Summer is approaching fast, but while the residents of Williamson County are getting ready for some fun in the sun, the Williamson County Public Library System (WCPLS) is busy planning some awesome summertime adventures at your local library! This year’s summer library program at WCPLS allows for children, teens, and adults of all ages to […]
December 6, 2023 will be the twentieth anniversary of the Main Library in Franklin facility’s location at 1314 Columbia Ave. What started out as a small collection of books donated to the local American Legion Post at the Masonic Hall has become a library system encompassing five branches with a 50,225 square feet main location.
These humble beginnings officially began in 1937 when the American Legion and the Business and Professional Women’s Club joined forces and opened an experimental public library in a fifteen by twenty square foot room in the Post Hotel located on the Square. On June 29, the library opened to the public after several months of public fundraising within the community. Will Reese Mullens borrowed the first book.
The history of our library is a history of moves as the library consistently proved more successful than planners could imagine. In 1939, we moved to the Old Bank Building on the Public Square with a full-time librarian. However, not even ten years later, after World War II, the library rebranded itself as the War Memorial Public Library. With the rebranding came a new building. The library purchased the German House (211 Fair Street, now noted as 123 Fifth Ave N) and moved in January 1949. The library did not initially fill all of the rooms in the German House – several rooms were rented out to finance the mortgage on the building and renovations, but that reality would not last for long. While the library began opening branches at Fairview and Brentwood (no longer a branch associated with the Williamson County Public Library System), the library in Franklin was outgrowing its space. A new building was built to house the War Memorial Public Library in the 1970s at Five Points, 611 West Main Street.
West Main Street was this library’s home for almost thirty years. Across the street at the Five Points Post Office, the library had a vacation home in the form of the infantile Genealogy Department located in a back room in the building. Here, the library was incorporated as a county entity instead of a nonprofit in 1996. This marriage also came with a name change from the War Memorial Public Library to the Williamson County Public Library. Two years later, WCPL entered the digital age. The card catalog disappeared to be replaced with the OPAC (online public access catalog) system.
Staff worked to digitize the circulation system, and the Library Board of Trustees set out to begin searching for a new home for the ever-growing library. The new public library building fell in broader conversations about the growth of Williamson County and the revitalization of Downtown Franklin. Several sites were proposed: near the police station along Columbia Avenue, beside the Rec Center at Mack Hatcher and Hillsboro, and on Church Street between 1st and 2nd Avenue. However, in 2000, the old BGA campus south of the Carter House found itself in the running. It was on the Franklin Battlefield, but it had the appropriate size for future county projects in addition to the library. The decision was finalized in June 2001, and the county broke ground in May 2002.
The decision was finalized in June 2001, and the county broke ground in May 2002.
The new library building was the crowning achievement of the Library Director Janice Keck. Keck, who served as director from 1979 until her death in 2011. She worked diligently to bring the library system into the twenty-first century and to expand the library’s services across the county. Her work brought more branches into the library system—opening Nolensville, Leiper’s Fork, Bethesda and College Grove branches, and moving the Fairview Library. Keck connected the library to the community by bringing the Imagination Library, Passport to the World, and ALA exhibit programs to the library.
Columbia Avenue became the home of the Main Branch on December 6, 2003. This building saw a Smithsonian Exhibit in 2004 with the Key Ingredients: America by Food thanks to the Natchez Place organizers Pearl Bransford and Thelma Battle. The library hosted the Janice Keck Literary Awards in 2014, in honor of late director Janice Keck, to support and honor local authors in Williamson County. The Reference Department refurbished the computer center and opened a new Learning Center under Director Dolores Greenwald. This facility saw the shutdowns of the COVID-19 pandemic that had us all operating from home, the Children’s and Reference Department offering virtual story times and programs plus the Circulation Department implementing a Holds-To-Go library service. After the pandemic, the new Director, Jessica Jeffers came aboard in September 2022 and continues to move the library forward with outreach initiatives and new services such as the Children’s Department’s new Discover, Learn, Play Room.
As we gather on September 28th to celebrate these twenty years on Columbia Avenue, we honor the support that keeps our books circulating, our collections growing, and our library system and services expanding. Thank you for twenty years here, and here’s to many more serving the literary and civic needs of ‘America’s Greatest County.’
