertainment Make Williamson County a Great Place to Live PAGE 5

Where to find the best golf courses in the county

How Brentwood has changed over the years

PAGE 28

PAGE 32

Expertise &

Excellence ARE OUR TRADEMARKS

The best life begins with a home that inspires.

If this season finds you in the market to buy or sell, give us a call!

Marty Warren

Wendy Warren Bradley

615.973.8757

615.566.6930

Nancy Warren

Doug Bradley

615.300.8663

615.566.0007

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580 Franklin Road #300 Frankin, TN 37069 615.794.0833

Boft.org

TA B L E O F C O N T E N T S

THE S R E K MA

od & rts, Fo ake How A tM ainmen Entert on County s William lace to Live tP a Grea

CONTENTS

5 PA G E

FALL 2020

6

12

Leiper’s Fork Distillery is at the center of community and tourism

2

The Butcher Block wants to bring families back to the dinner table

BY ALEXANDER WILLIS

BY JOHN M c BRYDE

Battle of Franklin Trust adds film to its array of education tools

BY JOHN M c BRYDE

14 From Kings Island to

16

Kirkland's: The progression of a Franklin artist

BY AMANDA HAGGARD

G U I D E TO W I L L I AM S O N CO U N T Y

18 Nolensville remembers

22

its roots as work continues to save the historic MortonBrittain House

BY MATT MASTERS

Business leaders say

creators and artists

are key to economic development

BY MATT BLOIS

24 The coronavirus won’t

stop a plan to turn Cool Springs into a quasiurban, walkable business district

BY MATT BLOIS

28 Course Instruction:

Finding the perfect place to golf in Williamson County

BY PAUL STANLEY

30 Playmaker: Former

Franklin basketball

coach Darrin Joines

now leading county athletics

BY CORY WOODROOF

31

32

Preps in a Pandemic

BY CORY WOODROOF

Brentwood: Then and Now

BY SUSAN T. LEATHERS

34 A Girls Day Out

in Brentwood

BY SUSAN T. LEATHERS

35 Spring Hill’s Top 5

BY ALEXANDER WILLIS

36 Who Represents You?

BY ALEXANDER WILLIS

MAT T MAST E R S

E D I TO R ’ S L E T T E R

editorial

MANAGING EDITOR Amanda Haggard ASSISTANT EDITORS Rebekah Jones, Cory Woodroof STAFF WRITERS Matt Blois, Matt Masters, John McBryde, Alexander Willis FREEL ANCE EDITORS & WRITERS Laura Birdsall, Susan T. Leathers, Paul Stanley

art & production

ART DIRECTOR Christie Passarello PHOTOGRAPHERS Matt Blois, Matt Masters, Alexander Willis GRAPHIC DESIGNERS Mary Louise Meadors, Tracey Starck

publishing

PUBLISHER Kelly Gilfillan ADVERTISING SOLUTIONS CONSULTANTS Sue Falls SALES OPERATIONS MANAGER Chelon Hill Hasty ADVERTISING SOLUTIONS ASSOCIATES Aya Robinson, Price Waltman

circulation

CIRCUL ATION AND SUBSCRIPTION DIRECTOR Gary Minnis

business

PRESIDENT Frank Daniels III CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER Todd Patton PRODUCTION DIRECTOR Elizabeth Jones IT DIRECTOR John Schaeffer SPECIAL PROJECTS COORDINATOR Susan Torregrossa

W

hen Williamson Home Page business editor Matt Blois hosted a live interview with Williamson Inc. CEO Matt Largen in the spring to talk about how the county would fare during seemingly never ending problems caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, Largen said: “If any county in America can weather it, it’s Williamson County.”

We set out to publish this magazine long before we knew any of what we would have to weather this year. We knew we wanted to focus on some of the people and institutions that make the county a great place to live — the entertainers, musicians, chefs, artists and more who add to the quality of life in Williamson County.

As we point out in our story on Pg. 22, when big companies are looking to move here, they’re often looking at more than Williamson County’s business-friendly environment and good schools. They’re looking for the reasons why their employees might want to live in the county. What could their families do on the weekends? Are there good places to eat?

Are there interesting historical places to go?

The people who were born and raised here or have lived here a long time know the answers to all of those questions — even if the way residents might experience their community is so much different now than it’s ever been.

In this issue, we’ll give you a taste of a few reasons people want to live in this county. From a burgeoning whiskey distiller to a commercial artist to a longstanding historical organization finding new ways to educate, we hope you enjoy reading about neighbors, friends and community members in Williamson County.

Sincerely, Amanda Haggard Managing Editor

FW Publishing, LLC OWNER Bill Freeman

210 12th Ave. S., Suite 100 Nashville, TN 37203 williamsonhomepage.com

The Home Page Guide to Williamson County is published by FW Publishing, LLC. For advertising information, email Kelly Gilfillan at kgilfillan@fwpublishing.com. For distribution information, call 615-844-9307. Copyright © 2020 FW Publishing, LLC.

ON THE COVER Lee Kennedy Photo by Matt Masters

G U I D E TO W I L L I AM S O N CO U N T Y

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S PON S OR E D PROFIL E COMPA N Y PROFIL E The Battle of Franklin Trust manages Carter House and Carnton: two historic sites that witnessed the 1864 Battle of Franklin. Its mission is to preserve, understand and interpret the story of a people forever impacted by the American Civil War.

S PE C I A LT IE S Open Monday - Saturday 9 a.m. - 5 p.m., Sunday 11 a.m. - 5 p.m.

Tours offered daily.

Battle of Franklin Trust Carter House was built in 1830.

It was home to Fountain Branch Carter and his family who witnessed one of the bloodiest battles of the Civil War on November 30, 1864. The home was used as a Federal command post while the Carter family, some of their slaves and neighbors sought refuge in the basement during the fighting which erupted across their property.

Carnton was built in 1826. It was home to John McGavock and his family and was one of the premier farms in Williamson County prior to the Civil War. The McGavocks were directly impacted by the Battle of Franklin when their home was used as a hospital for wounded Confederate soldiers.

The McGavock Confederate Cemetery is also on site.

Classic Tours of the homes are offered daily and a $30 combination ticket for Carter House and Carnton is available.

Battlefield Tours offer guests a comprehensive walking tour of the center most portion of the Franklin battlefield. This 90-minute tour focuses on many elements of

the Battle of Franklin, explaining why it occurred, the arrival of the Federal and Confederate armies and details of one of the largest assaults of the Civil War. Behind the Scenes Tours allow guests to visit areas on the grounds not included in the traditional tour. This 90-minute tour will begin with main areas of the house before exploring the basement, third floor, and back balcony.

Extended Tours are offered to give a deeper understanding of the historic and societal impact of the Civil War. This 90-minute tour is available at both Carter House and Carnton.

Slavery and the Enslaved Tours focus on slavery as an institution and the individuals who were enslaved at each site. Available at both Carter House and Carnton, this 90-minute tour examines one of America’s largest paradoxes: a nation where “all men are created equal,” but millions were denied basic freedom.

To schedule your visit, head to: boft.org

Battlefield Tour: Monday - Saturday, 11 a.m. and 2 p.m.

Carter House Extended Tour: Monday - Saturday, 2 p.m.

Carter House Slavery and the Enslaved Tour: Monday - Friday, 10 a.m.

Carnton Extended Tour: Monday - Saturday, 11 a.m. and 2 p.m.

Carnton Behind the Scenes: Wednesday - Friday, 10 a.m.

Carnton Slavery and the Enslaved: Monday - Friday, 2 p.m.

WILLIAMSON COUNTY

THE MAKERS How Arts, Food & Entertainment Make Williamson County a Great Place to Live

Standing in any city in Williamson County, you can point to a number of creatives making the community thrive: artists, historians, chefs, entertainers and more. Nearby Nashville isn’t the only reason people visit Middle Tennessee — the ever-growing county has also become a place that attracts tourists.

Artists, city governments and business leaders are working to make sure the county has a visible arts and entertainment scene that appeals to thriving companies and their cosmopolitan workers. In these pages, you’ll find stories highlighting the makers in Williamson County — the folks who paint, cook, educate, entertain and make the county a great place in which to live.

G U I D E TO W I L L I AM S O N CO U N T Y 5

LEIPER’S FORK

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LEIPER’S FORK

Leiper’s Fork Distillery is at the center of community and tourism

BY J O H N M c B RY D E

F

rom an image drawn on a paper napkin and research that came from a dusty collection of Appalachia-centered books, Lee Kennedy first learned how to make whiskey.

He was but a teen at the time, nearly 30 years ago, but he had already become fascinated with the heritage, science and art of whiskey-making. An uncle who had dabbled in distilling jump-started Kennedy’s interest, which later turned into a passion and eventually the realization of the Leiper’s Fork Distillery.

“My uncle did a little distilling, and one time he drew a picture of a still on a cocktail napkin for me,” says Kennedy, who opened

MAT T MAST E R S

his distillery on Southall Road four years ago. “After that, I made a little still out of a 5-gallon pressure cooker with copper condensing wire from Home Depot and a 5-gallon bucket. I had some recipes out of an old book called the Foxfire Series.

“Back then, when I was 16 years old, there was no internet, so you either had to know somebody who knew how to make whiskey and could teach you, or you’d find some old archaic literature. I learned just enough to be dangerous.”

And enough to know in his heart where his vocational path would one day lead.

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FRANKLIN

Change in state law opens new window Though he started working in real estate, commercial construction and later the financial services industry after graduating from Auburn University, Kennedy saw the window open to life as a distiller when the Tennessee General Assembly made a change to law in 2009 regarding the making of whiskey and other spirits in the state. Specifically, it amended the statute that had for many years prohibited the operation of a distillery in all but three counties — Moore (where Jack Daniel’s is made), Coffee (George Dickel) and Lincoln (Prichard’s).

