The Home Page Guide to Williamson County

WILLIAMSON COUNTY THE HOME PAGE GUIDE TO

Read the our results of l inaugura n’s Williamso ds Best awar

HOME & GARDENING An at-home year brought blooming home gardens, a booming housing market and another renovation at historic McLemore House

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THE

H

PAGE OME

CONTENTS

GUID

PA G E

E TO

23

SPRING 2021

6

10 Home Gardens that Bloomed During the Pandemic

20 Top 10 Home Sales in

34 Food & Drink

BY JOHN MCBRYDE

50 Health & Wellness

15

Gardens at Carnton and Carter House combine history and horticulture

24 Arts & Community

BY JOHN MCBRYDE

2020 in Williamson County

BY AMANDA HAGGARD

Readers’ Choice

25

Arts & Community Writers’ Choice

16

27

BY MATT MASTERS

28 Business & Retail

Readers’ Choice

18

At home during the pandemic?

Why not remodel the kitchen.

BY AMANDA HAGGARD

Franklin’s McLemore

House brings new life

to history with restoration

Beauty & Fitness Readers’ Choice

29 Business & Retail

Writers’ Choice 34 Food & Drink

Readers’ Choice

Writers’ Choice

71

What you need to

know about Brentwood

72

52 Health & Wellness

Writers’ Choice

What you need to know about Franklin

73

56 Home & Garden

Readers’ Choice

What you need to know about Spring Hill

74 What you need to

58 Home & Garden

Writers’ Choice

know about Nolensville

75

What you need to know about Fairview

76

What you need to know about Williamson County

Readers’ Choice

60 Kids & Pets

Readers’ Choice

62

Kids & Pets Writers’ Choice

65 People & Places

Writers’ Choice

GUIDE TO WILLIAMSON COUNTY

1

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6 Cadillac Drive, Suite 310 | Brentwood, Tennessee 37027 | www.virtuecm.com | 615.340.0801 Investment Advisory Services offered through Virtue Capital Management LLC (VCM), an SEC Registered Investment Advisor. Information provided is not intended as tax or legal advice and should not be relied on as such. You are encouraged to seek tax or legal advice from an independent professional. Please be advised that investing involves risk and that no particular investment strategy can guarantee against losses. Strategies do not take into account your particular investment objectives, financial situation or risk tolerance and may not be suitable for all investors.

H editorial

MANAGING EDITOR Amanda Haggard ASSISTANT EDITORS Rebekah Jones, Cory Woodroof STAFF WRITERS Matt Blois, Matt Masters, John McBryde, Alexander Willis

art & production

ART DIRECTOR Christie Passarello PHOTOGRAPHERS Eric England, Daniel Meigs, Matt Masters, Emily West, Alexander Willis GRAPHIC DESIGNERS Mary Louise Meadors, Tracey Starck

publishing

PUBLISHER Kelly Gilfillan ADVERTISING SOLUTIONS CONSULTANTS Sue Falls SALES OPERATIONS MANAGER Chelon Hill Hasty ADVERTISING SOLUTIONS ASSOCIATES Aya Robinson, Price Waltman

circulation

CIRCULATION AND SUBSCRIPTION DIRECTOR Gary Minnis

business

PRESIDENT Frank Daniels III CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER Todd Patton PRODUCTION DIRECTOR Elizabeth Jones IT DIRECTOR John Schaeffer SPECIAL PROJECTS COORDINATOR Susan Torregrossa

FW Publishing, LLC OWNER Bill Freeman

210 12th Ave. S., Suite 100 Nashville, TN 37203 williamsonhomepage.com

The Home Page Guide to Williamson County is published by FW Publishing, LLC. For advertising information, email Kelly Gilfillan at kgilfillan@fwpublishing.com. For distribution information, call 615-844-9307. Copyright © 2020 FW Publishing, LLC.

4

GUIDE TO WILLIAMSON COUNTY

appy spring to all of you in Williamson County! This year’s change of season comes with a renewed sense of hope as we come out of the literal and proverbial winter of COVID-19 restrictions.

It’s a joy to see our hometown parks and sidewalks filled with neighbors returning to the normalcy of soccer practices, backyard cookouts, chalk-decorated sidewalks and dining out.

Since January, Williamson Home Page readers have been showing up to support local business in our inaugural Guide to Williamson’s Best Awards. The number of nominations and subsequent votes you provided was astounding and we are so grateful for our readers’ participation.

We could not have embarked on this adventure without the support of our two presenting sponsors, Williamson Medical Center and BrandMETTLE. As we shared our vision for supporting the businesses of Williamson County, the leadership of these two companies were fully on board.

“Being a part of Williamson Home Page’s inaugural Williamson’s Best campaign has been one of the most rewarding experiences we have had as a business,” said Matt Brown, co-founder of BrandMETTLE. “Everyone from the Williamson Home Page team was engaged, enthusiastic and brought a lot of great experience and ideas to the program. We always felt like part of the team — and it was certainly a really fun team to be a part of! Most of all, we appreciated that WHP shared our values and the importance of supporting our local community — they, too, are truly one of Williamson’s Best!”

Williamson Medical Center’s Director of Marketing Nichole Volk saw the awards as an opportunity to help local businesses.

“After a difficult year for small businesses, we appreciate that Williamson Home Page introduced this program to businesses in Williamson County and we are proud to support their effort,” she said. “Williamson Medical offers congratulations to all the winners and finalists in this year’s Williamson’s Best awards.”

In this third edition of the Guide to Williamson County, we list all of the winners and finalists and in addition, our editorial team chose 75 honorees for our first Writer’s Choice Awards and showcase some of the best homes and gardens in the county.

Thanks to editor, Amanda Haggard, and Christie Passarello for taking everyone’s hard work and making it beautiful. Thanks to Sue Falls for taking such great care of her Williamson Home Page clients, Olvia Britton for helping guide our first awards program and the entire sales team for helping us bring the first Williamson’s Best to life. And to our wonderful editorial team who all pitched in: Cory Woodroof, Rebekah Jones, Matt Blois, Matt Masters, John McBryde and Alexander Willis.

We are all invested in helping make this community the best — and we are so glad you are too.

Sincerely, Kelly Gilfillan Publisher | Williamson Home Page

ON THE COVER Gardens at Carnton and Carter House Photo by Daniel Meigs

S PON S OR E D PROFIL E COMPA N Y PROFIL E The Battle of Franklin Trust manages Carter House and Carnton: two historic sites that witnessed the Battle of Franklin.

Its mission is to preserve, understand and interpret the story of a people forever impacted by the American Civil War.

S PE C I A LT IE S Open Monday - Saturday 9 a.m. - 5 p.m., Sunday 11 a.m. – 5 p.m.

Tours offered daily.

Battle of Franklin Trust Carnton, home of the McGavock family, was built in 1826 and was one of the premier farms in Williamson County. John McGavock and his family were directly impacted by the Battle of Franklin when their home was used as a Confederate field hospital. The McGavock Confederate Cemetery is also on site.

Carter House was built in 1830.

It was home to Fountain Branch Carter and his family who witnessed one of the bloodiest battles of the Civil War. The home was used as a U.S. Army headquarters while the Carter family, enslaved people, and neighbors sheltered in the cellar during the fighting which erupted right outside.

Classic House Tours, which tell the stories of the families, the enslaved, and the Battle of Franklin, are offered daily. A $30 combination ticket for Carter House and Carnton is available.

Battlefield Tours offer guests a comprehensive walking tour of the center most portion of the Franklin battlefield. This 90-minute tour focuses on many

elements of the Battle of Franklin, explaining why it occurred, the arrival of the Federal and Confederate armies, and details of one of the largest assaults of the Civil War. A four-hour, Spring Hill to Franklin Battlefield Tour is also available.

Behind the Scenes Tours allow guests to visit areas on the grounds not included in the traditional tour. This 90-minute tour begins with main areas of the house before exploring the basement, third floor, and back balcony.

Extended Tours are offered to give a deeper understanding of the historic and societal impact of the Civil War. This 90-minute tour is available at both Carter House and Carnton.

Slavery and the Enslaved Tours focus on slavery as an institution and the individuals who were enslaved at each site. Available at both Carter House and Carnton, this 90-minute tour examines one of America’s largest paradoxes: a nation where “all men are created equal,” but millions were denied basic freedom.

Schedule your visit: boft.org

Battlefield Tour: Monday – Saturday, 11 a.m. & 2 p.m.

Carter House Extended Tour: Monday – Saturday, 2 p.m.

Carter House Slavery and the Enslaved Tour: Monday - Friday, 10 a.m.

Carnton Extended Tour: Monday – Saturday, 11 a.m. and 2 p.m.

Carnton Behind the Scenes: Wednesday– Friday, 10 a.m.

Carnton Slavery and the Enslaved: Monday - Friday, 2 p.m.

Home & Garden

Home & Gardening 10 Home Gardens that Bloomed During the Pandemic

BY JOHN MCBRYDE

People garden for all kinds of reasons: for business, for pleasure, for therapy, for food, for entertainment. We caught up with several people who were gardening at home in 2020 — growing a collection of plants, starting a new community plot, building a little something for the bees and birds and more. Conversations were fruitful. Read them here.

WILLIAMSON COUNTY PARKS AND REC COMMUNITY GARDEN BRINGS NEIGHBORS TOGETHER AMID BOUNTY OF PRODUCE For those who participate in a community garden, satisfaction can come in getting to know your neighbors, learning more about the growing process and just plain digging in the dirt.

The food’s not bad either.

“I think it promotes community because we get to see our neighbors and friends around here,” said Kim Southard, a patron of the community garden that is managed by Williamson County Parks and Recreation. “But I’m really into fresh vegetables. You can’t get

6

GUIDE TO WILLIAMSON COUNTY

any fresher than to walk outside and pick it from the ground. Fresh makes it taste so much better.”

Southard and her husband, Andy Southard, have participated in the community garden for about 3½ years. They are but a few steps from their plot in the garden, which is adjacent to their home on Everbright Avenue and across the street from the Academy Park Gymnasium in Franklin.

“People really enjoy coming out here,” Andy Southard said, “especially during this quarantine and the pandemic over the last few months. It’s a place to come during the day to get out of the house and it’s safe.”

The garden had been managed by a nonprofit until the county’s Parks and Recreation department took it over two years ago. It includes 39 plots, and tenants are growing a significant range of vegetables, fruits, herbs and flowers.

“The majority of the people who use the garden live in the [immediate area],” said Krystal Turner, WCPR’s senior sports coordinator and overseer of the garden. “It’s a mix of people. We have several families, several individuals doing it on their own. We have some couples who are learning how to garden for the first time.

We just have a wide variety of patrons who use the garden.

“The biggest thing they get out of it is to be able to have a variety of healthy vegetables that they are able to grow themselves.”

Braton and Molly Machleit are in their fourth year of tending at the community garden, going back to when it was managed by the Franklin nonprofit A Bit of Earth.

