Days Gone By

Hayes House

PRESERVING & RESTORING WILLIAMSON COUNTY’S HARLINSDALE FARMHOUSE

Harlinsdale Farm has been called the most significant historic farm associated with the modern Tennessee Walking Horse industry. Now known as The Park at Harlinsdale Farm, much has changed but some remains the same. As people pass the property, the beautiful Main Barn stands out to many, but just off to the left of the Main Barn sits the modest Hayes House. The Hayes House was the historic Victorian farmhouse that long served as the anchor home for the Harlin family at Harlinsdale Farm. The family lived in the house until Harlin Hayes died in the 1980s. After the Hayes family moved out, the house served as a painting studio for the Harlin family. Once the Harlin family sold the property to the city for park land in 2005, the house sat vacant. In 2004, James H. Hayes completed a thirty-seven-page document telling the story of Harlinsdale’s history based on his own memories, his relatives and those who did business with the farm.

“When W.W. Harlin Sr. arrived in Nashville in 1909, the last thing on his mind was leaving a legacy in the horse business. Born in 1886 as the youngest of four children, Wirt Harlin had left his native Gamaliel, Kentucky, seeking to improve his prospects. His father was known to raise only quality livestock, including some of the finest saddle horses in the area. But, as a young man, Harlin quickly concluded that his future would not be found by tilling the soils of Monroe County, Kentucky, so he headed to Nashville,” writes James Harlin Hayes, son of Harlin Hayes.

“It was 1932 when Wirt began seriously looking at land near Franklin.” Then, “sometime in the early thirties, Harlin purchased a large tract and a dilapidated old house one mile north of Franklin. The house is now known as Jasmine Grove and sits at the head of Winslow Drive (formally known as Miles Manor). The farm property had fallen into receivership, and through the purchase, the nucleus of Harlinsdale Farm was formed,” said James Harlin Hayes.

Wirt’s first step in fulfilling his promise was to resurrect the old house and make it livable. Unfortunately, the building had fallen terribly, and pigeons roosted in the structure. Wirt realized he would need trusted help to put his plan together, so he convinced his young nephew, Harlin Hayes, to move from Gamaliel to Franklin to take over operations as farm manager. So, in the mid-1930s, Harlin Hayes and his family joined the farm, and lived in what is now known as the “Hayes House.” “I am the son of long-time Harlinsdale manager, Harlin Hayes. Born on the farm in 1940, I grew up on Harlinsdale and was immersed in the walking horse world from an early age. I always had a great interest in Harlinsdale and the role it and Midnight Sun played in the walking horse industry. Over the years, I interviewed many well known horsemen about their relationships with Harlinsdale. In addition, I spent many hours interviewing W.W Harlin Sr. and Harlin Hayes about the earliest days of Harlinsdale. Through those interviews and conversations with Bill Harlin, I have been able to fill in the blanks where my memories were unclear. After the death of Harlin Hayes in 1980 and W. W. Harlin Sr. shortly after, many urged me to write a history based on my own memories as well as those of my kinsmen and those who did business over the years with Harlinsdale. This history is the result of those requests.”

From the 1940s until the early 2000s, the farm served mainly as a breeding operation run by the Harlin Family. In 2007, the City of Franklin opened the 200-acre Harlinsdale Farm as a passive park for the community’s enjoyment. Today, Friends of Franklin Parks has committed to raising $750,000 by working with the City of Franklin on the complete restoration of this historic treasure. Once restored, the Hayes House and event lawn will offer rental space for weddings, arts festivals, non-profit fundraisers, corporate events, and more, and provide the platform and space for educational opportunities about Harlinsdale Farm, agriculture and equestrian history. Learn more at friendsoffranklinparks.org.

BY MISTY WOODFORD

I am Misty Woodford, the current President of Williamson County Association of REALTORS®. I am proud to be a third-generation REALTOR®, a friend and mentor who walks alongside clients in purchasing their largest financial asset, but more importantly, the place they build their hopes, love and dreams.