On 27 acres of land his family owned near the Leiper’s Fork community, Kennedy set about building his distillery. His brother, Wes Kennedy, managed construction of the facility, and his uncle Nick Locke is the business’s

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CFO. Kennedy’s wife, Lynlee Kennedy, runs the retail store where bottles of the product and other merchandise are sold, and his mother, Gayle Kennedy, also works at the distillery. Longtime friend Matt “Pops” Mayo is the head tour guide and helps bring character to the place.

Kennedy relishes his role as head distiller.

“I like the physical act of creating something,” he says. “It feels good to be able to take a grain, add some ingredients in a contraption and turn that into something flammable but at the same time a beverage people can enjoy.

“It’s being able to create something. Initially my interest was kind of captivated by the cultural heritage standpoint of distilling. It still is, but from a chemistry standpoint, I think it’s fascinating that people figured out how to do this 500 years ago.”

‘I like the physical act of creating something.

It feels good to be able to take a grain, add some ingredients in a contraption and turn that into something flammable but at the same time a beverage people can enjoy.’

—— L E E K E N N E DY

LEIPER’S FORK

›

BUSINESS HOURS Sunday: 11:30 a.m.-6 p.m.

Tuesday: 11 a.m.-5 p.m.

Wednesday-Saturday: 9:30 a.m.-5 p.m.

Good partnership between distillery and community It could be said that whiskey-making takes the head of a scientist and the heart of an artist.

Perhaps tourism follows that same formula, which can help to explain why the distillery of Leiper’s Fork has formed such a bond with the community of Leiper’s Fork. They complement one another.

“Since we’ve opened, we have had a very good, symbiotic relationship with the [Leiper’s Fork] village,” Kennedy says. “It’s become kind of a hidden gem to other parts of the country.

We see people from all over the place, and it’s amazing how many people from these large metropolises across the country know about the little village of Leiper’s Fork.

“They’ve embraced us as a business, and obviously we send people up their way. It’s been a good partnership between us and the community. We have a very eclectic community out here. We have a lot of creative people in the community. We just feel like we fit in.

We’re trying to keep everything similar to the village and extend that down to here.”

Tourists have been the bedrock of the Leiper’s Fork Distillery since it opened to the public in October 2016. In 2019, for instance, the distillery counted nearly 20,000 paid tours.

In the gift shop, visitors can also purchase T-shirts, shot glasses and other souvenirs, as well as the distillery’s earliest whiskey releases — Old Natchez Trace White Whiskey, named for the tradition of frontier distilling by Middle Tennessee’s earliest settlers; and Colonel Hunter’s Select Barrel Tennessee Bourbon Whiskey, a brand in which the distillery blended some of its product with finished Tennessee bourbon from select barrels from other distillers.

The Leiper’s Fork Distillery also released a rye whiskey in November 2019, and plans to begin bottling aged Tennessee whiskey and bourbon in November 2020.

“We’re trying to make a big boy-style Tennessee whiskey and bourbon using our local resources at a smaller scale,” Kennedy says. “Our whole intention is to be a regional brand and carry our brand to a wider audience.

“So our focus for the first four years has been very internal, trying to drive as many folks as we can out to the distillery [for tours and retail] to help pay the bills. Once we start releasing our Tennessee whiskey and bourbon, our focus shifts externally promoting a regional brand. Our long term business plan is to be a regional brand.”

›

TOURS AND TASTINGS Wednesday through Saturday begin at 10 a.m. and happen every hour and a half, with the last tour beginning at 4 p.m. All tours are capped at 10 people per tour. Make reservations online and check for current tour capacity at leipersforkdistillery.com.

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SPONSORED PROFILE

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9/23/20 2:25 PM

FRANKLIN

Battle of Franklin Trust adds film to its array of education tools

BY J O H N M C B RY D E

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s Battle of Franklin Trust staff began working on what would become the documentary debut for the nonprofit’s new division BOFT Films, they took something of an opposite approach to a typical creative process.

Instead of starting with a broad idea and narrowing its focus, the filmmakers expanded on a singular subject — in this case, the Battle of Franklin — and stretched it to encompass a much wider swath of American history. The result was The Battle of Franklin and The American Experiment, a 74-minute documentary that traces the American experience from when the country’s founders laid out the principles, through the Civil War and Reconstruction, from the Jim Crow Era to Civil Rights, and finally to the present.

CO U RT E SY O F B AT T L E O F F R A N K L I N T RU ST

FRANKLIN

The film had its screen debut in February at the Franklin Theatre, and it was around that time that BOFT Films officially launched.

“When we started this project, originally the idea was just to do a 30- to 40-minute documentary on the [Battle of Franklin],” explained Brad Kinnison, production and design manager for BOFT and one of five staff to work for BOFT Films. “As we started planning it and ideas started flowing, we realized we couldn’t just jump in on what happened on Nov. 30, 1864.

“We have to tell the broader story of the war, and you can’t take the war without talking about the broad path of American history leading up to that point. So we realized if this was going to be our first one, we needed to tell as much of the story as we can, and I think we did it pretty successfully.”

BOFT Films was created through a twist of sorts. Eric Jacobson, CEO of Battle of Franklin Trust, felt the organization needed another dimension in telling the stories of Carnton, Carter House and the Eastern Flank Battlefield.

“I often have a lot of crazy ideas, and one of my crazy ideas was, I thought we needed to do something new about the Battle of Franklin,” he said. “That was really the simple approach, but also to do something different.”

Work on the documentary began in December 2018, and involved input from Jacobson; Kinnison, who has been on the BOFT staff for nearly five years; Braxie Jacobson, who produced and directed the film and who also serves as a historical interpreter for the museums; and historical interpreters Shelia Mullican and Ethan Castelo.

The first public screening in mid-February played to a sold-out Franklin Theatre, where Braxie Jacobson — 21-year-old daughter of Eric Jacobson who had little previous filmmaking experience — watched nervously.

“I think it was nerve-racking more than anything, being in a room of people I didn’t know, watching something that we had all worked on for so long,” she said. “But everybody there was really receptive for the most part and respectful. A lot of people came up to us afterward to say they enjoyed it.

The Battle of Franklin and The American Experiment should soon be available on DVD at Carnton and the Carter House, and BOFT Films may put portions of it online for students and others to view In the meantime, staff have been busy making a series of short films that are placed on BOFT’s YouTube channel and other social media outlets. And though nothing specific is planned, BOFT Films may one day produce another feature-length documentary.

“I think we’re totally open to doing that,” Kinnison said, “but I think that will be a little bit farther down the road. We want to get the ball rolling on these smaller projects and then tackle something bigger like that. I think after the reception we had for this [first film], every opportunity is open to us.”

FRANKLIN

From Kings Island to Kirkland’s: The progression of a Franklin artist

BY AMA N DA H AG G A R D

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MAT T MAST E R S

FRANKLIN

›

You can find Lacy’s work at The Painted Tree, where she

A

ll her life, Shari Lacy knew she was going to be an artist. Her first gig as a painter was painting parasol umbrellas at Kings Island when she was 16 years old.

Dressed as a Raggedy Ann doll, Lacy would sit and paint various scenes on umbrellas for little kids. Then she graduated to becoming an airbrush artist for a contractor at the park.

While it may not sound glamorous, Lacy says it taught her a lot about the levels of discipline it would take to become an artist.

“It was a job where you were always on your feet — all day long, on cement, outside in the heat of an amusement park and dealing with people who were cranky,” Lacy says. “Sure, everybody was there for you for joy, but by the time lunch had rolled around, people were typically cranky or tired or whatever. It taught me a lot of discipline in that regard.”

But as dreams sometimes go, Lacy took a few detours, ones she found meaningful and challenging and fun. She worked as a publicist for Compass Records in Nashville, a label that works with roots, bluegrass, Celtic, Americana and alternative musicians. She got married, had children and settled down in West Franklin and was just waiting for the right moment to transition fully into her goal of making a living as a painter. All along, she was working at the label and painting on the side.

“For a couple of years there, I was burning the candle at both ends to a severe level,” Lacy says. “And then it got to a point where I could just start slowly stepping away from the music industry. I was really honored to do it for a long time, but I was ready for a change and ready to focus on the things I knew I wanted to do.”

In just a few short years, Lacy worked her way into partnerships with Kirkland’s and Hobby Lobby. Both companies take Lacy’s paintings and mass produce them to sell in their retail stores. Most recently, Lacy has released a painting of the Ryman Auditorium and a guitar-themed work release with Kirkland’s and she has a floral print coming out with Hobby

shares a spot called ELDER & LACY Artisan Gifts and Originals with local artist Ginny Elder, in Murfreesboro at Quinn’s Mercantile and at Kirkland’s and Hobby Lobby.

Lobby in the next few months. The first time she had a release with Kirkland’s, she said she couldn’t wait to get to a store to see it.

“It was of a church, but they bought it and blew it up into like 40 by 40 and ordered it for every store in the country and for me, that was enormous,” Lacy says. “That was such a big deal to me.”

Her best friends and family drove to Cool Springs in anticipation, searched the store and then were told it hadn’t come in yet. She says, while that one moment was anticlimactic, she never wants to lose the excitement she had on that day.

“Even when I was a publicist for other artists, people get jaded when you’ve done stuff long enough, no matter what it is,” Lacy says.

“And I remember making a promise to myself that I never wanted to do that because as a kid I always dreamt of being able to do stuff in a creative realm. And I don’t want to take that for granted. And it’s still exciting.”

In her attic studio in West Franklin, light pours in onto the many different styles and subjects Lacy paints. In one corner, small square paintings of inspirational quotes are stacked and sorted to be taken down to The Painted Tree, where she shares a spot called ELDER & LACY Artisan Gifts and Originals with local artist Ginny Elder. A large grayscale painting she’s sold to Kirkland’s of the Ryman Auditorium is balanced against a window.

Some abstract pieces with navy swirls and gold accents are hung on the wall.

After a long time with many jobs that required her to be around people, Lacy relishes her time in the studio.