Join the Library Board of Trustees as we recognize serving this community from this building for 20 years!
The anniversary celebration will be in the second floor rotunda on Thursday, September 28, from 3:30 – 5:30 p.m. Williamson County Mayor Rogers Anderson will make a special proclamation at 4 p.m. Refreshments will be served. This event is sponsored by the Friends of the Williamson County Public Library.
WCPLtn: Discover Learn Succeed
The Williamson County Public Library is located in downtown Franklin at 1314 Columbia Avenue.
All library programs are free and open to the public. Learn more about this event or other library programs and services by calling 615-595-1243, extension 1, or by visiting the library’s website at http://wcpltn.org. The library e-newsletter provides library news about programs like this and more. Sign up to receive it via email.
Photos, screenshots, and videos may be taken at library events and activities for library use and publicity. Anyone not wanting to have their photo taken should notify library staff at the time of the event or activity.
The National Genealogical Society (NGS) announced their 2023 SLAM! Idea Showcase results on May 26, 2023. Their event highlights creative or innovative projects and programs by societies, libraries, archives, museums, and other organizations. We are excited to announce that the Special Collections Department at the Main Library in Franklin’s submission was selected as one of the NGS’s two winners!
Genealogical Society of Kendall County Texas – “May Fest 2022”
As one of the two winners, the Special Collections Departments is receiving a $250 prize. The Williamson County Public Library extends it’s gratitude to the NGS, their 2023 SLAM! Idea Showcase Committee, and the award sponsors Ancestry, Family Tree Maker, and VIVID-PIX for helping make this award possible and their recognition of the Special Collections Department’s project.
The Williamson County Public Library is located in downtown Franklin at 1314 Columbia Avenue. The Special Collections Department is located on the second floor.
All library programs are free and open to the public. Learn more about this event or other library programs and services by calling 615-595-1243, extension 1, or by visiting the library’s website at http://wcpltn.org. The library e-newsletter provides library news about programs like this and more. Sign up to receive it via email.
Williamson County Historian Rick Warwick will introduce his new book, Four Blocks on Franklin’s Main Street, on Tuesday, May 30, at 4 p.m.
Come enjoy a trip down Memory Lane with our long-term Franklinites and an interesting history lesson for newcomers. The talk is a virtual walking tour down Main Street using period photographs of our historic buildings and images of the people who kept the businesses open.
The views expressed in this program are of those of the presenter(s) and do not necessarily reflect the official policy, position, or opinions of the Williamson County Public Library System.
WCPLtn: Discover Learn Succeed
The Williamson County Public Library is located in downtown Franklin at 1314 Columbia Avenue.
All library programs are free and open to the public. Learn more about this event or other library programs and services by calling 615-595-1243, extension 1, or by visiting the library’s website at http://wcpltn.org. The library e-newsletter provides library news about programs like this and more. Sign up to receive it via email.
Photos, screenshots, and videos may be taken at library events and activities for library use and publicity. Anyone not wanting to have their photo taken should notify library staff at the time of the event or activity.
Presidential recognition of the week of November 23-30 in 1986 celebrated the Native American culture. In 1995, November was established as Native American Heritage Month with an official presidential proclamation to celebrate the cultures, accomplishments, and contributions of Indigenous Americans and Alaska Natives. The Friday after Thanksgiving each year is designated Native American Heritage Day, which falls on November 25 this year.
The Federal Register recognizes 573 separate tribal entities living in the United States today. The more populous tribes include Cherokee (729,000+), Navajo (298,000+), and Choctaw (158,000+), with the Ute (10,000+), Yakama (10,000+), and Cree (7,700+).
There were approximately 7 tribes in colonial Tennessee: the Muscogee (Creek), Yuchi, Chickasaw, Choctaw, Cherokee, Shawnee, and Seneca. In fact, the name Tennessee derives from that of the Cherokee village Tanasi. To learn more about Indigenous culture in Tennessee, you can visit the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians at https://ebci.com/ or the Native American Indian Association of Tennessee at https://naiatn.org/.
We have two displays devoted to Native American culture and accomplishments on the second floor at our Main location. The following titles, plus many others, are available for borrowing:
Carry by Toni Jensen 978.400497 JEN (Second Floor Display)
This post was written by one of our wonderful reference assistants – it may be one of the most appropriate blog posts for this time of year.
