Future of the History, Part II: After 15 minutes of fame, officials focus on bringing visitors back for more
By Mindy Tate, Editor
mtate@williamsonherald.com
Franklin’s 15 minutes of fame from the Reinternment of its Unknown Soldier may have passed, but that doesn’t mean the spotlight has been turned off as scores of passionate preservationists invaded the county this week as part of the National Trust for Historic Preservation meeting in Nashville.
The tours over three days to Williamson County sold out quickly, with two different groups coming to town on Tuesday, including a group focused on the African American experience in Franklin. The word from those who visited the area? They will be back and they will be bringing their friends, meaning organizations and officials who are looking for new and expanded ways to draw more tourists to Franklin and Williamson County better get busy.
Dollars talk
Historic sites like Carnton Plantation report continued growth in the number of visitors touring the site, with the number almost doubling in the last five years. And just a month or so ago, the boards of The Carter House and The Historic Carnton Plantation entered into a joint venture to manage the operation of Franklin’s two key Civil War sites in an effort to better coordinate heritage tourism.
The Battle of Franklin Trust is the new nonprofit whose board is comprised of comprised of five board members from each joint venture partner plus an additional director without affiliation to either.
This strategic alliance is seen as a way to greatly enhance the visitor experience by offering such things as comprehensive battlefield tours, combination tickets and seamless integration with other battlefield sites. The interpretive approaches to the sites will be preserved by the two boards that continue in their role as fiduciaries of their respective associations, according to Battle of Franklin Trust Board Chairman Marianne Schroer.
“Together, The Carter House and Historic Carnton Plantation will have a more powerful significance,” she said. “This venture has the potential of joining the ranks of Gettysburg, Richmond and Charleston as more local battle sites are reclaimed for public access by such groups as the city of Franklin, The Heritage Foundation and Franklin’s Charge.”
Julian Bibb III, co-founder of Franklin’s Charge, sees Williamson County at a unique crossroads.
“Franklin is in the midst of a revolutionary approach to heritage tourism and the results thus far have been overwhelming. Those results also portend an exciting future filled with opportunities,” Bibb said. “Remarkably, this revolutionary approach to heritage tourism has also spilled over to Leiper's Fork, Thompson's Station, and Spring Hill. Never have the prospects for heritage tourism in Williamson County been so bright.
It is not a magic pill or an overnight transformation, Bibb said.
“The revolution stems from the fact that three significant parts of our community have come together to build a platform for successful tourism experiences: preservationists, the private sector that provides hotel and retail experiences for tourists, and government.
“At present, tourism experiences are aimed at the unique history, beautiful landscapes, and one-of-a-kind rich historic sites that make up our county,” Bibb said. “Nestled between the Natchez Trace, the National Civil War Trails Program, and the Tennessee Trails program, our community invites a diverse brand of heritage tourism to come see what we have.”
Bibb said that diverse brand includes Native American sites, African American history, but the leading source of tourism in the county remains “the rich depiction of the American Civil War.”
“Tens of thousands of tourists are visiting our county and all of the region's tourism experts predict that we are only at the beginning of a heritage tourist explosion,” Bibb said.
Walking the talk
Whether in town for the Reinternment of Franklin’s Unknown Civil War Soldier or one of the Trust tours, most said Franklin’s reputation, at least in the preservation community, is one of walking the talk.
Michelle Meche, executive director of the Louisiana Trust for Historic Preservation, had visited Franklin before, but the tour she took Tuesday took her deeper and made her desire to return even greater.
“I have been visiting in Nashville and had to come down to Franklin because it is such a great historic town,” Meche said Tuesday. “I think it is fairly well-known (in preservation circles). The National Trust named it one of its Dozen Distinctive Destinations this year. The preservation aspect may not be as well known … with the regular joe.
“You walk a very fine line in whether you want to promote it as a tourism destination or you want to promote it as a preservation destination, but you can meld the two,” Meche said.
For Frazine Taylor of Wetumpka, Ala., taking a Trust tour Tuesday of Franklin was a must on her list of things to do.
“I wanted to see how the community evolved. I’ve never heard much about this part of Tennessee, but I understand it has
changed – there are so many big houses and they are so expensive,” she said Tuesday. “I wanted to see how the Natchez Street area has been able to keep their culture and their heritage and their houses. There appears to be a group of people who are very much involved in preservation. It is very important to look at the environment, know who the people were who built it. It’s because of those people – their background, their community and their beliefs – that played an important part in developing the community.
“Oh yes – I will be back,” Taylor said. “I very much want to take more time to really see the area.”
Montgomery, Ala., has a rich African American history, but Dorothy Walker wanted to see how other people preserved what existed in their communities.
“Coming from the area I am from, there is a lot of African American history – it’s always good to go to other places and compare what they have done to preserve the heritage, the architecture and the way of life,” Walker said. “I can compare Franklin to Selma and Montgomery where there was a lot of history made. There is a lot of similar architecture.
“But what amazes me the most is to see what the community has been able to achieve themselves. People in my area are waiting for others to come in and do it for them. I’d love to come back and bring people from Alabama to see what can be achieved within the community,” Walker said.
Former Franklin historic preservation officer Shanon Wasielewski was in town from her new position in a similar role in San Antonio, Texas, for the Unknown Soldier burial and the Trust conference and said the city is continuing to evolve.
“Honestly, I think Franklin is doing so much right,” Wasielewski said. “You don’t realize it when you are so close that there are so many things Franklin is already doing that other communities are just kind of figuring out. I think the sophistication of advocacy in Franklin and some of the wins we have had in open space conservation and historic zoning, even though there were battles, ultimately I think the community gets that is what makes us special.”
Having been gone now a year, but active in the Trust, she said people are impressed with Franklin for a variety of reasons.
“They are impressed by how much is intact and how much it feels like such a special place. Also, just the variety of things there are to offer. Obviously you have the Civil War things, but then Harlinsdale. How fantastic is it that you have a horse farm right by downtown and then a vibrant Main Street, the courthouse building downtown. Just all those things that keep a community alive. A lot of communities are excited to have one of those wins and Franklin has had a whole list of them. It is definitely a model,” Wasielewski said.
Williamson County Convention & Visitors Bureau Director Mark Shore said it is imperative Franklin and Williamson County maintain their “unique sense of place.”
“Unique sense of place can only be maintained by developing, preserving and expanding our tourism product in a manner that remains consistent with the image and brand of the destination. The Downtown Franklin Historic District has recently been designated one of the 10 Great Neighborhoods for 2009 by American Planning Association 's Great Places in America program,” Shore said.
“This is recognition for the hard work our community puts into preservation and planning but we cannot rest on past success. Our locally owned businesses need the support of residents and visitors alike to achieve economic vitality and to foster the protection of our unique sense of place,” Shore said.
Posted on: 10/15/2009
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