“I refuel by myself,” Lacy says. “I’m very comfortable and I love people, I’m not antisocial on any level, but coming up here, turning music on to whatever I’m into at the moment, I find that very refueling for me. So whether it’s rainy out or sunny out, I enjoy it. There are days when I’m hustling because of a deadline, but it’s never really stressful. Mostly I’m just up here, peaceful, and wondering what’s coming next for me.”

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FRANKLIN

The Butcher Block wants to bring families back to the dinner table

BY A L E X A N D E R W I L L I S

W

hen it comes to food, Tennessee is known for a few things: hot chicken, fried bologna, and of course, barbeque. While barbeque offerings in Williamson County are a dime a dozen, one place in particular has drawn a dedicated following, and continues to create new regulars on a daily basis.

Nestled on Carothers Parkway, just southeast of I-65 and Moores Lane lies one of Franklin’s hidden gems: The Butcher Block, a family-owned butcher and deli that brings with it 28 years of business ownership experience.

Offering a variety of cuts including beef, poultry and pork, staff on the butcher side of the business offer step by step instructions on how guests can bring a fresh cut of meat from the shop all the way to the dinner table.

“Our goal is to bring people back to the table for dinner together family style — we want to make it an experience,” said store manager Emily Gray, daughter of owners Kim and Sam Gray. “That’s our goal, to bring people back to the table to eat together as a family, for people to not be overwhelmed with how to cook something; we give them step by step [instructions] and interaction with each customer when they come in.”

Carrying only all natural, hormone-free products, Kim Gray said it was difficult to narrow down what her favorite offering was on the butcher side of the business, but that their beef was a regular favorite among customers.

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T H E B U TC H E R B LO C K I S O P E N 1 0 A . M . - 6 P. M .

T U E S D AY T H R O U G H S AT U R D AY.

“That is tough because there are so many good things, but clearly by far, our beef is outstanding,” Kim Gray said. “The beef that we have a source for is absolutely incredible and it’s really hard to beat, and there’s a reason for that.”

Beyond raw cuts, The Butcher Block also carries plenty of ready-to-cook options like ham loaves, pork rolls, stuffed chicken and more.

While the butcher side of the business is designed for guests to take their favorite cuts back home to cook for family or friends, those wanting a dine-in experience can check out the deli for an array of freshly made sandwiches.

“On the deli side, [my favorite] would have to be our sandwiches just because they’re made

fresh on site,” Kim Gray said. “Our breads come from a bakery so they’re fresh, preservative-free. Everything’s hand-crafted from the deli side of the store to the beef side of the store — if it’s in our case, it’s been prepared.”

Using all Boar’s Head Meats and cheeses and bread from Masada Bakery, The Butcher Block’s sandwiches are no afterthought — featuring sandwiches with chipotle crusted chicken, oven roasted turkey and corned beef. The Butcher Block’s sandwiches are also available for takeout or delivery via UberEats. Guests can also grab some more items to take home from the deli from the Amish goods selection, such as eggs and fresh honey.

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NOLENSVILLE

Nolensville remembers its roots as work continues to save the historic Morton-Brittain House

BY MAT T MAST E R S

N

olensville’s historic Morton-Brittain House is the focus of an ongoing restoration effort that is serving as a reminder of the values of a small town that refuses to forget its history in the midst of unprecedented growth.

The 1870 home has settled into its new location on Sam Donald Court after it was moved in early 2019.

On its original plot on Sunset Road, it was at risk for demolition before it was saved by a group of people dedicated to preserving the past in rapidly growing Nolensville.

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The project has been undertaken by a group of citizens and members of the Nolensville Historical Society, who formed a five-member non-profit committee aimed at breathing new life into the home that once served as one of the largest and grandest homes in Williamson County. It was first owned by George W. Morton and later sold to James Brittain in 1882.

On Feb. 4, 2019, the home was separated into three sections and was transported by truck to a new location across from Ebenezer United Methodist Church, and in January 2020 the house received its new roof, replacing a

blue tarp that had been protecting the structure from the elements, especially the heavy rain that seemed unending throughout winter.

Nolensville resident, former mayor and current Williamson County Commissioner Beth Lothers also serves as the chair of the Morton-Brittain House Move & Restoration Committee. She said that the effort to save the house has become a project that continues to push forward through the challenges because of a community of people and businesses who have worked together to preserve history through volunteering to work construction or making monetary donations.

MAT T MAST E R S

NOLENSVILLE

›

More information about the ongoing project to save the Morton-Brittain House can be found at nolensvillehistoricalsociety.org.

“It goes beyond whether or not if you pass by or interact with this historic building, it’s being preserved in our historic district and having that story continue and telling the small stories and the larger stories and how it relates to slavery at the time or this event in history,” Lothers said.

“Anybody can create Disneyland, but this is Nolensville, and what made Nolensville were pioneering families who came over the Cumberland Gap, rolled up their sleeves, built a community.”

For Lothers, the work to save and restore the Morton-Brittain House is more than just a project, but an emotional and spiritual connection to the past and an homage to one of her friends and heroes, Evelyn Gillespie Hyde Bennett. Bennett died in 2018 after serving as the president of the Nolensville Historical Society — she helped to preserve several historic buildings and helped to publish four historic journals about Nolensville.

“I watched this incredible woman who passed away at 90 years old, who lived this incredible life and who gave and loved a community

‘It goes beyond whether or not if you pass by or interact with this historic building, it’s being preserved in our historic district and having that story continue and telling the small stories and the larger stories and how it relates to slavery at the time or this event in history.’

—— B E T H LOT H E R S

wherever she was,” Lothers said. “And so that night ... when we had the three trucks rolling down the road with the house, I rolled down the window and I yelled out the window, ‘This is for you, Evelyn,’ so this is very personal for me.”

A National Register of Historic Places home

The home was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1988, where it is registered as simply the George W. Morton House and described as having “a porch with original milled columns with fan brackets, milled spindled frieze and vergeboard. The main entrance has original double doors of arched single light and frame panels and original screen doors. Above the door is a single light arched transom. Windows are original arched four-over-four sash and some retain their original flutters. On the south bay of the main facade is a glass and frame door with a rectangular single light transom.”

G U I D E TO W I L L I AM S O N CO U N T Y

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NOLENSVILLE

Some of these features remain on the home to this day, but the 32 years since it was registered have taken its toll through weathering and the passage of time.

Some small pieces, such as the original screen door, were sold at an auction, but in an effort to continue to bring the house as close to its former glory as possible, Lothers said that the current owner of the door has agreed to return the screen door as donation for the project.

The 1988 documentation describes the interior of the home as having retained its “original Greek Revival influenced mantels with Doric motif columns, four panel doors with fluted molding and corner blocks, and chair-rails,” and while the home has been stripped of its water-damaged interior walls, the group plans to restore the home’s interior and exterior by recreating or referencing the original architecture and design as much as possible.

And like any historic home, surprises continue to be uncovered as walls and ceilings are removed for inspection and cleaning before they’re reconstructed.

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Surprises in the old structure

Project Manager Greg Bruss said that when they started stripping the structure down to its original 2,400-square-foot frame, they weren’t sure what they would find. For example, they aren’t quite sure why the empty closet, which has a matching closet that was in use in the same room, was covered up.

“You don’t have much storage space in these old buildings to begin with so why would you take a door off and lose a closet and cover it all up? Who knows,” Bruss said. “It’s just one of the home’s secrets.”

The home was originally built as a two-story structure, but was heavily damaged by a tornado in 1900 that destroyed the second story. The house was renovated at some point in the 1960s and has an added kitchen and side porch with a bathroom when indoor plumbing was installed.

In addition to the hidden closet, Bruss and his team have found a variety of construction methods that were used throughout the years including newspapers that were used along with an adhesive paste to patch the home together after the tornado.

Bruss spent years working on Habitat for Humanity projects, including working alongside former President Jimmy Carter. He said that this is the biggest project that he and other members of the restoration effort have taken on, but one that is worth the years of work.

Bruss said that throughout the spring and summer he’s taken more than 10 tons of sheetrock, glass, plaster, wood and other debris from the home in preparation for the next steps — rebuilding the home’s three fireplaces and chimneys using some of the original bricks, insulating the building and shingling the roof.

“Once we get it done, the kids and the grandkids will be able to see what life was like and what it looked like and it’ll have the full story of what life was like and what they did,” Bruss said. “It was just too many memories to give up.”

Lothers and Bruss said that the huge undertaking has also been supported by groups like the Heritage Foundation and businesses, who have either donated goods and supplies or sold them at a large discount, after hearing about the passion and purpose of the project.

NOLENSVILLE

“It’s one thing to teach a kid about history, but when they can go up and touch a building or see it that’s just a whole different sensory experience,” Lothers said.

Fundraising has also taken place through the sale of artwork such as pen and ink illustrations

by Chris Ousley that were framed with reclaimed wood from the home’s roof by Tom Ferris.

In addition to artisan items, supporters have begun purchasing two-by-four pieces of wood and customizing them with drawings, signatures and other signs of support. These pieces will be installed in the inner walls of the building as a way for the people of the 21st century to leave their mark and say, ‘I was here,’ when the Morton-Brittain House was in need.

“This way you’re permanently a part of history in restoring this

house in Nolensville,” Lothers said. “This can really bring people together.”

While the project was initially expected to be completed sometime between 2021 and 2022, COVID-19 as set back the project by about six months.

“All of our fundraisers just disappeared,” Bruss said.

Now the group has taken on fundraising by way of an online silent auction set for Oct. 5-11 to raise money for the project that they are determined to restore.

Bruss said that the auction already has more than 50 items that will be available for bidding including gift cards to some of Nolensville’s local favorites like Outlanders Southern Chicken, Pork Belly Farmhouse and Martin’s Bar-B-Que Joint; a one year membership to Wash 37135; an annual family mem-

bership for Williamson County Parks and Recreation; four adult passes to the Nashville Zoo and much more.

And despite the unknowns and challenges of 2020 and beyond, Bruss said that the project will continue in hopes of reminding Nolensville residents and visitors alike where they come from and what life used to be like in the Town of Nolensville.