By Bailey Davidson
With spooky season in full swing it seems only fitting to discuss one of the historical landmarks in Franklin that may or may not be one the most haunted places in the city. This particular place is close to home right here in the heart of downtown Franklin, just a five minute drive from the library. The Plantation itself was restored in the 1970s by the Carnton Association and reopened shortly after for tour, gift shops, etc.
👻A Brief History of Carnton Plantation:
The Carnton Plantation was built by Randal McGavock in the earlier decades of the nineteenth century and completed in 1826. Initially, Randal McGavock, his wife, Sarah Dougherty Rodgers, and their four children all lived at the Carnton Plantation. Following the death of Randal, his oldest son, John, took over the plantation and then added five features to the house, including the front and back porches. John and his wife, Carrie, then lived in the house with their two surviving children, Winder and Hattie.
The Civil War began at this time, chaos erupted with continuous bloody battles as Union and Confederate soldiers fought for their respective sides all while Carnton seemed to be spared – that is until the evening of November 30, 1864. On that night in November, the Battle of Franklin took place almost in the backyard of Carnton Plantation, a place that had served as a field hospital for the soldiers. A combined 8,000+ soldiers, from both sides, died within hours. This was a substantial defeat for the confederacy, ultimately resulting in its spiraling downfall following the battle.
As for Carnton Plantation, following the war, it remained within the McGavock family until the early twentieth century when Winder’s wife sold the home following his death. The home then continued to be sold to different buyers throughout the years until 1977 when the final private owner of the home, Dr. Sugg, donated it to the Carnton Association, facilitating the restoration of the house.
👻Why did ghost stories arise around the Carnton Plantation?
Not only is Carnton Plantation home to one of the largest Confederate cemeteries, but it’s also the site of thousands of deaths during the Battle of Franklin, all of which suggest to supernatural fans the possibility of ghosts. Not only does the history of the home hint at the possibility of ghostly apparitions, but the blood stained floors and the eerie mass solider cemetery in the backyard have prompted many claims of ghost sightings on the grounds.
One example of this is from the early 2000s when a tour guide’s daughter claims to have seen the ghost of a woman with dark hair in a white dress standing on the balcony. According to the daughter the woman was staring off at her mother – at the time giving a guided tour in the cemetery.
In addition to this specter, many have claimed to see the ghost an aged soldier walking the grounds with particularly loud boots. Multiple people have claimed to have either seen or heard this ghost on the grounds and an author, Christopher Coleman, claims that this is most likely the spirit of General Patrick Cleburne.
👻Just how haunted is the Carnton Plantation?
While we cannot definitely say that the Carnton Plantation is indeed haunted, all of the claims of ghostly apparitions and sightings give the home a spooky atmosphere. It is up to you to decide if the house is actually haunted.
**All information provided has been accessed from the Carnton Association website and from information received during a tour. In addition, the ghost stories were accessed from the book (currently available at the library) Haunted Tennessee: Ghosts and Strange Phenomena of the Volunteer State by Alan Brown. **
👻What books can you find at the Williamson County Public Library on the Carnton Plantation/ Carnton Plantation Ghost Stories?
September 15th to October 15th has been set aside for the United States to recognize the countless contributions and immeasurable achievements Hispanic Americans have had on United States culture, society, and history.
Image courtesy of Pixabay
Originally, the first annual Presidential proclamation in 1968 by Lyndon Johnson recognized the week that included September 15 and 16 as National Hispanic Heritage week. It not only celebrated Hispanic Americans, but also the anniversaries of independence for the Latin American countries of Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua as well as Mexico’s independence on September 16.
By 1988 Congress passed an amendment to the proclamation and President George H. W. Bush authorized the recognition of the 31 days after September 15th at National Hispanic Heritage Month on September 14, 1989. Between 1990 and 2018, five different presidents have issued the annual proclamations for National Hispanic Heritage Month.
The Library of Congress, National Archives and Records Administration, National Endowment for the Humanities, National Gallery of Art, National Park Service, Smithsonian Institution and United States Holocaust Memorial Museum join together to pay tribute to the generations of Hispanic Americans who have positively influenced and enriched our nation and society.