I am also the widow of a residential contractor and fellow REALTOR®, Jeff Woodford, with JPWoodford & Co. We have helped people buy and sell many homes in the area and hung drywall, painted and remodeled even more of them. I live in South Franklin near Berry Farms with my kids, Lexi Kate and Sam, and dogs, Bentley and Cutie. I love living in this area because of the rolling hills and gorgeous sunsets I see off my front porch at night. Yet, being less than five minutes from my favorite clothing boutique, the best Tito’s margaritas and the interstate provide us with many of the conveniences we appreciate. I was born and raised in Kentucky, but my heart has absolutely found its home in Franklin.

A letter from the President of...

THE WILLIAMSON COUNTY ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS

I began my career in Tennessee residential real estate in 2007 after having my first child. Having a background in real estate, a love for investing in people and my husband owning a construction company, it was a natural progression. Once my kids were settled into school, I began diving into real estate full time and became involved in the Williamson County Association of REALTORS®(WCAR).

WCAR is essentially a trade association for those who work in real estate in the area. REALTORS® must be members of a local association, agree to adhere to a Code of Ethics and invest in their continuing development. Many consumers do not often realize that most agents are about far more than selling houses. We are passionate philanthropists, involved in multiple aspects of our community, and generous in supporting the arts, school programs, animal shelters and charity organizations across the country. Through our Realtor Good Works Foundation, which is the charitable arm of WCAR, we raise over $20,000 each year in scholarships for local high school students. We are also active community advocates involved in our local government and advocacy efforts.

WCAR is essential to the community because we support what makes Williamson County the best place to live. We are fighting for the private property rights of our neighbors daily. We are staying informed on what is going on with our local municipalities, county, state and nation regarding land development and restrictions, taxation and other legislation that may affect homeowners.

You may have noticed people moving to Williamson County and the Nashville area in droves. Why? Because the best-kept secret in the world got out. Not only is this a beautiful part of the country, but it is also a fabulous place to live and work. All of the inward migration has created an exciting housing market with the average home sale price in Williamson County staying above the $1 million mark this year. But, as the country talks of inflation and tanking markets, what can we expect to happen here? Take a breath, folks. We are going to be okay. Is normalization happening in our industry? Yes. Are current interest rates affecting consumers’ ability to purchase? Of course. But, it is not time to panic. A balanced real estate market is considered to have a four to six-month supply of inventory. Williamson County has just under a two-month supply, creating a significant inventory shortage. Although we have seen average sales price increases yearly by over twenty percent, even a considerable slow down still makes real estate a wise investment. We still have very stable industries, favorable tax structures, a financially stable local and state government, and the best school system in the state, all of which provide buffers for the housing market.

I am speaking for myself and over seventy-five percent of the 3,200 REALTORS® in Williamson County when I say we are not selling houses to earn big commission checks. Instead, we are investing in the lives of our clients, sometimes showing hundreds of properties over a series of years to find that one special place that meets the needs of the client we love as part of our family. We work a flexible job so we can commit to serving on boards and in organizations outside our day job to help make this community a place we all want to live and work. It is more than houses. It is helping you find a home. And, we are blessed to walk in your journey and get compensated to do so.

“A house is made with walls and beams; a home is built with love and dreams.” - Ralph Waldo Emerson

MAKE THE PILGRIMAGE

YOUR GUIDE TO THE 2022 PILGRIMAGE FESTIVAL

Pilgrimage Music & Cultural Festival is gearing up for its eighth year at The Park at Harlinsdale Farm this September 24th and 25th. The wide-ranging event is a celebration of arts and culture featuring dozens of diverse musical acts performed across five stages. Founded by Better Than Ezra singer and Franklin residents Kevin Griffin, W. Brandt Wood and Michael Whelan, Pilgrimage is dedicated to supporting local creators of all kinds, including chefs, artisans, jewelers, brewers and more. Beyond music, Pilgrimage Festival features historic music cities sharing their stories.

Committed to making a year-round impact and being a driving force in bringing tourism to Williamson County, the festival has a direct partnership with the Recording Academy’s nonprofit MusiCares. They will be donating a portion of every ticket sale to help members of the music community in need and Friends of Franklin Parks, which leads fundraising and preservation efforts at The Park at Harlinsdale Farm. Additional nonprofit partners include community organizations: The Heritage Foundation, High Hopes Development Center, BrightStone, GraceWorks Ministries and Mercy Community Healthcare.