“People moved to Nolensville because of what it is, but it only is what it is because of what it was.

If we lose that history that got us to where we are today and how we got there, even in the building of houses and how they were structured, and how much of it is the same as what we do today, and how much is different, if we lose that then we lose our identity as a town,” Bruss said. “That’s what we’re trying to save.”

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615-578-0357

chipkerr@comcast.net

WILLIAMSON COUNTY

Business leaders say creators and artists are key to economic development

BY MAT T B LO I S

A

t a chamber of commerce event welcoming Mitsubishi North America to Williamson County in late 2019, Franklin artist Roy Laws used rapid fire brush strokes to paint a Mitsubishi Lancer rounding a curve on a dirt track.

As Laws painted, Mitsubishi North America CEO Fred Diaz praised Tennessee’s willingness to “bend over backwards” for the company.

Laws set up his canvas before Diaz started speaking, and finished by the end of the event.

Matt Largen, the CEO of the local chamber of commerce, Williamson Inc., presented the painting to Mitsubishi as a welcome gift. That’s in addition to $3 million in economic incentives from the state and a break in property taxes from Williamson County.

That combination distills what companies get when they come to Williamson County: a creative community and a friendly business environment.

Over the last two decades, Williamson County has become a magnet for corporate headquarters. Companies often cite the state’s relatively low tax burden and Williamson County’s strong school system as important factors in their decision to relocate or expand in Williamson County.

Recently, businesses, local governments and artists are pointing to Middle Tennessee’s creators — the area’s musicians, chefs, actors and designers — as another important driver of economic development.

“It’s incredibly important to what we do because quality of life matters so much now in economic decisions that companies make and people make,” Largen said. “They’re driven to the community by things like the arts and culture.”

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Mitsubishi communications director Jeremy Barns wrote in an email that Williamson County’s historical preservation as well as access to music, theaters and museums did play a role in Mitsubishi’s decision to move to Williamson County. However, it was only one of several factors including local talent, cost of living and the business environment.

At the event welcoming Mitsubishi to Williamson County, Barnes connected with Todd Morgan, the managing director for the Franklin theater company Studio Tenn. Morgan invited a group of Mitsubishi employees to a dress rehearsal for the theater’s production of Cinderella.

Morgan said he often reaches out to local companies to build fundraising relationships, especially companies with employees moving to Williamson County from out of state.

“They moved from New York or California, and they’re used to having arts in their backyard,” he said. “Even if the job is awesome and everything you want, they’re still going to want things outside of that. They’re still going to want their creature comforts. Where do I go to a basketball game? Where do I go to see live theater?”

‘We thought public art was kind of missing in Franklin, but we’re kind of made for it. Franklin as a whole is a great backdrop for public art.’

—— E L L I E W E STM A N C H I N

Mitsubishi came to Tennessee from Southern California, the center of the film and music industries. In 2019, the medical device company Medacta moved its U.S. headquarters to Franklin from Chicago, a theater and music hub. In 2018, the finance company Alliance Bernstein moved to Nashville from New York City, home to Broadway, Carnegie Hall and some of the best art museums in the world.

Kim Moore, the site consultant for Newmark Knight Frank who played a key role in bringing the finance company Alliance Bernstein to Tennessee, said that decision started with a trip to the Pilgrimage Music and Arts Festival in Franklin.

MAT T B LO I S

WILLIAMSON COUNTY

BUSINESS LEADERS say Middle Tennessee’s artists and creators set it apart from other cities vying for large office projects. However, artists also make a significant direct contribution to Williamson County’s economy.

• There were more than 2,000 independent artists in Williamson County in 2017 (2,171) • Those artists generated $128 million in revenue • There were more than 3,200 arts establishments in Williamson County in 2017 (3,271) • Those firms employed more than 2,400 people (2,455) • Those firms paid $85.3 million in salaries Source: U.S. Census Bureau

• There are 115 arts nonprofits in Williamson County • Those nonprofits generated $10.4 million in program revenue in fiscal year 2017 (revenue from doing some kind of service e.g. ticket sales) • They paid $5.5 million in salaries in fiscal year 2017 Source: 990 tax forms for nonprofits

• In 2019 the National Endowment for the Arts awarded more than $1 million in grants to Middle Tennessee artists and arts organizations ($1,065,400) Source: National Endowment for the Arts

• Southern Methodist University gave Williamson County a nearly perfect score on its arts vibrancy index, a scale that measures community support for the arts Scale 1 -100

Arts Providers: 100 Arts Dollars: 93 Government Support: 90 Socio-Economic: 99 Other leisure: 94 Source: Southern Methodist University Arts Vibrancy Index: https://sites.smu.edu/Meadows/ ArtsVibrancyMap/

Williamson Inc. invited Moore on a “red carpet tour” of the area in 2016, and Pilgrimage was a central part of the visit.

Moore, who works with companies to select locations for offices, said that the number one factor that companies consider when choosing a location is the access to talented employees.

She said those employees are looking for communities with rich cultural diversity and openness to new ideas.

“The arts provide that in spades. They provide that more than anything. They provide exposure to things you wouldn’t see unless you traveled the world,” she said. “They can bring that to you without you having to really leave your doorstep.”

Moore said the arts are an especially important factor for tech companies and companies searching for a headquarters location, two of the most important business sectors for economic development in Williamson County.

Before working for Newmark Knight Frank, Moore was on the economic development team for Dallas, Texas in the early 2000s. In 2001, the city was in the running for the Boeing headquarters, but lost the bid to Chicago because Dallas didn’t have enough art.

Partially in response to the Boeing snub, Dallas created a 70-acre arts district with art museums, theaters, an opera and green spaces.

Several years ago, a group including Ellie Westman Chin, the CEO of Visit Franklin, the organization tasked with promoting tourism to Williamson County, pushed the City of Franklin to create a public arts commission.

The arts commission works with artists to bring art to public spaces and encourages developers to include art in their designs.

“We thought public art was kind of missing in Franklin, but we’re kind of made for it,” she said. “Franklin as a whole is a great backdrop for public art.”

Since its inception, the arts commission has worked with artists to install a bike rack designed to represent the Harpeth River, and a series of miniature bronze horses scattered throughout Franklin, encouraging people to explore the city.

For the last several years, Michael Damico has worked to highlight the economic importance of art in Williamson County. He owns Damico Frame and Art Gallery in Franklin and serves as the president for the Arts Council of Williamson County, which he described as a chamber of commerce for artists.

Damico said it feels like the community organizations, governments and developers are beginning to recognize how arts can contribute to economic development.

“It’s a bit of a tidal force happening right here, right now,” he said. “I think we’re waking up to this notion that there is economic impact.”

In 2011, Damico started a monthly art crawl with a handful of other art gallery operators.

On the first Friday of every month, the art crawl winds through a network of shops in downtown Franklin exhibiting visual art. He said the event has since grown tremendously.

Franklin Assistant City Administrator for Economic and Community Development Vernon Gerth said he agrees that the arts are critical for economic development.

“I know it is. There is no doubt,” he said. “Any time we can bring different people together to reflect a sense of culture and pride, a uniqueness, a brand, there’s many ways to put it, that’s all very good for ... the quality of life of a community.”

He said the city is hoping to develop a set of guidelines for developers that want to incorporate art into their projects. Gerth said he hopes that will evolve into a financial incentive that would cover the cost of hiring an artist or maintaining the art.

Even with all that momentum, Damico said he still thinks local governments and the arts community can do more to support the arts.

He said he hopes that artists in Williamson County can work together to create some kind of “central nervous system” for the arts. This central hub would coordinate with artists to make the most of the county’s artistic resources, such as space or funding.

Damico and Studio Tenn’s Todd Morgan both said one of the most urgent needs in the arts community is more space for rehearsals, classrooms and performances. Their hope is that local governments could step in to create that space.

Williamson County already operates a performing arts center in Franklin, but Morgan said demand is high and it’s not always easy to get access to space.

In an email, Williamson County Parks and Recreation Director Gordon Hampton pointed out that the county does support the arts by allowing artists to use county facilities, and also provides arts programming such as community band, music and art classes.

There were more than 2,000 independent artists in Williamson County in 2017, and the arts and entertainment industry contributed nearly $1 billion to the local economy in 2018.

The business services, health care and finance industries have a much bigger direct economic impact, but the indirect impact is much more difficult to measure. The arts are a critical component of quality of life, that intangible factor so many companies are looking for. As Middle Tennessee’s reputation as a prime destination for corporate offices continues to grow, creators could be the element that elevates Williamson County to the top of the list.

G U I D E TO W I L L I AM S O N CO U N T Y

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FRANKLIN

1985

1995

2005

2009

The coronavirus won’t stop a plan to turn Cool Springs into a quasi-urban, walkable business district

BY MAT T B LO I S

N

early a quarter century ago, crops covered an adjacent field as construction started on the Carothers Building, the first major office in Cool Springs. At that time, most of the surrounding land was agricultural and the internet was brand new.

A few years later, the dot-com crash slowed down the U.S. economy, but a few more offices popped up in Cool Springs.

The real boom started in 2005 when the Japanese carmaker Nissan decided to build its North American headquarters on Carothers Parkway, paving the way for a string of major corporate headquarters.

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Nissan finished its offices in 2008. That year, the financial crisis devastated the global economy. By 2009, unemployment in the county hit 7.5%.

However, development in Cool Springs exploded over the next decade. The finance company Jackson National Life Insurance, Dave Ramsey’s financial advice company, the energy management company Schneider Electric, and the pet food manufacturer Mars Petcare all opened or expanded offices.

In the 12 months leading up to the coronavirus pandemic, the medical device manufacturer Medacta, the carmaker Mitsubishi and Spirit Airlines all announced major office projects.

Now Cool Springs is entering its third recession since transforming into a regional office hub, but developers say the area is poised to weather this one just as it has previously. The pandemic is pushing back construction timelines, but the pandemic could even make the area even more attractive, as urban companies and employees look for more space in the suburbs.