They’ve grown a variety of vegetables, and this year their summer harvest will include tomatoes, cherry tomatoes, green beans, peppers, broccoli and Brussels sprouts. They have also grown a few fall and winter crops.

And especially rewarding for the Machleits has been the opportunity to pass down their passion for gardening to their children, 5-yearold Rivers and 3-year-old Nora.

“We’ve loved it,” Braton Machleit said while sitting in the garden’s gazebo one recent morning. “It’s been fun, especially with the kids. They like to eat the cherry tomatoes off the plants.

There are a lot of good teaching moments in here. As we plant seeds or small plants, they get to watch the stuff grow.

“But it also brings the neighbors together. It’s a really cool community that’s been created here.”

FRANKLIN WOMAN BRINGS A TRANQUIL APPROACH TO GROWING HOSTAS, ROHDEAS The hum of traffic is barely noticeable in Tranquility, the name of the expansive garden that Cornelia Holland maintains at her home on Hillsboro Road near downtown Franklin.

There might be the occasional rumble of a dump truck or the piercing of something souped up, but to walk the pathway through Holland’s hostas, rohdeas and countless other plants, trees and flowers is, indeed, quite tranquil.

Despite its proximity to a rather busy roadway, her garden can prompt a body to get downright contemplative.

“You can hear the birds and forget the traffic,” Holland said one recent morning as she gave a casual tour of Tranquility to a visitor.

It’s a garden that Holland has been tending since around 1995, when she discovered that hostas would be more favorable to her backyard conditions than the roses and perennials that had once occupied the space.

Home & Garden

CORNELIA HOLLAND

“The trees had grown to a point that I had a lot of shade,” Holland explained. “I discovered hostas, which are shade-tolerant plants.

I started growing hostas primarily on the back of the house and then it just expanded to the side and the front.”

Now with about 700 varieties of hostas in her home garden, Holland has become an authority on the plant that comes in various shapes, sizes and colors. In fact, her reputation as a hosta grower led to her donation of 600 hostas from her personal garden to the University of Tennessee Gardens, Knoxville five years ago. That garden is titled Tranquility — The Cornelia B. Holland Hosta Garden.

In the fall of 2019, she gave another 100 hostas to the Knoxville Botanical Garden and Arboretum.

“I enjoy sharing the garden more with people now,” Holland said, adding that the coronavirus outbreak has lessened her organized tours this spring (though she does have a virtual tour). “I still add to the collection when I see something that’s sort of unique, mainly if I see a fragrant hosta, because that’s my favorite.”

“But my main pleasure with this garden is sharing it with people.”

Over time, Holland’s gardening quest is becoming more focused on the rodhea species of plants, which have ancient origins in China and Japan but are relatively rare in the United States.

“It’s very slow to grow,” Holland explained. “They are evergreen

plants, so when the hostas die down in the wintertime, I still have green from the rohdeas.”

Tranquility, which is laid out on a gravel path and through a canopy of tall trees, also includes other plants, flowers of varying colors and bloom schedules, various smaller trees and the usual greenery that serves to complement the garden as a whole.

But most of Holland’s passion is spent on two main species, hostas and rohdeas.

“I have a lot of camellias and a lot of azaleas and a lot of this and that, but my main focus is on hostas and rohdeas.”

NATURE, PRODUCE AND LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES ATTRACT GARDENERS TO STONEY CREEK FARMS Franklin resident Dan Parkey received a rather special Christmas gift from his wife a few years ago.

It wasn’t a new car, a set of golf clubs or season tickets to Titans games. It wasn’t even wrapped — how, after all, do you wrap fresh air?

Parkey was out enjoying that gift one recent morning as one of the garden tenants at Stoney Creek Farms, a sustainable farm in Franklin that emphasizes eco-friendly and all-natural practices in the production of fresh vegetables, fruits and herbs. Founded in 2005

by Olin and Leigh Funderburk,

OLIN AND LEIGH FUNDERBURK

Stoney Creek Farms offers youpick-it produce, classes and seminars, and other special events. And as Parkey discovered one Christmas morning, the farm also has garden plots for rent.

“Several years ago we moved to Berry Farms, where you don’t have to maintain your yard because it’s done for you,” Parkey explained. “My wife gave me this plot three years ago for Christmas so I could get my yard and gardening fix.

“I’ve learned a few things as I go along, and hopefully we get better each year.”

Much of that learning comes from Leigh Funderburk, who helps the tenants with all aspects of their individual garden plots while also giving them the space for self-tending so they can grow their knowledge. She oversees 20 rented garden spots of three different dimensions, and tenants vary from beginners to experienced gardeners, from retirees to young families.

The Funderburks till the soil and provide fencing for an extra fee, but tenants are responsible for purchasing their own seeds or plants for growing.

“Everything we have here we provide if they need it,” Leigh Funderburk said. “For instance, if they don’t have tomato cages or

stakes and we do have some on hand, we’ll let them use them.

“We help them with garden design, and companion planting [practices]. ... We show them which plants would work best in what area of the plot.”

The mentoring has certainly been beneficial, according to Terry Humphrey, an executive consultant who is a first-year garden tenant at Stoney Creek with her husband, Roald Humphrey.

“We’ve always had a garden, but haven’t always had success,” she said. “It’s been hit or miss, so we finally decided we needed to find somebody who knows what they’re doing.

“It’s just fun to come out here.

In the kind of work I do, one of the things I love is getting away and being out in nature and being with other people who find that important, too.”

Such as Katie England, who recently moved to Franklin from northern Illinois with her husband, Eric, and daughters Isla and Lark. They had been members of a community garden for a number of years at their previous home, so the concept at Stoney Creek Farms fit what they were seeking.

“We’re out here about three times a week and my husband usually comes out on weekends,” England said. “It’s really nice to

GUIDE TO WILLIAMSON COUNTY

7

Home & Garden

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GUIDE TO WILLIAMSON COUNTY

just get out of town and get in the dirt and get some fresh air, and to let the girls play out in nature.”

The overcast morning also brought out Mike Meulemans to tend his garden. The setup is ideal for him, and a big improvement over trying to grow much in his shady backyard.

“I just like the idea of planting, nurturing, harvesting,” Meulemans said. “This whole setup is great.

You couldn’t ask for more — all the tools, the implements, the water, the advice, the knowledge. It’s pretty hard to beat it.”

PANDEMIC SPARKED A GROWTH IN INTEREST FOR THOMPSON’S STATION COMMUNITY GARDEN Shelves holding toilet paper, hand sanitizer and various meats weren’t the only ones being emptied as the coronavirus pandemic began taking hold in March of 2020.

So were those holding garden rakes, tomato stakes and potting soil.

That, at least, was the observation of one of the tenants at the Thompson’s Station community garden, where experienced gardeners have been tending plots alongside beginners since the city opened the garden about 10 years ago.

“I believe more people are interested in having a garden this year because you go to Lowe’s or Tractor Supply, and a lot of the garden supplies are depleted,” said Steve Jones, a tenant at the garden since 2013. “A lot of the shelves are empty from the spike in interest in gardening from people this year.”

Much of the reason for that spike, of course, has been from the impact of the pandemic. Gia Card, who sits on the Thompson’s Station Parks and Recreation board and is volunteer coordinator for the community garden, said interest from newcomers to gardening increased significantly this year.

“A lot of people have come to the garden this year because of the COVID-19 crisis,” she said.

“They felt they needed to do something outside, but also grow-

THOMPSON’S STATION COMMUNITY GARDEN

ing their own food, I think, gives them a sense of security, that they have a place to get fresh vegetables whenever they need them.

“With all the shortages like toilet paper, meat and things like that, people started to get worried. I noticed a huge uptick in the number of people interested in getting plots. Not everybody followed through, but I did get a lot of emails from people who have never gardened before and who wanted to start trying to grow something.”

The Thompson’s Station community garden consists of 45 plots of differing sizes and includes an irrigation system from a creek-fed water tank owned by the city. The Parks and Recreation maintenance crew tills the land to get plots ready in the spring, so tenants can begin planting as soon as they’re ready.

“There is community support, so every gardener here is willing to help people out if they needed to,” Card said. “I’d like to put a class together for children. We could take one of the plots and actually designate as a learning plot and have regular classes for children. I believe if you start kids off with the knowledge of how to grow something, the desire to grow something, it will kind of blossom throughout their lives.”

That was the case with Dan Ferrell, who has tended a plot at the community garden for five years. He gained an appreciation for growing produce from his dad and for tending flowers from his mom. He makes sure to mix in beauty with practicality.

“I could have a small raised garden in the backyard, but I like this because I could put out as much stuff as I want to,” Ferrell said. “It’s just a way to come out here and pass the time, solve the world’s problems. I talk to my buddies on each side of me. I learn all kinds of things from them.”

Card said many of the tenants have excess produce at times, and she hopes to form partnerships with some of the nonprofits in the county for providing donations of fresh vegetables.

She did add, however, that some of the gardeners have concerns about a few folks not of the community getting a little sticky-fingered with the veggies being grown.

“In some people’s minds, I think the idea of a community garden is that it’s open to the public to harvest whenever they want to,” Card said. “We do have that problem here with folks occasionally wandering through and picking [our tenants’] vegetables.”

Home & Garden

METHODIST CHURCH’S GIVING GARDEN CONTINUES TO EVOLVE IN SERVING COMMUNITY It started as a pumpkin patch.

Today, more than a decade after members of Franklin First United Methodist Church planted a few seeds on property the church had purchased to accommodate a growing congregation, what is known as the Giving Garden has become one of the church’s most visible ministries.

passionate about growing the food and giving it away, and I was as well, and thought it was really important.

“But I always felt like that there would come a time when there would be a great need in this community, more so than what we were aware of at the time,” she added. “Some of the issues that we are still facing and, with the pandemic, those that are ahead of us — with the huge impact to our economy, people that were struggling before will be struggling much more in the future — and I feel like, honestly, the garden is coming into a new

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FRANKLIN UNITED METHODIST CHURCH’S GIVING GARDEN

In terms of numbers, the 5-acre garden on the church campus has partnerships with 17 different nonprofits and organizations and each year distributes around 40,000 pounds of fresh produce to people in need.

But its value to the community goes beyond the numbers, according to Vona Wilson, senior associate pastor for Franklin First UMC. Its purpose is evolving as needs in Williamson County grow, both through the underlying poverty that’s here despite the county’s wealth and now the impact from the coronavirus pandemic.

“I think the garden is important for several reasons, and it has changed for me over time,” Wilson said, taking a break from pulling weeds in a flower bed. “When this started we were all very excited about it. The volunteers were

place. I think it’s here to serve the community in whatever way that means, and I think that means it might change over time.”

