"Fighting Through Green Hills and the Compton Farm during the Battle of Nashville" will be presented by Doug Jones and Jim Kay on Nov. 6, 2008 at 7 p.m. at the Covenant Presbyterian Church, 33 Burton Hills Blvd.

Legacy of Stones River Symposium:  Pathways to Freedom

The fifth Legacy of Stones River Symposium will take place in Murfreesboro, Tennessee, on Saturday, October 18, 2008, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.  Held at the Rutherford County Courthouse in the morning and at Stones River National Battlefield in the afternoon, “Pathways to Freedom” will take a fresh look at wartime emancipation through the experiences of men and women who were enslaved, Union officers and soldiers, and civilians.  The symposium is coordinated by the Tennessee Civil War National Heritage Area and Stones River National Battlefield.

The morning’s speakers will be Barbara J. Fields of Columbia University, William W. Freehling of the Virginia Foundation for the Humanities, and Robert E. Hunt of Middle Tennessee State University.  Music will be provided by the Nashville Old-Time String Band.  In the afternoon, re-enactors portraying members of the Thirteenth U.S. Colored Infantry will drill at Fortress Rosecrans, and a tour will be provided of the Cemetery community near Stones River National Battlefield.

Registration is $10.  For more information, visit http://www.nps.gov/stri or http://histpres.mtsu.edu/tncivwar, or call 615-893-9501 or 615-898-2947.

Lotz House Museum to Open in Franklin, Tenn.

J.T. Thompson announced he will open the Lotz House, located at 1111 Columbia Avenue, as a Civil War house museum in Historic Franklin, Tenn. on Thursday, October 30.

The Lotz House, which has been on the National Historic Register since 1976, is located in the heart of downtown historic Franklin, Tennessee at “ground zero” of the Battle of Franklin which was a pivotal battle in the Civil War on November 30, 1864.

J.T. Thompson serves as Executive Director of the Lotz House and the Lotz House Foundation which is a 501 c 3 organization. He is currently a member of the Board of Directors of The Carter House and serves on the Task Force for the Mayor of Franklin, Tennessee.

In making the announcement, Thompson said, “This has been a dream of mine for many years to both preserve this beautiful and historic home while using it as a backdrop to showcase our collection of antiques and decorative arts. I look forward to sharing the many colorful and historic stories of the house as well as that of the antiques and fine arts that are on display. When guests leave the Lotz House, it is my hope they will have a better understanding and appreciation for our history – which gives us the lives we lead today.”

Wendell Garrett, editor at large at The Magazine Antiques said, “This collection of antiques is by far the finest private collection of American Victorian Furniture in the Southeast.”

Thompson added, “The Lotz House is the perfect complimentary companion to the historic Carter House, Historic Carnton Plantation and the McGavock Confederate Cemetery. It takes only 110 short steps to walk from the front door of the Lotz House to the front door of the Carter House located directly across the street, and Carnton is just one mile away.”

Third Annual Anniversary of the Battle of Franklin

The City of Franklin Battlefield Task Force of Franklin, Tenn., announced today the Battle of Franklin Commemorative Illumination will be held on Sunday, November 30th, the anniversary of the Battle of Franklin in 1864.

In making the announcement, Interim Planning Director Shanon Peterson Wasielewski said, “This year’s commemorative event is unique because it will be held on Columbia Avenue in front of the Carter House and the Assault at the Cotton Gin site. In addition to the lighting of 10,000 luminaries representing the casualties of the battle that day, we are planning a series of related events in the community leading up to the anniversary to illustrate the magnitude of this significant moment in history.”

The event will be held at 4:45 p.m. on Columbia Avenue in front of the Carter House and is free to the public. The ceremony will include comments from acclaimed historian/author, Eric Jacobson.

Following the lighting of the candles, Olde Towne Brass, a period band, will perform a musical tribute to the troops who fought in the Battle of Franklin. Half of the band will portray the Union and half the Confederacy. Each will perform separately and then come together for additional tributes to signify the coming together of the north and the south following the Civil War.

In addition to the commemorative illumination, many activities are planned throughout the month related to the anniversary of the battle at local historic sites such as the Carter House and the Carnton Plantation. Replica hospital flags issued by the City of Franklin will be flown at sites throughout the city known to have served as hospitals during and after the battle.

Volunteers and sponsors are needed. The Battlefield Task Force is seeking “100 for 100.” “We need 100 groups or individuals to volunteer to place, light and clean up 100 of the luminaries. This is a great way for individuals, families, clubs and other groups to be a part of this special commemoration event,” Wasielewski explained. Volunteers will also be needed to assemble the luminaries during the week leading up to the event.

For additional information or to volunteer please call Amanda Hall at historicpreservation@franklin-gov.com or (615) 550-6737 or visit the City’s website at www.franklintn.gov.

See also Announcement on PDF.