In the midst of the virus outbreak, several developers are moving forward with projects that promise to change Cool Springs into a quasi-urban, walkable business district filled with restaurants, shops and other amenities.

Glenn McGehee, president of the Franklin developer SouthStar, estimates the coro-

FRANKLIN

navirus outbreak pushed back the timeline for his company’s Aureum development, on the southwest corner of McEwen Drive and Carothers Parkway, by about six months.

“We’re very excited about the future. Is it going to happen as fast as we would have told you it was going to happen? … We had hoped to already be moving dirt there,” McGehee said. “That’s just a product of our environment.

It’s not because the site’s not a good site.”

The Aureum project will eventually include 480 apartments, 750,000 square feet of office space, 100,000 square feet of restaurant and retail space and 700 hotel rooms. McGehee hopes to start construction by early 2021.

Tenants are skittish because of the uncertainty caused by the coronavirus, but McGehee doesn’t expect that to last. He said the pandemic is forcing companies in dense cities to reconsider their current offices, which could benefit areas like Williamson County.

Workers from dense, expensive cities searching for a lower cost of living have been migrating to the Nashville area for a long time.

Between 2013 and 2017, more than 2,000 people moved to Williamson County from the Los Angeles, Chicago and Phoenix areas.

“This pandemic is only going to accelerate that trend,” MarketStreet Enterprises Development Director Dirk Melton said. “The population growth of Williamson County is going to be gangbusters, there’s no reason to believe that’s going to be any different today than we thought six months ago. We need to be in a position to respond to that in the development community.”

MarketStreet Enterprises — the master developer of the Gulch neighborhood in Nashville — aims to do that with its East Works District in Cool Springs. The firm plans to build 500,000 square feet of office space, 60,000 square feet of retail and restaurants and 600 hotel rooms around the Carothers Building, the same property that was surrounded by crops in 1994.

Melton said MarketStreet hopes to draw on the company’s experience in the Gulch to create a walkable neighborhood packed with restaurants and stores.

“People only want to park their car once, they want to have amenities at their doorstep,” Melton said. “That’s probably the most successful aspect of the Gulch. You’ve got close to 80 different restaurants, retailers and entertainment venues … The Cool Springs project will be a smaller microcosm of that.”

Melton said the development would also be much less dense than the Gulch, with lots of open space.

Melton doesn’t expect the first phase of construction to start until the fall of 2021. Between now and then, MarketStreet will have to determine what to build in the first phase, not an easy task in the middle of global pandemic.

“Our job as developers is to build what people want, in the location that they want it at the price they’re willing to pay,” Melton said. “With a pandemic ... it’s very, very early in the process of trying to discern what the global changes to commercial real estate look like.”

Nobody quite knows what offices will look like when MarketStreet delivers the first phase of EastWorks. At SouthStar, McGehee said it’s probably too early to know what that means for office development.

“I don’t think people are in a real rush to totally redesign the way we do offices,” he said. “I think there is this wait and see. Certainly, conversations are being had after going through a pandemic: What does the next one look like?

How can we be better prepared? Those are conversations that are going into design.”

Melton agreed that it’s hard to predict how offices will change, but he imagines that companies may prioritize collaborative space over offices, and workers might only spend a few days a week on site.

“That’s when the meetings happen, that’s when the collaborations happen,” he said. “The physical space has to respond to what that is rather than having a floor full of desks.”

The North Carolina developer Highwoods Properties still has plans to build up to 1.4 million square feet of office space in the Ovation development, but progress is currently stalled.

A co-developer has failed to build the retail and residential portion of the project, which makes it hard to market new office space.

Despite the delays, Highwoods Senior Vice President Brian Reames said he’s optimistic about the future of the Cool Springs office market. Even with rising vacancy rates — which hit double digits before the virus outbreak — Cool Springs remains a good place to build.

“Cool Springs has really never experienced a vacancy rate like that, but it’s because there’s a lot of building going on to respond to the energy,” Reames said. “It’s a great submarket, and it’ll just be a matter of time before it’s back.”

According to the research firm Avison Young, office space in Cool Springs had a vacancy rate of about 7.1% during the second quarter of 2018. By the end of 2019, vacancy had surpassed 10%. Vacancy rose to nearly 16% during the second quarter of 2020, following the pandemic.

Melton said the task of anticipating trends in office development is like a hockey player moving to where the puck is going to be. Getting there too early means climbing vacancy rates and wasted resources. Getting there too late means a missed opportunity.

“We’re hopeful to get, just like everybody else, more visibility about how the market’s responding to the situation we’re in right now. It’s changing week by week,” he said. “Hopefully, when it’s time to go we’ll be ready to go, too.”

M

ore than 283,000 square feet of office space was under construction in Cool Springs during the second quarter of 2020, and developers are planning for much more. Here are a few of the projects that could transform that part of the city.

AUREUM DEVELOPER: SouthStar LOCATION: Southwest corner of McEwen Drive and Carothers Parkway TIMELINE: SouthStar hopes to start construction in early 2021. Originally, SouthStar planned to carry out all the construction at once, but now plans to carry out the project in phases.

“We’re still very much a full go,” SouthStar President Glenn McGehee said. “We own the land. We paid cash for the land.

We are still very, very positive about it.”

ACRES: 27 OFFICE SPACE: 750,000 square feet RETAIL AND RESTAURANT SPACE: 100,000 square feet HOTEL KEYS: 700 APARTMENTS: 480 TALLEST HEIGHT: 12 stories

BIGBY DEVELOPER: Crescent Communities LOCATION: Northeast corner of McEwen Drive and Carothers Parkway TIMELINE: In 2017, Crescent Communities told the Tennessean and the Nashville Business Journal that it expected to start construction in 2018 and finish the project in 2021. Construction has not started yet.

G U I D E TO W I L L I AM S O N CO U N T Y

25

FRANKLIN

“Bigby remains a top priority for the Crescent Communities team. They are continuing to actively explore options with prospective users and are simultaneously addressing evolving tenant requirements,” a Crescent Communities spokesperson wrote in a recent email.

ACRES: 23 OFFICE AND RETAIL SPACE: 350,000 square feet HOTEL KEYS: 200

C A R OT H E R S C R OS S I N G E AST

APARTMENTS: 330 TALLEST HEIGHT: 11 stories PARK: 12 acres

CAROTHERS CROSSING EAST DEVELOPER: SouthStar LOCATION: Northeast corner of Liberty Pike and Carothers Parkway TIMELINE: Construction is mostly complete.

SouthStar is planning to build one more office building. Construction on that should start in the fall of 2020.

ACRES: 21 OFFICE AND RETAIL SPACE: 162,000 square feet

C A R OT H E R S C R OS S I N G W E ST

TALLEST HEIGHT: Three stories

CAROTHERS CROSSING WEST DEVELOPER: SouthStar and Embrey LOCATION: Northwest corner of Liberty Pike and Carothers Parkway TIMELINE: Embrey has already started construction on the residential portion. SouthStar hopes to start building the commercial portion in the fall of 2020. The commercial portion should be done by the fall of 2021.

ACRES: 15 OFFICE SPACE: 24,065 square feet RESTAURANTS: 4,800 square feet RETAIL: 38,000 square feet APARTMENTS: 330 TALLEST HEIGHT: Five stories

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NORTHSIDE McEWEN

MAT T B LO I S

FRANKLIN

EAST WORKS DISTRICT

Crossing West on Carothers Parkway

DEVELOPER: MarketStreet Enterprises

TIMELINE: The developer hopes to start construction in the fall of 2021, which means they could deliver the first phase by early 2024.

The full, six-phase plan could take 15 to 20 years to complete.

TIMELINE: The City of Franklin has already approved the development plan for the project and the site plan for the first section.

The property also has a historic home built by John Henry Carothers in 1937. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places nearly 30 years ago. Developers plan to restore the house and use it as a community meeting space.

ACRES: 50

ACRES: 12

OVATION

OFFICE SPACE: 1 million square feet, with about half of that square footage coming from the existing Carothers Building.

OFFICE SPACE: 150,000 square feet

DEVELOPER: Highwoods Properties

ADDRESS: 9009 Carothers Parkway, Franklin TN 37067

HOTEL KEYS: 170

RESTAURANTS: 34,550 square feet

APARTMENTS: 426

RETAIL: 27,750 square feet

PARK: 10 acres

HOTEL KEYS: 605

NORTHSIDE M c EWEN

APARTMENTS: 1,615 TALLEST HEIGHT: 12 stories

HUFFINES PROPERTY DEVELOPER: Goldberg Companies

TALLEST HEIGHT: Six stories

DEVELOPER: Boyle Investment Company LOCATION: Corner of West McEwen Drive and Aspen Grove Drive

TIMELINE: Much of the project LOCATION: North Carothers is already under construction.

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G ENTLEMAN

Mitsubishi has already moved into its space on the seventh floor of the office building.

ACRES: 45 OFFICE SPACE: 200,000 square feet RETAIL SPACE: 26,000 RESTAURANT PADS: Three APARTMENTS: 330 TALLEST HEIGHT: Seven stories

LOCATION: Southeast corner of McEwen Drive and Carothers Parkway TIMELINE: The project is currently stalled after a lending group foreclosed on about half of the land, previously owned by Georgia developer Stan Thomas. Thomas was slated to build the residential, retail and restaurant portions of the development, while Highwoods built the office space.

Much of the infrastructure, such as roads and stop lights, has already been installed, but Thom-

as’ company never started developing his portion of the land. The lending group is still trying to sell the property. Thomas’ company still owns a parcel of land on the south side of the development.

Highwoods Properties has already constructed the North American headquarters for Mars Petcare on the east side of the property. Senior Vice President Brian Reames said it will be hard for Highwoods to move forward without progress on the foreclosed lot.

“I think substantially that’s why there hasn’t been as much momentum,” he said. “Today, it’s not just a question of what’s going to be there. Everyone can see what was planned. But is that still feasible and if not, what will it be and when will it be?”