Hispanic refers to a person who is from, or a descendant of someone who is from, a Spanish-speaking country.
Latino/a or Latinx refers to a person who is from, or a descendant of someone who is from, a country in Latin America.
Acknowledging and appreciating Black businesses all year, it is specially celebrated in the month of August. We should take the time to patronize Black owned businesses and all that they represent in our continual striving for diversity and equality.
When we celebrate the contribution of Black business owners and entrepreneurs we recognize the importance of Black owned businesses contributing to the nation’s economy as well. Approximately 10% of all American businesses are Black owned; the primary sectors being in health care, social work, repair and maintenance, beauty salons, restaurants, and more. Washington D.C. has the highest ratio of Black owned businesses at 28%, while the number of Black business owners are on the rise nationwide.
History of Black Business Month
In 2004 engineering businessman Frederick E. Jordan and publishing executive John William Templeton introduced Black Business Month with the intention to “drive the policy agenda affecting the 2.6 million African-American businesses.” From personal experiences they both knew of the unique challenges faced by minority business owners.
Since the late 1700s, both free and enslaved Black people began to open their own small businesses, from barbershops to tobacco shops and shoemaking. Black owned businesses grew along with emancipation, leading to the period between 1900 — 1930 labeled as the ‘golden age’ of Black owned businesses. A result of segregation was that there were entire districts that were Black owned, such as Black Wall Street in Tulsa, Oklahoma.
In 1915, with the establishment of The National Negro Business League, there was widespread support of African-American entrepreneurship, with The National Business League spreading to over 34 states. By 2002, 1.2 million of the United States’ 23 million businesses were owned by Black people.
Nashville Black Market seeks to provide resources and connections for Black and minority-owned businesses in the Nashville area. Held on the first Friday of each month at the downtown farmers’ market location, dozens of Black owned businesses set up shop and “circulate the Black dollar.” With individual clothing lines, Javvon Jones and Carlos Partee co-founded the Nashville Black Market in 2018. Without the impediment of a brick and mortar shop, after starting with 35 vendors, the Black Market has grown precipitously
The Nashville Black Market takes place at the Nashville Farmers’ Market, 900 Rosa L. Parks Blvd, the first Friday of each month as well as the third Saturday of each month in The Gulch. For more information on the Nashville Black Market, click here or find them on Facebook and Instagram.
In 2000, when Derek Arnold created International CAPS LOCK day, it was a parody, making fun of those people who insist in typing everything in ALL CAPITALS. But, as it happened, it became more and more popular, with people celebrating it just for the key itself. No parody at all. The day became so popular with internet users that it is now celebrated twice a year—on June 28 (TOMORROW!)and on October 22. But, WHERE DID WE GET THE CAPS LOCK KEY FROM?!?
In the beginning, before computers (GASP!) there were typewriters (ancient technology that went the way of the PHONOGRAPGH). Remington typewriters were the first to have a shift key, so you could shift to a capital letter but it was just a toggle switch–there was no way to keep that key down. In 1914, Remington added the SHIFT LOCK KEY on its Junior model, which gave the user access to more characters by keeping the key locked. Some think typewriters and computers added the CAPS LOCK KEY for businesses that needed forms typed in all caps (so anyone who hates the caps lock key, blame them). Typewriters placed the CAPS LOCK KEY where it is now, and computer designers copied the typewriter keyboard when the first put out computers, keeping the familiar QWERTY keyboard we all have become accustomed to. Even then, there were complaints when computers kept the same keyboard design (for those of you who wish the keyboard letters were alphabetical, they tried that first… there were issues, and now we’re stuck).
Early on in Internet history, Internet users had only text keys to show emphasis, no fun yet strange emoticons that can create entire conversations by themselves. They used **** and CAPS to differentiate their thoughts and emotions. Some people, holdovers from early Internet days perhaps, still type messages in all capitals. Nowadays, writing in ALL CAPS has become an etiquette NO-NO, since it is the equivalent of shouting online. Every once in a while for emphasis is considered OK, but not everything in caps. People have gotten fired for using all caps all the time. REALLY! In 2007, a woman in New Zealand was fired from her job after she sent one too many memos in all caps.
Hit your caps lock button and celebrate INTERNATIONAL CAPS LOCK DAY! Just don’t get fired.
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