Plan your Saturday and Sunday to #MakeThePilgrimage with our Pilgrimage guide and highlights not to miss. To learn more about the Pilgrimage Music & Cultural Festival and purchase tickets, go to pilgrimagefestival.com.

MORE THAN THE MUSIC AMERICANA MUSIC TRIANGLE EXPERIENCE At the Americana Music Triangle Experience, the South’s most historic music cities will gather under the big top to tell amazing stories of their formative music heritage. Under a backdrop created by American Pickers and Antique Archaeology there are relics, church pews, a historic photo wall, exhibits, farm tables and more depicting the living history of American Music and one-of-a-kind stops along the Gold Record Road.

MAKERS VILLAGE The festival marketplace featuring a curated cast of southern makers: local artisans; jewelers; tinkerers; and craftsman selling their wares in the tradition of a small town market.

FARM-TO-TURNTABLE The South’s best food truck park located in the South Paddock boasting a huge horseshoe of sixteen of middle Tennessee’s best food trucks. There are shaded picnic tables at center court, and of course, Grillix, our blow up DJ working the vinyl grill with his own unique tastytechno selections. Farm-to-Turntable also features a full bar run with all festival libations represented, plus some unique to “The Table.”

LIL’ PILGRIMS FAMILY STAGE This now famous area entertains kids of all ages and boasts singing pirates, a pirate play ship, a series of interactive craft workshops and the Mare Barn Theater with puppet shows, kids participation-based activities and more.

ART BARN This barn is the most historic piece of architecture at Harlinsdale Farm and beloved home of Midnight Sun and other famed horses is the Art Barn. For our weekend, the Art Barn serves as the festival art gallery with dozens of artists hanging works for your enjoyment and for sale.

CRAFT BEER HALL A beer lover’s dream, located under a giant tent and featuring eight of the Asheville, North Carolinabased Wicked Weed Brewing’s most popular and seasonal beers, plus several local and regional brews on draft. Guests can get their sip on while catching the NCAA and Nation Football League (NFL) programming on the LED screens all weekend long.

COMMUNITY VILLAGE The Pilgrimage Community Village showcases local organizations whose mission is to nurture, invest and develop opportunities for need-based citizens and to support education, parks and healthy ecosystems in the county.

PILGRIMAGE CUISINE Over forty local and regional restaurants and cafes – featuring everything from oyster po-boys, wood fired pizza and thai rice bowls to specialty coffees, juice bars and smoothie counters.

PILGRIMAGE BEVERAGES AND LIBATIONS Pilgrimage offers a range of specialty drinks, frozen concoctions, craft beers, spirits and wines. Also located throughout the festival are plenty of water and misting stations, soft drinks and non-alcoholic specialties to suit every festival goer’s thirst.

HEALTH & SAFETY EMERGENCY PROCEDURE In the event of an emergency, please follow the directions of Pilgrimage Festival staff and listen for stage announcements.

LOST CHILD STATIONS There is a Lost Child Station at the main Information Booth on the Festival Grounds. Information booths are shown on our attendee map.

MEDICAL There are two medical tents located inside the festival grounds. Please refer to your attendee map to familiarize yourself with these locations. Medical tents are marked with red flags and can be easily identified on-site. Do not hesitate to visit our medical tents if you experience any health problems. Stay hydrated!

ENTRY & RE-ENTRY PROCEDURE Patrons will be allowed exit and re-entry privileges. Entrance into the entertainment area is controlled by security, festival and ticketing personnel. All entrants must wear a valid event wristband. All entrants are subject to a pat down, wanding and bag search upon entering the entertainment area. Pilgrimage Music & Cultural Festival reserves the right to search all people and property to ensure the security of all attendees. Patrons must scan their wristband when exiting the festival if they wish to re-enter that same day.

SATURDAY 9/24

BRANDI CARLILE • JON BATISTE LAKE STREET DIVE • LENNON STELLA DAWES • BETTER THAN EZRA

AND MANY MORE

SUNDAY 9/25

CHRIS STAPLETON • THE AVETT BROTHERS ELLE KING • TRAMPLED BY TURTLES MARTY STUART • MOLLY TUTTLE & GOLDEN HIGHWAY

AND MANY MORE