ACRES: 147 OFFICE SPACE: 1.4 million square feet RETAIL AND RESTAURANT SPACE: 450,000 HOTEL KEYS: 450 APARTMENTS: 950 TALLEST HEIGHT: 12 stories

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ATHLETE

Montgomery Bell Academy is a school where boys are taught the value of leadership and character; are equipped with the fundamental tools to succeed in the classroom and beyond; develop an appreciation for the effort required to achieve excellence; and form friendships that last a lifetime.

• 10 National Merit Semifinalists, 150 AP Scholars or higher in 2020.

• More than 100 boys per year participate in school-funded international exchanges and programs on six continents.

• 16 varsity sports competing at the highest level, including recent champions in lacrosse, tennis, soccer, and football.

• 70 different clubs and activities.

• • • • •

Nationally-recognized Art, Music, and Theater programs.

70% of faculty hold advanced degrees, including 16 doctorates.

22% of students receive $2.5 million in need-based financial aid.

One of the nation’s top debate programs.

27 Advanced Placement Courses offered.

montgomery bell academy

4001 HARDING ROAD • NASHVILLE, TN 37205 • WWW.MONTGOMERYBELL.EDU Montgomery Bell Academy does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, national or ethnic origin, disability, sex, or age, in its employment practices or in administration of its educational policies, admission policies, financial aid programs, athletic programs, or other school-administered programs.

®

WILLIAMSON COUNTY

Course Instruction: Finding the perfect place to golf in Williamson County

BY PAU L STA N L E Y

I

f you’re champing at the bit to hit the links in Williamson County, you’ll need to be armed with the latest information on area golf courses and where and how to secure a tee time.

Williamson County has several golf courses, albeit mostly private, that will challenge any swing and skill level.

Here’s a rundown on area golf courses:

Private Clubs Brentwood Country Club 5123 Country Club Drive Brentwood, 37027 (615) 373-2552 bcctn.org

Situated between Nashville and Franklin, and on the site of the former Midway mansion is the Brentwood Country Club. In addition to an 18-hole golf course, it includes a clubhouse, a full-service pro shop, dining room, driving range, men’s grill, swimming pool and fitness center.

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Memberships range from full golf to social memberships that include the use of all areas besides the golf course. Social members can also play golf as a guest up to six times each calendar year. The club has three full-time teaching professionals on staff.

Nashville Golf & Athletic Club 1703 Crockett Springs Trail Brentwood, 37027 (615)370-3346 ngac.net

Originally part of a 640-acre land grant of Andrew Crockett and established in 1979, Nashville Golf and Athletic Club fashions itself as more of a golf club than a country club. A long course at 7,563 yards and designed by course architects Bon Von Hagge and Bruce Devlin, the course’s signature par 3, number six hole was selected as one of the 18 greatest golf holes in the country by Sports Illustrated.

Given the club’s dedication to golf, no swimming or tennis facilities are offered. However, the club does house a full-service pro shop, locker

facilities, and indoor and outdoor dining areas.

Individual, family, junior, and corporate memberships are available.

Old Natchez Golf Club 115 Gardengate Drive Franklin, 37069 (615)373-3200 oldnatchezcc.com

Known as the area’s oldest continuously operating country club, Old Natchez is located just off Hillsboro Road, between Franklin and Brentwood. With a 30,000 square foot newly remodeled clubhouse, it’s by far the largest club facility in the area.

A traditional, full-service Country Club, one unique aspect is the six rubico clay tennis courts, four of which are lit for evening play. A junior Olympic-size swimming pool and covered pavilion offer members and guests plenty of space to soak up Middle Tennessee’s hot summer sun.

Other amenities include a state-of-the-art fitness room, a full-service pro shop, banquet

WILLIAMSON COUNTY

facilities, and plenty of activities for children. A variety of membership options are available, including full golf, limited golf, and sports.

Temple Hills Country Club

6376 Temple Road Franklin, 37069 (615)646-4785 clubcorp.com/Clubs/Temple-HillsCountry-Club Located in northern Williamson County, Temple Hills is a full-service, private club with 27-holes of golf. In addition to casual dining, the club has a swimming pool and outdoor hard courts for tennis.

A unique feature is three, 9-hole courses, and playing any two of the three provides golfers with a playable 6,800 yard, 18-hole round.

Temple Hills offers a range of membership that include local, national, and worldwide access to other clubs and events.

The Governors Club

9681 Concord Road Brentwood, 37027 (615)776-4234 thegovernorsclub.com/index.php Located on Concord Road in Brentwood, this Arnold Palmer Signature course is both scenic and challenging, playing 7,031 yards from the longest tees. Large custom homes dot the landscape around this course, which also contains two practice greens, a short-game area, and a full-length driving range.

The large clubhouse contains large dining areas, including two private dining rooms that can be reserved for an additional fee. Also available are the usual private club amenities such as a full-service pro shop, men’s and women’s locker rooms, a casual grill, and bar and resort-style swimming pool.

A members-only facility, memberships include full, corporate, senior, non-resident, and social.

Members also have access to preferred rates at the Pleasant Hill Mansion.

The Grove

6200 Wildings Blvd.

College Grove, 37046 (615)368-3044 groveliving.com/golf The only Greg Norman-designed golf course in Williamson County, The Grove takes private to another level, as membership is primarily available to homeowners in the development. Some non-resident memberships may be extended by invitation.

All homeowners within The Grove must choose between a sports or golf membership. With the exception of golfing privileges, the sports mem-

bership includes access to the clubhouse’s dining facilities, pool, tennis courts, fitness center and spa. Non-resident memberships are also available.

The course prides itself on keeping its course in superb playing condition and offers a complete pro shop as well as instruction from club professionals.

Vanderbilt Legends Club 1500 Legends Club Lane Franklin, 37069 (615)791-8100 vanderbiltlegendsclub.com

Williamson County’s only 36-hole golf course was designed by PGA Hall of Fame golf legend Tom Kite. It’s also the home course of the Vanderbilt Commodores men’s and women’s golf teams.

The 7,190-yard par 72 North Course wanders through some of Williamson County’s gorgeous fields and woods. The 7,100-yard, par 71 South Course takes you by the historic Roper’s Knob hillside and is equally challenging.

Both courses play host to several national, regional and state tournaments each year. A unique feature is their sprawling practice facilities, such as a double tee driving range and specified areas for putting, pitching, and chipping.

Although the club doesn’t offer swimming or tennis, the large clubhouse has an array of dining services. It is an excellent venue for weddings and other special events. Also available is a full-service pro shop and one of the region’s largest golf academies.

Westhaven Golf Club 4000 Golf Club Lane Franklin, 37064 (615)224-2994 golfwesthaven.com

Since opening in 2009, this Arthur Hills-designed 18-hole golf course has received numerous awards for its design and attention to detail. The par 72 course stretches 7,000 yards when measured from the championship tees and has remarkable natural character. Unlike many courses that are located near a residential community, no homes line the fairways, giving the course a rustic and rural feel.

A 10,500 square-foot clubhouse houses a full-service pro shop, indoor and outdoor bars (including an adult-only bar & grille), a 132-seat main dining room, and locker facilities.

Including the head professional, there are a total of five pros who can assist you with lessons from beginners to low-handicappers looking to hone their skills. The club is also known for its commitment to youth golf.

Memberships range anywhere from the use of all amenities to dining-only options. Living in the Westhaven community is not a requirement for membership.

Public Cheekwood Golf Club 285 Spence Creek Road Franklin, 37069 615 794-8223 cheekwoodgolfclub.com

Williamson County residents and visitors seeking public golf courses have a few options. Originally built as an executive 9-hole course, Cheekwood is planning to construct an additional 9-hole course, multi-purpose clubhouse, lighted driving range, and hiking trails.

Green fees range from $14 to $35 depending on age, time of day and whether you play 9 or 18 holes. Although a public course, monthly and yearly memberships are available.

Players should keep in mind that proper attire is required, which includes a collared shirt.

Jeans are allowed only during the winter months.

Franklin Bridge Golf Club 750 Riverview Franklin, 37064 (615) 794-9400 franklinbridgegolf.com

This 6,968 yard public course is located south of Franklin and runs along portions of the Harpeth River. Franklin Bridge, formally known as Forrest Crossing, also hosts many corporate outings and non-profit scrambles.

Green fees range from $27.95 to $56.95, depending on the time of the day and day of the week. However, junior golfers under the age of 17 can enjoy $9.00 and $18.00 rate, making this course an excellent location for youngsters to hone their skills. Tee times can be made up to seven days in advance.

To access additional information on other state and regional courses, you can contact the Tennessee Professional Golfers Association via their website at tennpga.com or at (615)790-7600.

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WILLIAMSON COUNTY

Playmaker: Former Franklin basketball coach Darrin Joines now leading county athletics

BY CO RY WO O D R O O F

I

n spring 2019, then-Franklin High School boys basketball coach Darrin Joines was standing at the pinnacle of his career.

He led one of the best all-around teams in FHS and Williamson County basketball history to the state tournament after a banner year, through one of the toughest districts in the state.

To Joines, it’s a job he could’ve done for a few more years and been happy with. But when a new challenge emerged, the longtime coach jumped at the opportunity.

In June 2019, he replaced Jeremy Qualls as the athletic director for Williamson County Schools.

“Really, I could have coached there a few more years and would have been happy doing

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so, but then this opportunity came up,” Joines said. “I couldn’t turn this down… because it’s such a great job.”

Joines is a longtime member of the athletic community in Middle Tennessee, going from a Kentucky degree to Beech High School in Hendersonville, Tenn. His first coaching job was assisting then-Beech girls coach Dennis Walker for four seasons. Then, he was elevated to coach the boys team at Beech, a role he held for 16 seasons. Three seasons at Franklin followed that before he made the move to the WCS main office.

He looks back fondly with his time at Franklin, a role he never thought he’d have after leaving the bench at Beech.