Not long after Franklin First UMC purchased 107 acres of land near the intersection of Mack Hatcher Parkway and Franklin Road in 2007, eight years before the church building was completed, longtime member Michael Jones (since deceased) thought it would be nice to let some of the children scatter a few pumpkin seeds and watch their progress to harvest time.

That gesture set in motion the idea to grow a full-fledged garden, and by 2010 the Giving Garden was giving a good bit of fresh produce to a variety of nonprofits that serve the needy in Williamson County.

“This is the place where God has given this church the opportunity

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GUIDE TO WILLIAMSON COUNTY

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Home & Garden

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GUIDE TO WILLIAMSON COUNTY

JIM BRACKETT’S PARTERRE GARDEN

to connect with all the people in the community, every group,” Wilson said. “We dreamed of it before.

We wanted a multicultural connection and relationship. You have to build that on a common ground — food is the equalizer.”

Some of the agencies benefiting from the church’s garden are One Generation Away, GraceWorks and Daughters of the King, to name a few.

As it has since the beginning, the Giving Garden relies heavily on volunteers. Some of them are members of the church, others from elsewhere in the community. Until the pandemic’s intrusion, garden organizers could count on groups from some of the agencies that are recipients of the produce.

They also looked to youth groups from across the country, but youth mission trips have for the most part ceased this summer.

The garden has been blessed, however, with service from a number of master gardeners, those who have been through the Tennessee Extension Master Gardener course and 40 hours of volunteering to become certified.

“We could not manage this year without master gardeners because we’ve had to cut back,” said Barbara Bowden, one of the garden coordinators. “It has been a blessing to have them here. We typically have youth groups throughout the summer, which is a big part of our workload, and we’re not able to have them this year.”

Phillip Francis, a master gardener and longtime volunteer who is at the Giving Garden practically every day, said his experience there is just what he was seeking post-retirement.

“After I retired I wanted three things,” he said. “I wanted to have fun, learn some new things, and I wanted to contribute to the community. I get all three of those here.”

FRANKLIN GARDENER FINDS BOTH PLEASURE AND PRACTICALITY IN TENDING HIS PARTERRE In the garden he began growing well more than a decade ago, Jim Brackett has planted beans, peas, tomatoes, lettuce, corn, squash, okra, onions and just about any other vegetable found in gardens across Williamson County.

But that’s where any similarities to those other gardens end. Brackett, who moved into his Franklin home with his family about 15 years ago, has created something in his backyard more akin to the Palace of Versailles than to a plot in Peytonsville.

“This lot was perfect for what we wanted to do,” Brackett said as he stood in his parterre garden surrounded by finely shaped boxwoods, an assortment of flowering plants and vines, a

grass-level pool, and plenty of fresh edibles.

“Mine is Versailles on a budget.

I’ve done all this stuff myself, and that’s probably not a lot of peoples’ cup of tea. But I enjoy doing it and I’m still young enough to do the labor.”

It has indeed been labor-intensive, Brackett said. He has had guidance from landscapers, plant experts and an architect, but he has handled the nuts and bolts himself along with help from his wife, Jan, and sons Drew and Charlie.

“It has all taken many, many years because it’s a heck of a lot of landscaping and we just couldn’t spend $100,000 on all this stuff all at once,” said Brackett, who owns his own software company that remotely monitors for toilet leaks in large hotels and assisted living facilities. “So it’s all taken a long time to come together. After you realize you can’t do it all at once, it’s kind of a pleasure to add the pieces. It could be this fall or maybe next spring, and I’ll be completely done.

It will have taken 14 or 15 years.”

Brackett said the influence for his garden — and, for that matter, his house — actually originated from a visit he and Jan made to a village in France named Chenonceaux not long after they had married. Each had traveled to the country before with friends and had stuck mainly in Paris and done “all the touristy stuff,” Brackett said.

Home & Garden

CLARK TAPLIN

“This time we wanted to go out more [from the crowds of tourists] and take day trips,” he added. “We ended up in this super-quaint village, and it was perfect weather and like one of those dream days.

We found this house we loved that had this really neat garden, and it stuck with us.

“We found the house we wanted to build and raise our kids in.”

The Bracketts hired Nashville architect Mitch Barnett to design their home, one that would feature elements to make it livable for the 21st century while paying homage to its 16th century style.

The garden followed in that vein.

While the concept of his parterre owes to history, some of his individual plants also hold stories from the past. One in particular is a night-blooming cereus that dates to the 1800s. Brackett said his housekeeper gave him a cutting from the plant that has ties to Adelicia Acklen of Belmont Mansion in Nashville. Acklen had entered her night-blooming cereus in a show in 1876, and around 10 years later the great-grandmother of Brackett’s housekeeper got a cutting from the plant.

“Our housekeeper’s mother still has the original plant bought in the 1880s,” Brackett explained. “It’s a large shrub. It’s pretty neat to have a cutting from a plant that is that old.”

Brackett shared several other stories about the plants and flowers and the general grounds of his garden. It’s easy to understand his passion.

“I’ve been interested in gardening going back to high school

[in Harrison County, Ky.],” Brackett said. “I always liked working outside. In high school I started planting roses and I planted a shade garden in our backyard in Kentucky. That’s where it started.”

FROM DIGGING IN DIRT TO SOLDERING IRON, ONE MAN ENJOYS HIS GARDEN THERAPY As someone who has been gardening for most of his 63 years, Clark Taplin can attest to its benefits.

“It’s a known fact that when you dig in the soil, especially with your bare hands, it has a calming effect,” Taplin said. “I purposely don’t wear gloves because your body absorbs so many minerals through your hands digging in the dirt. It’s better than Prozac.”

Most gardeners would likely agree with Taplin’s testament to the healing powers of growing produce, herbs and flowers. Most, however, wouldn’t necessarily prescribe to the therapy of his other backyard pastime.

“There’s nothing like hammering on an anvil,” Taplin said, overlooking the very visual contrast in his backyard between his well-manicured and lush garden and his blacksmith shop overflowing with all sorts of metals, wires and other parts not of the natural world. “It’s hotter than blazes, but I enjoy it.”

Taplin’s reputation as something of a Renaissance man

doesn’t end with his roles as a gardener and a blacksmith. He’s also a beekeeper, and occasionally gets calls to remove bees from homes and other structures. At his height in the hobby, Taplin was collecting and selling thousands of pounds of honey each year. It’s now more like 150 pounds, but he still sees a steady demand for his honey.

What’s more, Taplin’s primary source of income over most of his career has been in stone masonry.

“When it comes to masonry,” he explained, “what I try to do more and more of is repair work.

There’s a good living to be made in simple two- or three-hour repairs versus a project you do for two or three days.

“I’ve worked for myself most of the time. There were maybe four years where I worked for someone else. I’d punch a boss before I’d punch a clock.”

Taplin has made quite the vocation out of his blacksmithing as well. He is often sculpting and selling some of his creations such as garden bells and fire pits shaped like minions and VW buses. Taplin even has a steady demand for blacksmithing equipment he makes, from forges to hydraulic presses.

As for his gardening passion, that dates back to his childhood.

Taplin began tending his own garden at the age of 7, and he would load up his wagon with fresh produce and sell to neighbors.

Nowadays, Taplin and his wife of 45 years, Janie, work together to make their garden a source of conversation when friends and family visit. Clark typically tends the vegetables such as tomatoes, cucumbers, zucchini and kale, while Janie oversees the flowers and herbs such as mint, basil and parsley. The garden is also adorned with sculptures and other decorative items Clark has forged or created.

“We want it to be enjoyable,” Taplin said as he led a visitor through the garden. “I’ve always thought that when you walk in a garden, you shouldn’t look at all the things you need to do, but just be reminded of the beauty of it.”

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Home & Garden

THREE WILLIAMSON COUNTY GARDENERS ARE NOURISHED DAILY BY THE BEAUTY, BENEFITS OF FLOWERS

KEVIN WIMPY’S PORTRAITS’ GARDEN

PORTRAIT PHOTOGRAPHERS’ ‘SECRET GARDEN’ A PLACE FOR PLEASURE AND FOR BUSINESS With things having slowed down a bit as a result of the coronavirus pandemic, Kevin and Suzette Wimpy are able to enjoy their backyard garden a little more.

At the same time, however, their backyard garden happens to be where they make their living as owners of Kevin Wimpy Portraits, a Franklin photography business they opened 20 years ago. While they’ve welcomed the opportunity to reap the personal satisfaction of their “secret garden,” they also look forward to a soon return in playing a bigger role as a revenue producer.

“It’s been kind of nice because it’s given us more time to spend in the garden, with the work being a little slower,” Kevin said. “There have been some projects I’ve been able to get to that I would not have been able to do without the slowdown. The garden is probably better organized than ever.

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GUIDE TO WILLIAMSON COUNTY

“But while it’s fun with it being a secret garden, it’s better if people know about it. It’s nice to do a little business, too.”

The Wimpys have been doing business in the studio and garden behind their Hillsboro Road house since just after the 2010 flood. They started their business in Brentwood, and later had a studio at the Factory at Franklin.

The previous owner of their current house was also a photographer and had started the garden, and Kevin and Suzette have expanded it and added various features over the past decade.

“We’ve added over half of what’s here,” Suzette said.

The garden — which is shrouded beneath large shade trees and features a variety of plants and flowers as well as decorative amenities such as a pond, a waterfall and a pathway, among several others — serves as the ideal setting for making portraits of families, kids and pets. While they still go on location and even travel to other states for some of their photography jobs, the Wimpys find they do their best work at home.

“Most [photographers] have to shoot in public places,” Suzette explained. “Well, we wanted a

private place where there weren’t interruptions — kids get distracted very easily, pets get distracted.

So we wanted to control the environment to make sure that didn’t happen. We had been looking for a place where that didn’t happen and this became available.”

Though the pandemic has led to fewer portraits this summer, Kevin said he and Suzette take all the safety precautions and follow the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines during their photo shoots.

“The good thing is, especially being outside, we shoot 20 or 30 feet away from [the subject],” he said. “So we can interact and photograph them from a distance. It’s pretty safe. We can wear a mask if they want us to. We have hand sanitizer and all that.”

During these hot summer days, it’s easy to understand what makes the Wimpys’ garden so attractive.

Whether it’s for a photo session or just a leisurely stroll through the flora, fauna and architecture, it is nature’s air conditioner.

“I love gardening, and being out here in the shade makes it better,” Kevin said. “I haven’t put a thermometer out here, but it’s considerably cooler.”

Backyard flower gardeners across the county have gone above and beyond to keep their gardens colorful in spring, summer and fall over the past year. Afterall, it’s nice to have new things to look at when you’re home a lot.

Three Franklin gardeners who put a significant amount of time and toil into their flowers, their plants — and their sanctuaries.

Melissa Beasley: ‘It just feels so good to have your hands in the dirt’ Once her children were old enough to no longer need the backyard for entertainment, Melissa Beasley was able to pursue her dream.

That is, she began growing a garden.

