Carter House
Encyclopedia
The Carter House is a historic house at 1140 Columbia Avenue in Franklin, Tennessee
. In that house, the Carter family along with neighbors and servants hid in the basement waiting for the second Battle of Franklin
to end. It is a Tennessee state historic site, and it is a contributing property
and centerpiece of the Franklin Battlefield
, a U.S. National Historic Landmark
historic district.
Fountain Branch Carter completed construction of the house in 1830. The federal style brick farm house was accompanied by several other outbuildings such as the farm office, smokehouse, kitchen, and the largest cotton gin in Williamson County. Though the cotton gin no longer stands, the house and the other three buildings are still intact and illustrate the horror of the Civil War battle with over a thousand bullet holes still visible.
The Carter House played a very important role in the Second Battle of Franklin. Prior to the fight, the house was used as Federal headquarters and the breastworks were set up just south of the farm office and smokehouse. After the battle it was used as field hospital aiding both Federal and Confederate wounded.
The middle son of Fountain Branch Carter, Tod Carter, was mortally wounded in the battle. He was still alive the morning after the battle when he was found and brought to the house. There he lived for several more hours, surrounded by his distraught family. Tod Carter died of his wounds December 2, 1864, and was buried that day in Rest Haven Cemetery just north of town. He came home for the first time in over three years when he fought at the Battle of Franklin in the 20th Tennessee Infantry. The room where Tod Carter died is one of the highlights of the guided tour of the home today.
Tours of the Carter House and grounds are available daily and include a video about the Battle of Franklin as well as a museum with artifacts relating to the site. The State of Tennessee owns the house, and the site is administered in partnership with the Tennessee Historical Commission by the Battle of Franklin Trust, a non-profit organization that also oversees Carnton Plantation.
Franklin, Tennessee
Franklin is a city within and the county seat of Williamson County, Tennessee, United States. The population was 62,487 as of the 2010 census Franklin is located approximately south of downtown Nashville.-History:...
. In that house, the Carter family along with neighbors and servants hid in the basement waiting for the second Battle of Franklin
Battle of Franklin II
The Battle of Franklin was fought on November 30, 1864, at Franklin, Tennessee, as part of the Franklin-Nashville Campaign of the American Civil War. It was one of the worst disasters of the war for the Confederate States Army. Confederate Lt. Gen. John Bell Hood's Army of Tennessee conducted...
to end. It is a Tennessee state historic site, and it is a contributing property
Contributing property
In the law regulating historic districts in the United States, a contributing resource or contributing property is any building, structure, or object which adds to the historical integrity or architectural qualities that make the historic district, listed locally or federally, significant...
and centerpiece of the Franklin Battlefield
Franklin Battlefield
Franklin Battlefield was the site of the Second Battle of Franklin, which occurred late in the American Civil War. It is located in the southern part of Franklin, Tennessee, on U.S. 31. It was declared a National Historic Landmark in 1960....
, a U.S. National Historic Landmark
National Historic Landmark
A National Historic Landmark is a building, site, structure, object, or district, that is officially recognized by the United States government for its historical significance...
historic district.
Fountain Branch Carter completed construction of the house in 1830. The federal style brick farm house was accompanied by several other outbuildings such as the farm office, smokehouse, kitchen, and the largest cotton gin in Williamson County. Though the cotton gin no longer stands, the house and the other three buildings are still intact and illustrate the horror of the Civil War battle with over a thousand bullet holes still visible.
The Carter House played a very important role in the Second Battle of Franklin. Prior to the fight, the house was used as Federal headquarters and the breastworks were set up just south of the farm office and smokehouse. After the battle it was used as field hospital aiding both Federal and Confederate wounded.
The middle son of Fountain Branch Carter, Tod Carter, was mortally wounded in the battle. He was still alive the morning after the battle when he was found and brought to the house. There he lived for several more hours, surrounded by his distraught family. Tod Carter died of his wounds December 2, 1864, and was buried that day in Rest Haven Cemetery just north of town. He came home for the first time in over three years when he fought at the Battle of Franklin in the 20th Tennessee Infantry. The room where Tod Carter died is one of the highlights of the guided tour of the home today.
Tours of the Carter House and grounds are available daily and include a video about the Battle of Franklin as well as a museum with artifacts relating to the site. The State of Tennessee owns the house, and the site is administered in partnership with the Tennessee Historical Commission by the Battle of Franklin Trust, a non-profit organization that also oversees Carnton Plantation.