“I had the chance to get in this school system through that particular job,” Joines said of FHS. “Those three years, I felt like a kid again in a lot of ways or a young coach… I really felt rejuvenated being in that program... it’s pretty special to think you could take your last year that you ever coach and end it at the state tournament.”

In his current role, Joines is, effectively, the coach of all county athletic programs.

He’s all at once an advocate for Williamson’s many public athletics programs, a key administrative figure in decisions big and small, a top fan in the stands for any and all WillCo teams and a marketing force trying to spread the message for county schools in the community and beyond.

In the role, Joines also comes into contact with all of the county’s coaches, rather than just the ones he would compete against in boys basketball. The AD said he feels his experience on the sideline helps him to engage with the county’s various coaches.

“I need to be sort of a servant-leader for them,” Joines said. “Make sure that, you know, whatever they need help with, that I try to help them with.

Sometimes, that means just listening…having that experience as a coach, I think that helps. I get it. I get what they’re going through.”

Being an athletic director of an entire school system does give Joines the chance to do something he hadn’t done before and now enjoys doing: getting to sample the wide variety of premiere competition the county has to offer.

“No matter what school I was at, I always try to support the other sports and programs,” he said. “But you know, I wasn’t always at a school where those programs were the best programs in the league. So, for me to go out…and watch Brentwood and Ravenwood play volleyball, for example. That’s not something I would have ever gone and done, you know, if there was a regular season match between those great programs, and it’s just kind of fun to see the best athletes play and coaches who were the best work.”

To Joines, the future is bright in the county’s athletics just by looking at its past. He cites 2019 fall state winners like Brentwood volleyball, Ravenwood girls soccer, Nolensville volleyball and Franklin golf as examples of the county’s run in recent postseasons, among other success stories. He also says he’d like to see potential facility upgrades as part of that future for the county.

One of the words Joines used a few times to describe his role was marketing. A longtime marketing teacher, Joines said he wants to take that mentality into his work as the AD, to shine a light on the county’s successes and many student-athletes. And, to the longtime coach-turned-administrator, it’s not a hard program to market.

“It’s hard to promote something that’s not very good,” Joines said with a laugh. “So, the most exciting thing for me is how we perform… the product we have here is so good, it really is.”

WILLIAMSON COUNTY

Guiding you home in Williamson County As a local to Williamson County with a focus on buyers & relocation, let me show you all that our beautiful county has to offer.

PREPS IN A PANDEMIC

BY CO RY WO O D R O O F

W

hile as of press time sporting events are happening across the county, it almost wasn’t to be.

The journey to a fall season for Williamson County sports like football and girls soccer has been paved with uncertainty due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. The Tennessee Secondary Scholastic Athletic Association went back and forth over the summer on the right option for the state’s prep athletes in contact sports. Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee gave contact sports the green light in early August, paving the way for the TSSAA’s official go-ahead for its schools to compete.

The spring season was tough on many, with the pandemic’s opening months forcing baseball, softball, boys soccer, track and field and more to the sidelines permanently for that season. Fall sports

MAT T MAST E R S

seem to have avoided that fate for now, with capacity restrictions and mask and distancing mandates in place for those who wish to attend.

Already, we’ve seen the Brentwood and Brentwood Academy football teams clash for the first time in 18 years and Ravenwood football schedule the top-ranked IMG Academy. Some teams are taking advantage of the bizarre times we’re in, while others maintain they’re just happy to be playing altogether.

It could be different. Metro Nashville Public Schools is on an indefinite delay from starting its athletic seasons, and the threat of an inter-team breakout is always a lingering possibility until we have a readily distributable vaccine. Uncertainty is the name of the game right now for the area’s athletes, and many of them have maintained early into the season that they’re taking it a game at a time.

They won’t know if their fates will be like their spring sports colleagues, or if full seasons are in view. The one thing that you can count on: None of the county’s athletes are taking any of this for granted.

Cindy Wallace Affiliate Broker Accredited Buyer Representative M: 615.260.7582 O: 615.475.5616 cindy.wallace@compass.com

Cindy Wallace is a real estate licensee affiliated with Compass RE, a licensed real estate broker and abides by Equal Housing Opportunity laws.

BRENTWOOD

Brentwood: Then and Now

BY S U S A N T. L E AT H E R S

S

o much has changed in Brentwood, a once-quiet ‘burb that celebrated its 50th birthday in 2019. It’s easy to forget the “then” when there’s so much more “now” to enjoy and anticipate.

Less than 5,000 people called Brentwood home in 1970, a year after incorporation. That number almost doubled by the time the 1980 Census rolled around. Lured by great schools, beautiful landscapes and its close proximity to Nashville, the city continues to grow. In fact, close to 43,000 people were estimated to call Brentwood home in 2019.

The only thing we can predict with confidence about the highly anticipated 2020 Census is that the number of people living within the city’s 41-mile radius will exceed every U.S. Census before it. With the city’s golden birthday just past and the 2020 Census results ahead, let’s take a look at Brentwood Then and Now.

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DA L E S AW Y E R : CO U R T E SY O F N AS H V I L L E SYM P H O N Y; CO U RT E SY O F C I T Y O F B R E N T WO O D

BRENTWOOD

PLAY

SHOP

WORK OUT

T H E N : Crockett Park, nestled on 160 acres and accessible via foot or bicycle from almost every neighborhood east of I-65 via the city’s trail system, is still the crown jewel of the city’s amazing park system.

Even the restored Ravenswood Mansion, the centerpiece of the 400-acre Marcella Vivrette Smith Park, can’t compete with Crockett’s Eddy Arnold amphitheater, home to the annual Summer Concert Series and Fourth of July celebration.

T H E N : For years, Huff’s Grocery served “downtown” Brentwood (and was the original home to Puffy Muffin). Later, H.G. Hill Food Store, Kroger, Harris Teeter and Publix came to the market. Huff’s Harris Teeter and H.G. Hill are no more, but The Fresh Market brought with it a new vibe to food shopping when it took over the spot vacated by H.G. Hill in the early 2000s.

T H E N : For years, the Brentwood and Maryland Farms YMCAs reigned supreme for wellness and workouts, not to their mention indoor and outdoor swimming pools. The Indoor Sports Complex, a duel project of the city and Williamson County, opened in 2002, and with it the addition of indoor pools, indoor tennis courts, a fitness center and limited group meeting space. Sadly, the city’s trail system remained largely limited to areas east of I-65.

N OW: Though still years from opening, the city plans to develop a new 52-acre park on a portion of the historic Windy Hill Farm off of Old Smyrna Road. Yes, the as-yet-unnamed park is more “future” than “now,” but with available park land becomes scarcer each year, Brentwood’s investment makes sense. Coupled with the city’s unparalleled track record for park development, the results should be great.

N OW: In early 2020, big news came for local penny-pinchers: German-based grocer Aldi announced plans to open its first Brentwood store by year’s end. The new store is under construction beside Barnes & Noble at the corner of Moores and Mallory lanes in Cool Springs.

If you haven’t shopped at an Aldi, you’re in for a surprise. Its house brands have made fans of even the most discriminating shoppers.

EAT T H E N : For years, if you wanted a white tablecloth experience and a decent wine list, Wild Iris (now gone) and Mere Bulles were your best options. In the past 10 to 15 years, beginning with Local Taco, Brick’s Café, Jasmine Thai and Peter’s Sushi, the local food scene evolved. For chain-happy diners, however, the loss of O’Charley’s and Applebee’s hurt.

N OW: The advent of City Park, the “new” Hill Center Brentwood and redos at several long-established commercial centers have resulted in a profusion of high-end and casual restaurants, many with outdoor seating. Whether you want a grass-fed, hand-cut steak from Ludlow & Prime, newfangled biscuits at Maple Street Biscuit Company or Hawaiian sushi at The Poki, you can find it. Sweet treat options keep growing too.

Check out Peace Love and Tiny Donuts, Tiff’s Treats, Crumbl Cookies and Pies by Gigi, a new pie shop in Brentwood Place.

N OW: The profusion of workout gyms and studios of all descriptions is mindblowing, e.g., there are three ballet-inspired workout studios less than two miles from each other.

Water play rose to a new level in August 2020, with the opening of the city’s first Splash Park at the ISC, and a new 2,200 square foot group fitness center will soon follow there. Phase 1 of a new multi-use trail in Maryland Farms and the addition of bike lanes on Granny White Pike between Old Hickory Boulevard and Murray Lane gave west-side bikers reasons to celebrate too.

Of course, some things never change in Brentwood … or do they?

The city still holds true to its traditional one-acre residential zoning (with some “innovative plans’ thrown in for good measure).

Today, however, it seems there’s an unwritten rule that all new houses must be big, painted white and priced at $1.5 million and up. Locals will understand.

Susan T. Leathers co-founded the Home Page Media Group and served as its first editor.

Today she is a Brentwood-based freelance writer and public relations consultant.

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BRENTWOOD

From there, it’s time to shop. Here I offer two viable options: 1. Heart of Brentwood: Spend some quality time in Spruce (7028 Church Street East), Vignette (130 Wilson Pike Circle) and The Snooty Fox (149 Wilson Pike Circle) I love to browse all of these shops, where you’ll find unique home goods, accessories, furniture, gift items and more. When girlfriends visit from out of town, they always ask to head to Brentwood’s Town Center, where these shops reside.

A Girls Day Out in Brentwood

BY S U S A N T. L E AT H E R S

L

et’s get something straight from the start: I am not a girly girl. And though I wanted a daughter, I firmly believe God knew what he was doing when he gave me two boys.

I tell my husband daily how blessed he should feel that his bride of 34 years isn’t a shopper.

I don’t have a standing appointment at a nail salon and several times a year I beg my way into my favorite hair salon when my roots hit the one-inch mark. On the flip side, I do love a good massage and when it comes to coffee and/or cocktails, count me in.

When challenged to come up with the perfect “Girls Day Out” in Brentwood, I paused.

For a second. One second. Of course, I was up to the task. Let the research begin.