“When the kids were small, we had a playset for them in our backyard,” Beasley said of her now 17-year-old twins and 13-year-old daughter.

“But when they got to a certain age,” she added with a grin, “I kicked them out and said, this is all mine now.”

It has taken a number of years, but Beasley is now realizing the passion she has had for cultivating for most of her adult life. She has worked meticulously to tend to her flowers, plants and produce, digging not only in the dirt but also through research and knowledge passed down from her ancestors.

“This has evolved over several years,” Beasley said. “I just enjoy being out here and seeing nature and how everything works together.

“Gardening is a hobby but it’s also so great for relaxation. As my kids got older and I’ve had more time to invest in it, it’s great for me to be able to come out and do this.

It just feels so good to have your hands in the dirt. There’s something about it that makes it absolutely therapeutic. Especially with everything going on the last few months [from the coronavirus], it’s just a haven, a place to get away and tune everything out.”

Home & Garden

MELISSA BEASLEY

LEILA SANDERS

MICHELLE KEITH

Beasley said that while she enjoys the fruits of her labor — whether it’s the bursting colors from her petunias or false indigo or the rewarding delicacies of her fresh tomatoes or cucumbers — she also takes pleasure in creating a space for the bees and birds and butterflies.

And yes, she enjoys the challenges of gardening, its trial-and-error aspect.

“Sometimes things turn out and sometimes it doesn’t work,” she said. “But when I find myself getting too stressed about something not working, I just remind myself that this is all supposed to work that way. Those are great lessons to learn.”

Michelle Keith: ‘It’s a constant process, but it’s worth it’ When it comes to her approach toward gardening, Michelle Keith has a vision that isn’t necessarily focused on the beauty of flowers.

Sure, she enjoys looking out her kitchen window and seeing

the yellows and purples and reds of what she has created over the past five years or so. It was a priority of hers when she first set out to turn part of her backyard into an oasis of colors.

But over time, her sense of satisfaction has shifted from her eyes to her heart, so to speak.

“It’s give and take,” Keith said.

“My purpose before was to have beautiful flowers, and that’s great if that’s what you want. But I thought that is not going to be my purpose going forward.

“It’s not a garden that people would drive by and see how beautiful it is. It’s more of a purposeful garden. The whole purpose of it is for the bees, the butterflies and the birds.”

Keith changed her outlook after the golden retriever she and her family owned was diagnosed with lymphoma, an illness she discovered can be caused by a chemical she and her husband, Mike, had been using to treat their lawn. Their dog, Mac, lived another three years but had to have extensive chemo treatment for six months.

The Keiths stopped using the spray on the yard, and it later was filled with clover. However, Michelle noticed there were no bees attracted to the clover, and “that’s when I really started getting into pollinating gardens.

“It’s a lot of work because you have to hand-pull a lot of weeds out of the bed. It’s a constant process, but it’s worth it.”

Keith’s flowerbeds include verbena, dahlias, black-eyed Susans, salvia, coneflowers, clematis, morning glory, marigolds and lavender, among others. She also has a rose bush that came from one her grandmother has grown.

It’s spindly looking now, and that’s because Keith has let it go natural.

“I don’t spray it so it only blooms around Mother’s Day,” she said. “If I sprayed and treated it, it would be beautiful all summer long. But that’s OK.” Beauty, after all, is only stem deep when it comes to flowers.

Leila Sanders: ‘I plant my yards like I’m going to be here forever’ Where ever Leila Sanders goes, her daylilies go with her.

It’s been that way since 1997, when Sanders started moving to

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new locations on the average of every four years. She had first bought daylilies in 1987, when she was living in Mississippi and was given $100 as a birthday present from her parents. She bought them from a photographer in her town who was also an avid day-lily gardener.

“The original daylilies I bought are still with me so they’re about 33 years old,” Sanders said from her Franklin house, her third since moving here seven years ago.

“They’ve been divided and moved and left at the old houses, but some come with me with each move.”

Daylilies are just a part of the flowers and plants Sanders has growing along her front porch and especially in her backyard. When she moved to her current home in the Stream Valley neighborhood a couple of years ago, her yard was mostly barren on the surface with huge rocks beneath it.

“I started with an empty yard, and had two dump truck loads of dirt brought in,” she said.

Sanders planted her garden toward the edge of her yard so she could see it from her kitchen window. She gazes on a variety of flowers and plants, including a number of perennials.

“You know what is said of perennials — the first year they sleep, the second year they creep, the third year they leap,” Sanders said. “I’m in the second year, not quite to the leaping stage.”

Sanders is not only a backyard gardener, but she is also an advocate of sorts for the hobby. She’s a member of the Middle Tennessee Plant Swap, where she finds many

of her plants, and she would like to see gardening carried to future generations.

“We need to inspire young people to garden,” she said. “This would be a good time, because they have more time at home.”

FOR 30 YEARS NOW, RIVERBEND NURSERIES HAS BEEN ‘BLESSED’ WITH LOYAL CUSTOMERS Since the COVID-19 pandemic took hold in Williamson County last year and all of elsewhere, people have made adjustments in whatever ways they could.

Many have discovered their inner green thumbs.

Over the course of late spring and throughout the summer, folks suddenly became landscapers and horticulturists and master gardeners — all to the delight of Lynn Smith, retail manager for Riverbend Nurseries in Thompson’s Station.

“We’ve been growing by leaps and bounds,” she said. “We have been blessed — not lucky, but blessed. When people couldn’t go on vacation and they had to stay at home, they found all the projects they had wanted to do, something they may have hired a landscaper to do before and they did it themselves. So we’ve been blessed. We have not slowed down at all.”

It’s actually been that way since 1990, when Steve Bennett founded Riverbend Nurseries on

80 acres of land off Lewisburg Pike. A veteran of the nursery and landscape industry who grew up on a farm in McMinnville, Smith started his business growing approximately 50 varieties of trees and employing five people.

It has since grown to over 500 acres with some 1,500 varieties of plants and nearly 50 employees.

Riverbend Nurseries celebrated its 30th anniversary in July of 2020, as some of its loyal customers sent well-wishes and took advantage of big sales.

“We are a locally owned business, and our owner is on the property just about every day,” Smith said in explaining the reason for the nursery’s success. “Quality is something that [Bennett] strives for. He treats all of his customers with respect, and he expects us to treat his customers like that too.”

Smith has overseen the retail division of Riverbend for more than five years, and before that she had been among the nursery’s loyal customers. She and her staff pay careful attention to their customers’ wants and needs, serving as matchmakers of sorts to ensure the homeowner finds just the right plant, shrub or tree for their yard.

“People are really taking time to look and see what their choices are,” Smith said. “And we try really hard to put the right plant in the right spot.”

In addition to shrubs and trees, Riverbend Nurseries carries annuals, perennials, vegetables, herbs and houseplants. It is also well-stocked with tools, chemicals, pottery, indoor and outdoor decorative items, bagged and bulk mulches, and soil amendments.

And it’s an ideal place to get away from the stress of the pandemic or other concerns. Smith, for one, can speak to the healing nature of being outside gardening or landscaping.

“It is therapeutic,” she said. “Anytime when you stay inside and just watch TV, there is so much negative stuff. And when you go outside you get fresh air and sunshine and get a little sweat going on. I think it cleanses your body and it clears your mind, and it kind of makes your worries go away, digging in that dirt. I think it’s very good for your health.”

Home & Garden

Gardens at Carnton and Carter House combine history and horticulture

BY JOHN MCBRYDE

journals, photographs and other documents. At Carnton, the garden was created on the west side of the mansion in 1847 after John McGavock began running the plantation following the death of his father, Randal McGavock. John married Carrie Winder in 1848, and the couple continued to shape the garden with a variety of vegetables, herbs and ornamentals.

“The mission of our garden is to educate, to interpret the period between 1847 and 1869.

There’s not a plant in the garden that was introduced after 1869.”

JUSTIN STELTER, MANAGER OF CARNTON AND CARTER HOUSE GARDENS

“This garden was recreated [around the mid-1990s] based on the evidence found in archeological research, photographs and letters,” says Justin Stelter, who owns JS Gardening and has managed both garden sites since 2003. “The mission of our garden is to educate, to interpret the period between 1847 and 1869.

There’s not a plant in the garden that was introduced after 1869.”

The Battle of Franklin Trust decided to add in 2014 what is called

PHOTO: DANIEL MEIGS

T

here are two main factors to explain why some members of the Williamson County Master Gardeners Association choose to do most of their volunteering in the gardens at Carnton and the Carter House.

“I enjoy history and I enjoy horticulture,” says Ron Novak, who has been the association’s project leader at the Carter House for the past decade. “You can combine those two, and Carter House is a natural.

“I enjoy just getting out and getting my hands dirty, and I enjoy the camaraderie with the master gardeners who are out there with me. It’s the great outdoors.”

In addition to the beauty and the fresh air that emanate from the gardens, they are a key part of the history of both Carnton and the Carter House. The grounds at Carnton include a 1-acre kitchen and ornamental garden as well as a garden produced by the enslaved, and the Carter House is where a vegetable garden shares space with an orchard of pear and apple trees.

Visitors to both locations are invited to stroll through the gardens and orchard as part of the tour of the homes.

“Guests can walk through the gardens on their own, and most choose to do so,” says Eric Jacobson, CEO for the Battle of Franklin Trust, which oversees Carnton and the Carter House. “This is especially true in the spring, when the gardens are really beautiful.”

The design and layout of the gardens and orchard, plus the types of plants, vegetables and fruits grown, have been meticulously considered based on

PERIOD SLAVE GARDEN

the Period Slave Garden. It has been recreated in the same manner that the slaves worked in a small plot next to their living quarters to honor their service and the struggles they encountered.

Across town at the Carter House, where Fountain Branch Carter and his family were caught in the middle of the raging skirmish of the Battle of Franklin on Nov. 30, 1864, a vegetable garden and an orchard of 69 apple and pear trees were added beginning in 2012. Moscow Carter, oldest son of Fountain Branch, inherited the property following his father’s death a few years after the Civil War had ended.

“We used the same documentation from Moscow Carter’s journals,” Novak says of the design and selection of vegetables and fruits for the garden and or-

chard. “He kept records of everything he planted, so that helped us out a lot.”

Mary Loftus, who has been the Master Gardener Association’s project leader for the main garden at Carnton since 2018, appreciates the opportunity to do her part in making sure the garden stays healthy. In addition to digging in the dirt, she is responsible for coordinating volunteers and keeping up with the number of hours spent in the garden.

“I consider it an honor and a privilege being able to work there,” she says. “An historic garden has its own kind of personality. I love the idea that I can be in a place [with that kind of history]. I feel like I’m on very special ground.

“I know people come from very far to see it and so it’s an honor to make it look nice.”