Because I love coffee — let’s talk pots, not cups a day — any Girls Day Out by myself or with friends must include a coffee stop, whether to kick it off, offer a mid-day respite or close it down. For me, that means Just Love coffee in City Park (7010 Executive Center Drive, Suite 106, Brentwood). I fell in love with its “justenough” industrial vibe right after it opened.

Though I tend to order a “dark roast house,” when I’m meeting a girlfriend or three, the toffee coffee latte (toffee nut, caramel and dark chocolate) is my go-to. I also love that almost every menu item arrives from the kitchen in the form of a waffle. How fun is that?

The Perch (117 Franklin Road) comes in a close second in the coffee category. Its sweet and savory crepes can’t be beat. And I’ve never been disappointed in the hot or cold coffee selections I’ve had. However, if your GDO group involves a crowd, you may have a challenge with seating.

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2. Hill Center Brentwood: Depending upon the amount of time and stamina you have; you can have lots of fun here. After walking or carpooling across Franklin Road from Just Love, I like to start at Katy’s Hallmark, which is so much more than a card store (241 Franklin Road.)

Heading north, next up is Pear Tree Avenue (237 Franklin Road), a fun and intriguing place where you can find something for anyone. Finally, it’s time to pop into Hot Pink (231 Franklin Road.) When my college friends visited last year, each one left with at least one pad of paper placemats. Check them out while you’re there. You may leave with a pad, or two, as well.

If lunch is on the agenda, Puffy Muffin, a stalwart of the original Hill Center, remains the quintessential ladies’ lunch spot. It doesn’t take reservations, so send one member of the party there a few minutes early to get your name on the list.

After lunch, it’s time to start the (planned in advance) pampering.

From Puffy Muffin, turn left and head up the stairs to the “new” Hill Center. Depending on the size, whims and age of your group, you can choose between massages at Hand & Stone (be sure to check out its introductory specials if you’ve never been), a blow out at The Dry Bar, or a facial or makeup consultation at The Cosmetic Market. If your group is large, divide and conquer, just make sure you make appointments for all in advance.

There’s no better way to wrap up your girl’s day than to meander over to Del Frisco’s (207 Franklin Road) to enjoy a glass of wine or a “big girl drink” at its bar or patio. Between 4 and 6:30 p.m. weekdays, its Sip & Share happy hour menu features a selection of discounted bites, cocktails, wine and spirits.

After a day of shopping and pampering, a $7 hand-crafted White Russian or Sea Breeze (depending upon the season) is the perfect way to wind up a day by yourself or with your girlfriends.

Then again, Jeni’s ice cream on a honeycomb waffle cone sounds good too. Oh, go ahead: do both!

MAT T MAST E R S

SPRING HILL

Spring Hill’s Top 5

BY A L E X A N D E R W I L L I S

1

Rippavilla Plantation

Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, Rippavilla Plantation is one of Spring Hill’s oldest and most iconic landmarks, and is a must-see for any Spring Hill visitor or resident. Originally constructed in 1855, the plantation has a litany of different events and offerings, including daily guided tours, field trips and family outings. The plantation also hosts a number of different annual events, including the Christian music fest Impact Festival in August, the Swanky Plank vintage and handmade market in July, as well as a Blues & Jazz festival in October.

2

Mockingbird Restaurant

Another representation of Spring Hill’s rich history predating the Civil War is the The Mockingbird Restaurant, a farmhouse turned restaurant that was also built in the 1850s.

Specializing in Southern-style food, the Mockingbird Restaurant features such favorites as its country fried steak, “Big River Cats” blue catfish and Mockingbird Bang Bang Shrimp. The restaurant also features a hearty cocktail, wine and beer menu, including such favorites as the Duck River Tonic and the Mockingbird Bijou.

Regular events are often held at the restaurant as well, such as the Spring Hill Farmer’s Market or its annual fish fry.

Much of the farmhouse itself has been preserved from its original construction, including the posts and wood trim on the front porch, as well as its front door.

3

Battle of Spring Hill

Another historical highlight of the city, the site of the Battle of Spring Hill, sits off of Kedron Road, just north of Saturn Parkway and is the site of an important precursor to the much more well-known Battle of Franklin.

Despite standing in the shadow of its Franklin counterpart, the Battle of Spring Hill was also notable in that it jumpstarted one of the worst disasters

ALEXANDER WILLIS

for the Confederate Army — the Battle of Franklin — solidifying the turning point of the Civil War in the Union Army’s favor after the Battle of Gettysburg.

The battle site itself sits on a hill, with a dirt pathway leading visitors to the top. Dotted along the trail are historical markers, with a restored cannon sitting atop the hill’s summit. Those who make it to the top are treated to gorgeous views of rolling hills and endless trees dotted all across the city and beyond.

4

The Fainting Goat

At The Fainting Goat coffee shop on Main Street across from the Tennessee Children’s Home, residents can be seen toiling away on their laptops, catching up with friends or just grabbing a coffee to go most days of the week.

Beyond the regular espressos and coffee offerings, The Fainting Goat also features a robust selection of foods, from the regular pastries and brownies to things like burritos. The coffee shop also has multiple rooms, some featuring more casual seating arrangements with couches, and a generously sized front and side patio with swinging and picnic style chairs.

5

Music Festivals

Spring Hill’s own Pickin’ in the Park — an annual music festival that runs once a month from May through September at Harvey Park — originally started in 2013. It draws hundreds to the sprawling greens of Harvey Park, all eager to see the new lineups of local musicians every month over the summer. Food trucks are almost always present as well, giving attendees something sweet or salty to snack on while enjoying a day of music, relaxation and fun.

Additionally, Spring Hill also hosts the Impact Festival and Blues & Jazz Festival, which are both held at the Rippavilla Plantation in August and October, respectively. And then there’s also the Music at the Mansion, a more laid back music festival held at the Rippavilla Plantation in July.

Davis House Child Advocacy Center

W I L L I A M S O N C O?U ? ?N?T Y

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44 NOLENSVILLE NOLENSVILLE MAYOR MAYOR

Who Represents You?

BY A L E X A N D E R W I L L I S 11 FRANKLIN FRANKLIN MAYOR MAYOR

KEN MOORE Ken Moore, a retired surgeon, was first elected mayor in 2011 after serving on the Board of Mayor and Aldermen since 2007. He has made mental health and infrastructure two of his key platforms. From continuing the city’s Sidewalk Policy that requires all new developments to construct sidewalks, to implementing a mental health taskforce to combat growing mental health concerns, Moore has played a huge role in developing Franklin’s bustling community.

Moore has also placed focus on creating an extremely business-friendly city.

22 BRENTWOOD BRENTWOOD MAYOR MAYOR

RHEA LITTLE Mayor of one of the wealthiest cities in the United States, Rhea Little was appointed mayor of Brentwood in 2019 after a highly contested run for the seat. First elected to the Brentwood City Commission in 2009, Little has served on a litany of boards, including the Tree and Park Boards, the Williamson County Convention & Visitors Bureau, as well as the Brentwood Cool Springs Chamber of Commerce.

33 SPRING SPRING HILL HILL MAYOR MAYOR

RICK GRAHAM First elected in 2013, Rick Graham has served as Spring Hill’s mayor during some of the city’s most transformative years. Graham helped secure a $25 million federal grant to help fund the upcoming I-65 interchange, to kickstarting major infrastructure projects such as the widening of Main Street, Duplex Road and Buckner Lane. His legacy may very well be — eventually — providing Spring Hillians with some long-awaited traffic relief. Beyond his contributions to the city’s infrastructure, Graham has helped set up long-term revenue sources for the city to achieve its road improvements through implementing increases on developer fees and property taxes.

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JIMMY ALEXANDER First elected in 2010 and now serving his third term, Jimmy Alexander has overseen the construction of a new Nolensville Town Hall, began the expansion of Sunset Road, and worked to preserve what he considers to be one of Nolensville’s most admirable traits: its small town feel. feel. Before Before being being elected elected as mayor, Alexander der was elected elected to the town Alderman Board in 2004, 2004, and and was elected elected for for a second second term term in 2008.

2008. Before Before his service to Nolensville, Alexander Metro Nashville government der served in the Metropolitan Government of of Nashville 42 years a member the Nashville forfor 42 years as a as member of theofcity’s city’s Planning Commission.

(Editor’s AlPlanning Commission.

(Editor’s note:note: Alexanexander’s upNolensville as Nolensville changed der’s termterm is upis as justjust changed its its town charter andwill willhold holdan anelection election shortly town charter and after this magazine goes to press.) press.)

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55 THOMPSON’S THOMPSON’S STATION STATION MAYOR MAYOR

COREY NAPIER

With a population size even smaller than Nolensville at just under 6,000, Thompson’s Station isn’t exactly known for its city-like hustle and bustle.

One thing the town’s mayor Corey Napier would like it to be known for, however, is being a “modern Mayberry.” Napier has constantly placed his idea of “controlled growth” on the forefront of the town’s agenda; from limiting building heights and materials, to maintaining a generous residence per acre ratio, Napier has called the town of Thompson’s Station the “oasis” of Williamson County. Beyond maintaining its small-town feel, Napier has also overseen the development of a new wastewater treatment plant, the expansion of Critz Lane, as well as the successful growth of its Christmas Chritsmas tree lightings, which have drawn hundreds from all across Middle Tennessee.

66 WILLIAMSON WILLIAMSON COUNTY COUNTY MAYOR MAYOR

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ROGERS ANDERSON Rogers Anderson has served in the Williamson County government for no less than 34 years; first acting as a county commissioner from 1986-2002, Anderson was elected county mayor in 2002, and is currently serving his fifth four-year term. Formerly working in the commercial insurance industry, Anderson has been a staple of the Williamson County community for decades, and has faced the county’s unprecedented growth head on. Anderson has campaigned on his fiscally conservative values, and routinely fought to keep the county’s taxes as low as possible. Anderson is also a strong proponent of supporting the county’s school district, which has been named by many publications as among the best in the country.

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