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Home & Garden

Franklin’s McLemore House brings new life to history with restoration

BY MATT MASTERS

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GUIDE TO WILLIAMSON COUNTY

PHOTO: MATT MASTERS

F

ranklin’s historic McLemore House is undergoing a monthslong renovation, its first in 20 years — in 1998 it was added to the National Register of Historic Places.

The home was built by a former enslaved man, Harvey McLemore, in 1880, after he purchased the land from his former owner, Col. and later Judge Williams S. McLemore, in a historic moment that helped to spark a new community that has served a source of power and pride in Franklin.

The house sits at the corner of 11th Avenue and Glass Street, its bright white wood siding and wooden porch and columns connect two brick chimneys at either end, and it has a new dark metal roof.

A white picket fence lines the roadway on either side of the house, a flagpole in front of the porch’s swing, and, for the time being, pallets of bricks, an industrial dumpster and a backhoe sit beside the house — a sign of good things to come.

This latest restoration effort is a collaboration between the African American Heritage Society of Williamson County and Ford Classic Homes, who coordinated and are working to update the existing Colonial Revival exterior architecture.

In addition to the new roof, the one and a half story home has also received some new cypress bevel siding as well as a replace-

Harvey McLemore’s great, great granddaughter Laverne Holland stands inside of her old room inside of the McLemore House holding a framed 1921 photograph of the Forget Me Not Club, which includes an image of her aunt Maggie Matthews.

ment and restoration of all 10 windows in accordance with the historical period of the home.

The home’s concrete front porch was also replaced with a wooden porch and columns, with grading and landscaping to be completed before work begins on the inside of the building.

In addition to upgrades to the home’s electrical and plumbing systems, the McLemore House’s interior ground level floors will soon be replaced with repurposed historic pine flooring that was saved from the Ceramic and Craft Workshop that was previously located on the Spivey Tract property before it was acquired by the

Battle of Franklin Trust as part of a battlefield reclaiment initiative.

This project, which is expected to be completed in early summer, is not just limited to those who love history, but also serves as a living connection between McLemore and his living descendants.

One of those descendants is McLemore’s great, great granddaughter Laverne Holland, who lives just behind the McLemore House, in the spot where the family garden once grew.

Holland also previously called the McLemore House home before the African American Heritage Society took control of the property in 1998.

It’s then when the McLemore House transitioned from a living home to a staple of living history, becoming the The McLemore House Museum following its first renovation.

Holland has many memories of the home, including her aunt Maggie Matthews who lived in the home before Holland. At one point her aunt ran a salon out of the home after having trained in New York City.

“My strongest memories are of my Aunt Mag living here,” Holland said. “She always had a bunch of flowers all around and club meetings, the Forget Me Not club meetings, and that rock over

Home & Garden

there, she would tell us, ‘Don’t you come on my grass!”, Holland reminisced with a laugh.

“I was the last person to live here, my children and I, and I always wanted to save it. The Lord just worked it out,” Holland said. “It was a homeplace here that Harvey had established for the family, and I was able to stay here and raise my children and finish college.”

As the renovations continue the museum is closed, with furniture and displays shuffled around in preparation for the interior work, soon to be set up for tours.

Among the items is a framed black and white group photograph of 14 Black women in matching blouses and long skirts.

The group is the 1921 Forget Me Not Club, and front and center, sitting in the grass, is Maggie Matthews.

No known photograph of Harvey McLemore exists, in its place a silhouette of McLemore is displayed on of the many informational banners inside the museum.

According to the National Register of Historic Places, McLemore (ca. 1829 - ca. 1898) was the third African American to purchase property in the Hard Bargain community, and built one of the first residential dwellings in what would become a Black middle-class subdivision made up of professionals such as farmers, teachers, carpenters and masons.

Although the specifics of exactly what McLemore looked like, or where all of the various pieces of the original home were salvaged from, including two ornate mantels, it’s evident that the impact of his strength and perseverance has lived on.

“Just look at what he did,” African American Heritage Society of Williamson County President Alma McLemore said in awe as she walked through the home with Holland and former Heritage Foundation Director Mary Pearce.

“Look at this house.”

Pearce said that this project

has also highlighted the power of unity, and the role of the whole truth in creating a better future and learning from the sins and challenges of the past.

“It’s been a journey for me to understand that one of the most important principles of the idea of standing united as a community is that respecting everybody’s history is a great foundation for racial reconciliation,” she said.

The impact of McLemore’s work also spoke to founding members of the African American Heritage Society of Williamson County, including Mary Mills, who said that the organization was formed with the goals of informing the public of the prideful contributions of the African American community, educating children and forming stronger bonds between Black and white communities throughout the county.

“We want to continue his legacy,” Mills said. “I hope that this house will continue to remind people of what we have done even after slavery.”

“I think it’s phenomenal,” Holland added. “And it’s a continuing story, it’s not just the McLemore family, it’s all of the African American families in Williamson County. This is a place that they can identify with, a place where heritage has been left.”

Williamson County historian Rick Warwick said that the continued investment into uncovering, recognizing and celebrating African American history is vital to understanding the entire history of Franklin and Williamson County.

“This site is a good focal point for newcomers or people who have lived in the county for a long time to say, ‘this is the story of a family who lived through slavery, through reconstruction and on into the 21st century,’” Warwick said. “I think the whole country is opening up to the need that we should tell the real stories and tell them fairly and I think we’re doing that in Williamson County.”

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Home & Garden

At home during the pandemic?

Why not remodel the kitchen.

BY AMANDA HAGGARD

L

ike many people during 2020, Kelley Weninger spent her time updating her home. And like many people throughout history, she first started with a general contractor who wasn’t exactly doing what she wanted.

Weninger works for Lee Company as a strategic account manager for larger customers like hospitals. She and her fiance bought the home in the Willow Springs neighborhood in Franklin last summer. They knew it needed some sprucing up, both because parts of it felt dated and because they wanted to make it their own.

After struggling to get her kitchen remodeled in a timely fashion with a contractor who was subbing out most of the work, she decided to use Lee Company’s home improvement services to get the work done.

“We were able to pick up the phone and call them if we needed something or if something changed we could easily find or track down who was working on what,” Weninger said. “That was important because sometimes with a general contractor you’ve got to hunt them down and they’ve probably subbed the job out so they’ve got to contact that person. That scenario just did not work particularly well for us.”

Weninger said her family also plans to renovate the master bathroom as well as some smaller projects like updating the dining room.

“There’s a lot more to do, but we really knocked out the big one with the kitchen,” she said.

Alli Thompson with Lee Com-

pany said that while not all families were looking for big upgrades like a kitchen remodel during the pandemic, many did things like put in additional plugs to accommodate working from home or having kids home doing virtual school work.

“We definitely saw a spike in redoing home offices,” Thompson said. “As far as our home services group, we weren’t really sure what to expect when the pandemic hit.

What ended up happening at first is that people were a little scared to have people in their homes. Luckily we have some technology where we take pictures of things, and so first we were doing a lot of that.”

According to a survey from NerdWallet in August of 2020, more than 60 percent of homeowners said they updated their home during the pandemic.

“The pandemic probably generated a lot of repair and rehab projects, for a couple of reasons,” NerdWallet’s home and mortgage expert Holden Lewis said. “First, homeowners were present to supervise the work or do it themselves. Second, people seized the chance to fix up their homes before listing them, preceding skyrocketing home sales in late summer.”

Lewis said the COVID-19 pandemic also changed how homeowners felt about having contractors and sub-contractors in and out of their home. More than half said they wouldn’t allow home repair or improvement professionals in their home due to safety concerns about the coronavirus, according to the September

survey. About 80 percent said later on that they’d just be more cautious than usual due to safety concerns about the coronavirus.

Thompson said later on in the pandemic, and now that vaccinations are ramping up, Lee Company’s home improvement division expects more people to call about bigger builds.

“Some might’ve held out for a bit, but now folks are a little bit more ready to redo a whole bathroom or bedroom,” Thompson said.

Weninger’s kitchen remodel was a complete rebuild — they took everything down to the slab. They moved plumbing, pulled up floorboards and “started from scratch.”

“I thought, you know, we’re both working from home right now during COVID,” Weninger said. “So we just jumped in.”

Weninger’s favorite feature in the kitchen is the island — a large block that includes a farmhouse sink and can be used as dining space or to prepare food. It faces into the home’s great room so she can still chat with family or watch TV while cleaning up. The cabinetry for the island is stained a more natural wood color while the ones on a back wall are painted white. The kitchen looks upscale, but also feels comfortable and like a space that can be lived in. It also features an appliance wall, which neatly tucks away the refrigerator and oven.

Weninger worked with a friend who is an interior designer to create the look — details like the white subway tile lining the wall or the elongated cabinetry or copper hood over the stove.

“Lee Company worked with exactly what we chose,” Weninger said. “So we picked everything and they would just install it exactly as we wanted it. We would give them drawings and know we would get back what we asked for. The whole process, working with a friend to design it and then guys that I knew from Lee Company getting it done. It made it comfortable and easy and it’s now a service I know works from personal experience.”

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Home & Garden

Top 10 Home Sales in 2020 in Williamson County

BY AMANDA HAGGARD

The economy may have taken a beating in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but the real estate market in Williamson County was booming.

The top 10 homes in the county were all sold above $4 million — the owner of Bink’s Outfitters offloaded a home, Williamson County real estate investor Richard McAdams snapped up a place in Brentwood and the folks at Propst Realty Nashville nearly hit $10 million in the purchase of a Franklin property on Long Lane.

Below are the top 10 homes sold in 2020 in Williamson County, ranked by sale price.

1. 4531 Long Lane, Franklin, 37064 Buyer: Propst Realty Nashville, LLC Sale price: $9.9 million Seller: David Duquette and Pam Duquette Seller and buyers’ agent: Paula Duvall, Benchmark Realty, LLC This 6,800-square-foot home is on 88 acres — a dream for someone looking for space inside and out. The property also includes a barn-turned-guest house — 3,440 square feet just for the visitors isn’t bad at all.

The Colonial-style main house has four bedrooms, four and a half bathrooms and fire fireplaces throughout the home.

The property was purchased

by Propst Realty Nashville, LLC, a firm based in Huntsville, Ala. It was sold by David Duquette and Pam Duquette.

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GUIDE TO WILLIAMSON COUNTY

4531 LONG LANE, FRANKLIN

2. 1816 Pace Haven, Franklin, 37069 Buyer: Mash Real Estate II LLC Sale price: $7,250,000 Seller: Jay and Donna Richards Seller’s agent: Mary Sue Dietrich and Janet T. Jones, Worth Properties Buyer’s agent: Bill Henson, SilverPointe Properties This home, built in 2010 by sellers Jay and Donna Richards, was featured in Nfocus Magazine’s 2018 Homes of Distinction issue, and for good reason. The 19,137-square-foot Franklin mansion, which Donna told NFocus was “built for parties,” is loaded with every amenity imaginable.

Along with five bedrooms, six full bathrooms and six half baths, there’s also a 700-square-foot kitchen, a catering kitchen, a media room with theater seating, a racquetball court, a sauna, multiple bars (including one that features a built-in aquarium!), a koi pond and an infinity pool with a waterslide.

The buyer is listed as Mash Real Estate II LLC, an anonymous LLC that leaves little paper trail.

3. 7300 S Harpeth Road, Franklin, 37064 Buyer: Edgar and Michelle Begun Sale price: $6,995,000 Seller: Brandon and Christie Binkley Seller’s agent: Dan McEwen, McEwen Group Buyer’s agent: Aaron Kirchner, Commercial Properties of Tennessee

Not many homes come with a custom-built sign at the beginning of the driveway, but that’s hardly the most impressive feature in November’s top sale. This Williamson County property, aka “The Farm at South Harpeth,” features an updated 4,387-squarefoot farmhouse on 220 acres of sprawling woods that line the South Harpeth River. The land is described as “park-like” and photos show trails, streams, bridges and wild turkeys.

The four-bedroom home is outfitted with geothermal heating and cooling and it features more than 2,000 square feet of porches — both covered and uncovered. A nearby barn is outfitted with high-speed fiber internet The seller is Brandon Binkley, founder and owner of Bink’s Outfitters, a local chain of outdoor equipment stores.

4. 1025 Carlisle Lane, Franklin, 37064 Buyer: Kenneth and Hannah Brobst Sale price: $6,200,000 Seller: Joseph L. Melz Seller’s agents: Tim Thompson and Tess Thompson Singer, Tim Thompson Premier Realtors Buyer’s agent: Stephanie Tipton Soper, French King Fine Properties This home is a 11,433-squarefoot gated estate that was built by Joe and Sandy Melz, founders of Deer Creek Construction, in 2004.

The house, which was only on the market for 10 days (and originally listed at $8.75 million) features eight bedrooms, eight baths, four half baths, five fireplaces and 150-year-old heart pine floors throughout. It sits on a sprawling 24 acres of land that also boasts two barns, an event space, a nine-car garage and a place to land a helicopter. There is an infinity pool and a lap pool.

Buyers are Kenneth and Hannah Brobst. Fun fact: Kenny Wayne Shepherd was born Kenny Wayne Brobst and he is married to Hannah Gibson, daughter of actor Mel Gibson.

5. 7740 Cumberland Drive, Fairview, 37062 Buyer: Natures Way Living LLC Sale price: $5,995,000 Seller: Short Family Farm LLC Seller’s agent: Dan McEwen, McEwen Group Buyer’s agent: Maggie Schuh, Tyler York Real Estate Brokers, LLC This Fairview farm has a two-story, 2,079-square-foot rustic cabin that sits on more than 350 acres. The property features a five-acre lake with a dock, a basketball court, a firepit, a two-story goat house and a barn outfitted with an apartment and its own covered porch that looks out over the lake. Natures Way Living LLC also owns the 84.5-acre forest property known as 0 Old Harding Road in Williamson County.

Home & Garden

6. 5747 Garrison Road, Franklin, 37064 Buyers: Lawrence and Bonita Lineker Sale price: $5.725 million Seller: Greg Gaddy Seller’s agent: Richard B. French, French King Fine Properties Buyers’ agent: Kindy K. Hensler, Village Built in 2017 on property formerly owned by Wynonya Judd, this 9,400 square-foot “modern farmhouse” on nearly 17 acres includes all the smart-home upgrades, geothermal heating and a “sumptuous” master suite.

Outside, there’s an infinity edge pool surrounded by “outdoor living rooms” and covered terraces. Buyer Larry Lineker is an executive vice-president at insurance firm HUB International. As a couple, the Linekers are prolific real estate investors.

Seller Greg Gaddy is a Washington, D.C.-based real estate agent.

7. 4447 Long Lane, Franklin, 37064 Buyer: Bethesda Road LLC Sale price: $4.85 million Seller: Kevin J. and Jana Kelly Seller’s agent: Cooper Magli, Magli Realty Buyer’s agent: Jennifer Bickerstaff, Compass Tennessee This Franklin home has a whopping 130 acres included in the $4.85 million price tag. The property is home to a 10,600-squarefoot brick home built in 2007, an in-ground pool and a guest house.

But the listing’s focus was on the potential of the property. It’d “make an exceptional development opportunity,” it reads.

And that could be exactly what is in the works. Bethesda Road LLC sold four lots in Thompson Station’s The Mill at Bond Springs (at 4726 Bethesda Road) to builders including Hawn Custom Home Design, Celebration Homes, Woodridge Homes and Carbine & Associates. Will Bethesda Road turn these 130 acres, which lie east of the Ladd Park neighborhood and the Williamson County Ag Expo Park, into Franklin’s next residential community?

Seller Kevin Kelly appears to be an associate professor of plastic surgery at Vanderbilt Plastic Surgery.

8. 4224 Two Rivers Lane, Franklin, 37069 Buyer: Leslie Ann Liautaud Sale price: $4.7 million Seller: Conradie Family Trust Seller’s agent: Laura Baugh, Worth Properties Buyers’ agent: Gregory Carl Davis and Lisa Davis, Parks The buyer of this Franklin farmhouse is author Leslie Ann Liautaud, wife of sandwich magnate Jimmy John Liautaud.

The home features five bedrooms, five full baths, two half baths, three fireplaces, an inground pool, a tennis court, a fourcar garage, a detached three-car garage and storage building large enough to accommodate RV parking and enough acreage to allow for up to five horses.

The Conradie family is in the oil business.

9. 1207 Round Grove Ct Lot 104, Brentwood, 37027 Buyer: Richard McAdams Sale price: $4.65 million Seller: Lindsay Todd Butler Seller’s agent: Lisa Culp Taylor, Parks Buyers’ agent: Linda Schklar, The Realty Association This five-bedroom Brentwood home was only on the market for seven days before being snapped up by Williamson County real estate investor Richard McAdams.

The outdoor pool features a lazy river and swim-up bar and the home itself features a wine cellar, two-story master closets and something called a “pet room.”

10. 1016 Vaughn Crest Dr, Franklin, 37069 Buyer: Stephen Davidson and Veronica Perez-Davidson Sale price: $4. 5 million Seller: William Liggett Jr. and Cynthia Liggett Sellers’ agent: Bill E. Henson, SilverPointe Properties Buyers’ agent: Courtney Cooper Jenrath, Fridrich & Clark Realty This private estate sits on almost four acres in a gated community. It includes a heated salt-water pool with slide, bridge and extensive landscaping. The property also has a carriage house studio with access to an In-law suite. It boasts a theater room, wine room, elevator, exercise room and more.

coolspringswine.com

Thank you for voting Cool Springs Wine & Spirits Williamson’s Best Wine and Spirits Store!

Megan Seling contributed to this story.

GUIDE TO WILLIAMSON COUNTY

21

Thanks for your vote for Best Barbershop in Williamson County!

A Barbershop for Men and Women of All Ages 508 W Main Street, Franklin, TN 37064 | 615-472-1756 www.scoutsbarbershop.com | @scoutsbarbershop

THE HOME PAGE GUIDE TO

T HE R ES U LTS AR E I N: T HE FO LK S OF WI LLI AM S ON CO U N TY TH I NK A LOT OF T HI NGS ABOU T TH EI R COM M U N I TY AR E GR EAT In Williamson Home Page's inaugural Williamson's Best contest, we asked you to nominate your favorite people, places, parks and more.

Then your favorites duked it out for the top spot in our Readers' Choice poll. Our writers at Williamson Home Page have also highlighted the best parts of living in the county for our Writers' Choice section.

GUIDE TO WILLIAMSON COUNTY

23

FRANKLIN THEATRE

Arts & Community

Best Golf Course

Best Place to Go Biking

Best Live Music Venue

Best Place to go Running

1. Franklin Bridge Golf Club 2. Vanderbilt Legends Club 3. Old Natchez Country Club 3. The Governors Club

1. Franklin Theatre 2. Kimbro’s Pickin Parlor 3. Gray’s on Main

Best Nonprofit Agency

Readers’ Choice Best Art Gallery

1. Leiper’s Creek Gallery 2. Gallery 202 3. Spark: An Art Studio

Best Charity Event

1. Wine Down Main Street 2. Turkey Trot beneffiting GraceWorks Ministries 3. Heritage Ball

Best Charity Run 1. Turkey Trot 2. Franklin Classic 3. Race for the Cure

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GUIDE TO WILLIAMSON COUNTY

Best Church

1. Brentwood United Methodist Church 2. Church of the City 3. Saint Matthew Catholic Church

Best Event Venue

1. The Factory at Franklin 2. Franklin Theatre 3. Graystone Quarry

Best Farmers Market

1. Franklin Farmers Market 2. Nolensville Farmer’s Market 3. Thompson’s Station Farmers Market

1. Crockett Park 2. Brentwood Bike Trails 3. Bowie Nature Park 3. Wilkins Branch Bike Park

1. Crockett Park 2. Edwin Warner Park 3. Marcella Vivrette Smith Park

Best Theatre Company

1. GraceWorks Ministries Inc 2. Erika’s Safe Place 3. Freedom Reigns Ranch

1. Studio Tenn 2. Pull-Tight Players 3. Fairview Community Theatre

Best Outdoor Concert

Best Virtual Event

1. Pilgrimage Festival 2. Crockett Park 3. for KING & COUNTRY (by The Well Outreach)

Best Parade

1. Franklin Christmas Parade 2. Nolensville Veterans Day Parade 3. Franklin Veterans Day Parade

Best Park

1. Crockett Park 2. Pinkerton Park 3. Harlinsdale Farm

1. GraceWorks Big Birthday Match 2. Studio Tenn’s Tennessee Christmas 3. Franklin Tomorrow Breakfast with the Mayors

Best Wedding Venue

1. Graystone Quarry 2. Mint Springs Farm 3. The Barn at Sycamore Farms

A Moment’s Peace Salon & Day Spa

PHOTO: ANDY COLLIGNON

What’s the best thing about Williamson County? There is no close second, it is definitively the community. Williamson County is truly a tight-knit area of Middle Tennessee that is blessed with extensive creativity, a family-oriented atmosphere and a prosperous small business environment.

CAL TURNER, JR.’S BARN

Writers’ Choice BEST EVENT GROUP

The Movie Gang Before the pandemic started and people could actually gather en masse to watch movies together, one of Williamson County’s best ongoing event series came from The Movie Gang. They would host film screening events for various audience favorites, infuse enough pomp and activity to make it feel like something more and tie it all together with the kind of enthusiasm that gets people interested in movies. Whenever the Movie Guy events return, seek one out.

They’re easily accessible and a lot of fun. CORY WOODROOF

BEST PLACE TO WATCH A MOVIE

AMC’s Dolby Cinema at the Thoroughbred 20 The pandemic has made moviegoing harder than ever, with even diehard film fans stuck on their couches to watch whatever the week’s new releases will be. When it finally gets safe to go back with your friends to catch the newest blockbuster, you must check out the AMC Thoroughbred 20’s Dolby Cinema. The state-of-the-art movie theater is the only one of its kind in middle Tennessee, complete with perhaps the clearest image you can find in a theater and the best sound

mix possible. A direct competitor to IMAX, Dolby Cinema is one of the best ways to watch a movie on the big screen. Plus, Bradley Cooper himself stopped by that particular theater back in 2018 to discuss his film A Star is Born. For having opened in 2018, that theater is already building quite a history. For the best moviegoing experience in middle Tennessee, check out Cool Springs’ Dolby Cinema. You won’t be disappointed. CORY WOODROOF BEST PLACE TO SEE A MOVIE POST COVID

Field at Franklin

What does your community mean to you? Our community means everything to us. This is why we make every effort we can to ensure that we hire the most highly trained personnel in each field of service we offer.

This is how we take care of our community, through providing for their self-care needs so they are able to operate at their absolute best for their daily responsibilities and activities.

What is the one thing you want people in Williamson County to know about your business? As one of the area’s premier salons and day spas, we employ a highly trained staff of individuals— with great tenure in the business— who are continually educated on the latest in products and techniques. A Moment’s Peace is proud to serve such a wonderful community here in Franklin, Tennessee, as well as travelers who visit for business or pleasure.

What is a hobby that you have that is not related to your business?

Spending time with my family. We like to ski and we enjoy boating on the lakes around the Nashville area.

One of the better things to come of the pandemic were more outdoor options to see films. Before, you may have had to drive an hour 9050 Carothers Pkwy, #108 | Franklin, TN 37067 615-224-0770 AMOMENTSPEACE.COM

PILGRIMAGE

Schaffer Skin What’s the best thing about Williamson County? The support of the people in our community is what is best about Williamson County What does your community mean to you? The relationships that have been established whether it is professional or personal during my years in this county.

Tell us about your favorite place in Williamson County. I love downtown Franklin! We also enjoy the small town feel and also the wonderful Pilgrimage Festival! This has been a great addition to Williamson County and Middle Tennessee.

What is the one thing you want people in Williamson County to know about your business? We believe that Schaffer Skin is more than a business but a place where people can feel comfortable in the fact that they will be receiving the best skin care possible. We have tons of experience along with proven results.

What is a hobby that you have that is not related to your business?

What is a hobby that you have that is not related to your business?

A: I love live music, attending concerts with my family. I also love to travel and volunteer my time to help my community.

What is your hometown? Goodlettsville, Tennessee

or more to get the drive-in theater experience. The Field at Franklin, which is located behind Rolling Hills Community Church, puts its schedule up about a week in advance, and shows movies in the field on weekends while offering the outdoor space up for rent on other days. It’s a much needed entertainment development in the county. AMANDA HAGGARD BEST THEATER COMPANY

Backlight Productions Backlight Productions is a theater company that gives people with disabilities the chance to perform on stage, often in roles they’ve always dreamed of playing. The company produces full shows, ambitious productions that are similar

8119 Isabella Lane Suite 100 | Brentwood, TN 615-828-6674 SCHAFFERSKIN.COM

to what you’d see at a professional theater company. Often, Backlight uses multiple actors to play a single character, which allows actors to take on a challenge that’s just right for them. The final product is incredibly moving. Sometimes, actors struggle to remember their lines on stage. In those pauses the theater is dead quiet, but the entire audience is rooting for them.

When they finally get that line out, it feels like watching the quarterback from your favorite football team throw a hail mary pass in the waning second of the fourth quarter to win the game. “In those kinds of moments, it doesn’t matter if things are done perfectly,” Executive Director Melissa Smith said. “It matters that you got on stage. There’s nothing like a crowd that’s there to cheer and support that they accomplished something that was really hard for them.”

MATT BLOIS

BEST PIVOT

Studio Tenn’s Talk Show Studio Tenn, the professional regional theater company in Franklin, had a tough year. They had staff layoffs and, of course, nobody could go out to see artists perform in person. But they turned it around with an excellent virtual talk show hosted by Artistic Director Patrick Cassidy, which featured exclusive interviews with acclaimed performing artists from Broadway, film and music. From Susan Egan of the original cast of Beauty & the Beast to Adam Pascal from the original cast of Rent, Cassidy pivoted beautifully.

The shows always have impressive guests and the legends seem happy to talk to a Williamson County audience. AMANDA HAGGARD

BEST UNOFFICIAL LANDMARK

Cal Turner, Jr.’s Barn This year, our freelance photographer Andy Collignon shot a photograph of the conjunction of Jupiter and Saturn, also known as the Star of Bethlehem. Our staff and readers loved it. The event only happens every 800 years or so, but as our photographer pointed out, “citizens of Brentwood enjoy a representation of the Star of Bethlehem every year,” in the barn owned by Cal Turner Jr., which depicts the star. Collignon caught the conjunction in a stunning photograph, showing the Star of Bethlehem just over the unofficial local landmark. AMANDA HAGGARD BEST FESTIVAL

Pilgrimage The Pilgrimage Music & Cultural Festival may not be the longest running music festival in Tennessee, but in its short five years of existence it’s garnered a lot of attention from music fans across the country. Held at the historic Harlinsdale Farm in Franklin, the festival has seen world-renowned artists such as Justin Timberlake, Willie Nelson and most recently The Killers headline the event, and has attracted thousands to the sprawling 198-acre property just off of Franklin Road. The wide open spaces, rolling hills and diverse lineups make Pilgrimage the easy pick for our best festival in Williamson County. While the festival skipped a year in 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic, the event is expected to return in full force in the fall of 2021. ALEXANDER WILLIS

Beauty & Fitness Readers’ Choice Best Aesthetician

1. Tara Schaffer, Schaffer Skin 2. Jennifer Barlow, The GlamDen 3. Tabitha Hall, Pinup Skin Spa

Best Barbershop

1. Uncle Classic Barbershop 2. 5th & Barber 3. Scout’s Barbershop

Best Barre

1. Barre3 Brentwood 2. Pure Barre 3. The Barre

Best Cross Training

1. Iron Tribe Fitness, Franklin 2. CrossFit 3. Orangetheory Fitness

Best Day Spa

1. A Moment’s Peace Salon & Day Spa 2. Pure Sweat + Float Studio 3. Glam Den

Best Fitness Center

1. Williamson County Parks & Recreation Complex 2. Life Time Athletic Franklin 3. TITLE Boxing Club

Best Hair Salon

Scout’s Barbershop Best MedSpa

1. Schaffer Skin 2. Glow Medspa 3. The Look Facial Aesthetics

Best Nails

1. Nolen Nail Spa 2. Noire The Nail Bar 3. Sahara Nails Spa

Best Pilates

1. The Pilates Mill 2. Club Pilates 3. Body Architecture Fitness

Best Skincare

1. REN Dermatology and Laser Center 2. Schaffer Skin 3. SkinTheoryRX

Best Stylist

1. Chad Hilburn, Salon 1797 2. Catie Parker, Shear Hospitality 3. Katey Preston, Effortless Style

Best Yoga

1. Free Flow Yoga 2. CorePower Yoga 3. Abundant Yoga

What’s the best thing about Williamson County? Slow-living, a beautiful landscape, historical architecture and great people!

What does your community mean to you? This community is so special because of the support they show local businesses and the way they welcome everyone. We love seeing our neighbors in our shop and seeing neighbors meeting new neighbors and making connections.

Scout’s is a business that values being accessible and maybe even walkable to our neighborhood! Because Scout’s is a barbershop for guys and gals of all ages. We have families, friends and couples all coming for haircuts together. We love welcoming our community into our space.

Tell us about your favorite place in Williamson County. Puckett’s of Leiper’s Fork. We love to sit by the fire with a beer and people-watch, or go to the wild and ruckus karaoke night!

What is the one thing you want people in Williamson County to know about your business? At Scout’s, we believe you shouldn’t have to sacrifice quality for convenience or price. You deserve a fun, uplifting experience, a stellar haircut, and to feel great about yourself when you walk out the door. Each haircut includes a complimentary beer from New Heights Brewing Company or a refreshing Waterloo

1. Salon 1797 2. A Moment’s Peace Salon and Day Spa 3. Shear Hospitality 9100 Carothers Pkwy Ste 103 | Franklin, TN 615-472-1756 SCOUTSBARBERSHOP.COM

Best Grocery Store

1. The Fresh Market 2. Publix Super Market at Berry Farms Town Center 3. Whole Foods Market

Best Home Improvement 1. The Home Depot 2. Lowe’s Home Improvement 3. Ibarra Design Co.

Best Insurance

FirstBank What’s the best thing about Williamson County? Having been born and raised here, that’s a tough question. It is easy to take things for granted. I would throw out a few, such as diversity in landscape, the incredible history of the area, the architecture, restaurants, shops, and people in downtown Franklin. If I had to pick one, I would probably choose Main Street in downtown Franklin. I live and work in downtown Franklin, so Main Street and all it has to offer mean a lot to me.

What does your community mean to you? A strong sense of community is integral to great quality of life. I reap the benefits of living in a vibrant and growing community, and enjoy taking part in anything that allows me to return the favor and give back. Williamson County wouldn’t be where it is today if the generations before us didn’t have the foresight to effectively plan for the future.

Tell us about your favorite place in Williamson County. Downtown Franklin. My wife and I live a couple of blocks off the square and enjoy the ability to walk downtown anytime and enjoy all it has to offer. The proximity to parks, trails and greenspaces is great.

What is a hobby that you have that is not related to your business?

Travel, exercise and reading. Combine some travel and exercise, and that is a real winner

Business & Retail

Best Jewelry

1. Brentwood Jewelry 2. Walton’s Antique & Est Jewelry 3. Crown Jewelry & Gifts

Best Lawyer

1. The Law Offices of John Day P.C. 2. Stites & Harbison 3. Russ Cook & Associates, P.C.

Readers’ Choice Best Accounting Firm

1. LBMC 2. Blankenship CPA Group, PLLC 3. Jason Grubbs, CPA

Best Antiques

1. Three French Hens 2. Franklin Antique Mall 3. Walton’s Antique & Est Jewelry

Best Auto Dealership

1. Andrews Cadillac Company 2. Darrell Waltrip Honda 3. Toyota of Cool Springs

Best Auto Repair

1. Moody’s Tire & Auto Service 2. Rhea Little Tire & Auto Repair 3. Crutcher’s Auto Repair

Best Bank (Tie)

1. FirstBank 1. Pinnacle Financial Partners 2. First Horizon Bank

9100 Carothers Pkwy Ste 103 | Franklin, TN 615-472-1756 SCOUTSBARBERSHOP.COM

1. State Farm 2. Farm Bureau Insurance 3. Full Service Insurance, Inc.

Best Banker

Best Marketing Services

Best Beauty Products

1. Peter Millar 2. Dillard’s 3. Men’s Wearhouse

1. Barbara Fleming, FirstBank 2. Andrew Jennings, First Citizens National Bank- Nolensville 3. Tiffany Jones, Pinnacle Bank

1. Ulta Beauty 2. SEPHORA 3. The Cosmetic Market

Best Branding Services

1. BrandMETTLE 2. The A Group 3. Renaissance Marketing Group

Best Men’s Clothing

Best Mortgage Company

1. BrandMETTLE 2. The A Group 3. Financial Marketing Solutions

1. Highlands Residential Mortgage - The Julie Arnold Team 2. Churchill Mortgage 3. FirstBank Mortgage

Best Employer

Best Outdoor Gear

1. The Heritage at Brentwood 2. STAR Physical Therapy 3. Hiller Plumbing, Heating, Cooling & Electrical

Best Florist

1. Accent Flowers 2. Garden Delights Fine Florist 3. Hodys Florist

Best Gift Shop

1. Hot Pink 2. Katy’s Hallmark Shop 3. Fork of the South General Store

1. REI 2. Bink’s Outfitters 3. Academy Sports + Outdoors

Best PR Firm

1. Alday Communications 2. Gray Public Relations 3. Sheridan Public Relations

Best Shopping Center 1. CoolSprings Galleria 2. Hill Center Brentwood 3. The Factory at Franklin / Franklin Farmer’s Market

Simply the

Best

Lock-and-go lifestyle – leave for the week or the season without a worry Customizable interiors. If you can dream it, we can help make it come true.

Secure, underground parking and private garages Beautiful 48-acre, tree-lined campus Large community garden HealthyLife®center with indoor pool, group exercise classes and more staffed

by NIFS-certified trainers • On-site Williamson Medical Group clinic and resident Healthcare Navigator • Full-service day spa offering hair and nail services, massages and facials • BEST of all: If or when you need short- or long-term rehab, assisted living, memory care or skilled nursing, it’s right on campus at our 5-Star rated Somerfield Health Center • • • • • •

Best Place to Live However you shape your day, it’s yours to enjoy at Williamson County’s only LifeCare® community. The Heritage offers over 25 floorplans, up to 2,171 square feet, paired with the best amenities and services.

Best Place to Work The Heritage has a culture that’s based on service excellence, and it resonates through all facets of our organization. Visit our Careers page at www.TheHeritageLCS.com/ careers to learn more.

Best Chef and dining services Executive Chef Jonathan King is recognized among the senior-living industry’s best. Dine on your schedule, not ours, in The Heritage’s two full-service restaurants.

Delivery and pickup also available.

900 Heritage Way, Brentwood, TN 37027 www.TheHeritageLCS.com 615-507-2686

The Heritage at Brentwood What’s the best thing about Williamson County? Located next to Brentwood’s 46-acre River Park, The Heritage at Brentwood offers the best of both worlds.

Tell us about your favorite place in Williamson County. River Park offers easy access to the Brentwood Trail System, a favorite for hiking and biking; Historic Franklin, with its brick sidewalks, antique shops and art deco theater; historic attractions and modern malls; farmers markets and wineries; golf courses and botanical gardens; the hustle and bustle of the Cool Springs Mall just a few minutes away; horse farms and rolling hills.

What is the one thing you want people in Williamson County to know about your business? One of the first things you’ll notice when you visit The Heritage at Brentwood is how friendly everyone is. It’s more than just Southern hospitality.

People are happy here doing what brings them joy and fulfillment, and it shows. You’ll see them biking on paths that connect to Brentwood’s parks and trails, learning new steps in a line dancing class, building their strength and confidence in a balance class, or joining an aqua fit class in the heated indoor pool. We’re a community of readers and writers, travelers and explorers, gardeners and golfers, educators and lifelong learners. Whatever your passion or interest, there are people and programs here to help you pursue them.

900 Heritage Way | Brentwood, TN 615-507-2686 THEHERITAGELCS.COM

GRACEWORKS MINISTRIES, INC

Best Sports Store

Writers’ Choice

1. Academy Sports + Outdoors 2. REI 3. DICK’S Sporting Goods

BEST RECORD SHOP

Best Tax Firm

Luna Record Shop

1. LBMC 2. H&R Block 3. Drewry Deana L CPA

Best Thrift/ Consignment Store

1. GraceWorks Ministries Inc 2. Goodwill Drop-off 3. Play It Again Sports, Brentwood

Best Wealth Management

1. FirstBank Investment Partners 2. The Wealth Management Group 3. Northwestern Mutual

Best Wine and Spirits Store

1. Cool Springs Wine & Spirits 2. Red Dog Wine & Spirits 3. Moon Wine and Spirits

Best Women’s Clothing

1. Mainstream Boutique Franklin 2. Spruce 3. Finnleys Good Findings

If you’re a purely vinyl type of person when it comes to listening to music, look no further than the Luna Record Shop at The Factory at Franklin. One of Williamson County’s true gems and one of its few true media stores, Luna Record Shop gives music fans a place to browse its extensive record collection and find the next thing to pop in the record player.

Also, if you’re convinced you’ve unearthed a golden oldie to sell and make a little cash, Luna does appraise and purchase used records too. CORY WOODROOF BEST NEIGHBORHOOD MARKET

Oh My Chives If you’re looking for a Stars Hollow feel in downtown Nolensville, Oh My Chives delivers the neighborhood charm in spades. While the

store is in a modern, new development on Nolensville Pike, indoors is a cozy wonderland of locally-produced meats, eggs, deli items and plants galore. It’s a one-stop-shop for both kitchen staples and special gifts. Think spices in beautiful containers, hot sauces, drink mixes and cacti.

Don’t skip their cafe, which sells pastries and sandwiches. I highly recommend the Morning Melt!

ELIZABETH JONES

BEST CEO TRANSITION

Tractor Supply Co. At first blush, Hal Lawton’s leaving his job as president of Macy’s to lead Tractor may have raised an eyebrow. But the 46-year-old has amassed a retail skill set for these times, leading eBay’s North American business after honing his merchandising chops at Home Depot.

He put those experiences to work as Tractor adapted to COVID — and finished the year with sales up 27 percent and profits climbing by a third. In February, he announced the $297 million purchase of Missouri-based peer Orscheln Farm and Home. GEERT DE LOMBAERDE

What’s the best thing about Williamson County? For me, the best thing about Williamson County is that it is big enough to keep meeting new people, but small enough that you can always count on seeing someone you know.

What does your community mean to you? This community means everything to me. We are lucky enough to live in a place where you can work, live, raise your kids, and pick a church you love while knowing they are all some of the best to be found anywhere.

What is the one thing you want people in Williamson County to know about your business? We are committed to our people, customers and team members alike.

What is your favorite thing about what you do? I think my favorite thing about my job is developing people and seeing our team exceed their own expectations. Over the years, we’ve had many of our people start families, buy homes, and achieve the personal goals they set out for themselves.

These stories are incredible.

What is a hobby that you have that is not related to your business?

I’ve played drums my entire life and love to get together to play music with my friends.

LANDMARK BOOKSELLERS

BEST BOOKSTORE

Landmark Booksellers My house is littered with Landmark Booksellers bookmarks. They come with each book, and they’re a lovely reminder of the beautiful little bookshop in downtown Franklin.

The shop has a little bit of everything: old favorites, new books and rare finds. Owners Joel and Carol Tomlin are an absolute delight to shop with. Every town needs a good bookstore, and we’re lucky to have Landmark. AMANDA HAGGARD BEST NEW CORPORATE NEIGHBOR

Cryoport In early 2020, Cryoport became the latest California-to-Middle-Tennessee corporate transplant, further expanding the region’s health care ecosystem. Just a few months later,

1 Cadillac Drive | Brentwood, TN (615) 373-3800 ANDREWSTRANSPORTATIONGROUP.COM

half the planet was familiarizing itself with the refrigerated logistics services in which it specializes. CEO Jerry Shelton hasn’t complained about the extra attention COVID has brought but has also made it clear that the scope of Cryoport’s core life sciences business is far broader than the current crisis.

The prospects there look bright: Cryoport added nearly 100 clinical trials in 2020 and its revenues continue to grow. GEERT DE LOMBAERDE BEST BREWING BOARD ROOM BATTLE

Delek US Legendary investor/rabble-rouser Carl Icahn isn’t mellowing out much despite recently celebrating his 85th birthday. His CVR Energy last year amassed nearly 15 percent of Delek shares with an eye on buying the whole company. Early in 2021, Icahn and CVR changed their tune and began calling for major changes at Delek. Chairman and CEO Uzi Yemin rebuffed that initial push

PHOTO: EMILY WEST

Andrews Transportation Group

and CVR’s call for three board seats but CVR soon after took aim at his compensation package. Delek investors will take sides in early May. GEERT DE LOMBAERDE

BEST SURPRISING SPLIT

Williamson Medical Center/Vanderbilt University Medical Center In 2020, Williamson Medical Center announced it would end its pediatrics contract with Vanderbilt University Medical Center. The hospital has partnered with VUMC’s Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital Vanderbilt since 2015, but recently announced they want to end the contract July, 15, 2021. WMC has yet to announce it’s plans for pediatrics moving forward, but noted it would continue to provide medical care for children after the contract expired. AMANDA HAGGARD

Julie Arnold

SR. LOAN OFFICER | NMLS # 175611

Voted BEST

MORTGAGE PROFESSIONAL

BY WILLIAMSON HOME PAGE

615-440-8663

JULIEARNOLDTEAM.COM jarnold@HighlandsMortgage.com 101 Westpark Drive, Ste 110 Brentwood, TN 37027

A HIGHER

STANDARD

OF LENDING

NMLS # 134871 | 950 W. Bethany Dr., Suite 800 Allen, TX 75013 | EQUAL HOUSING LENDER

PHOTO: ERIC ENGLAND

BROTHER’S BURGER JOINT

Food & Drink Readers’ Choice Best Bakery

1. Puffy Muffin, Brentwood 2. Merridee’s Breadbasket 3. Triple Crown Bakery

Best Bar

Advertise Today Email Kelly Gilfillan at kgilfillan@fwpublishing.com.

1. Gray’s on Main 2. Drake’s Cool Springs 3. Quinn’s Neighbourhood Pub and Eatery

Best Breakfast

1. First Watch 2. Birdie’s Breakfast & Lunch Shop 3. Puckett’s Grocery & Restaurant, Downtown Franklin

Best Brunch Best Bartender

1. Roland Price, Red Pony 2. John Ferguson, Cork & Cow 3. Kevin Dubinski, Gray’s on Main

Best BBQ

1. Martin’s Bar-B-Que Joint 2. Jim ‘N Nick’s Bar-B-Q 3. Stroud’s Barbeque

1. 55 South 2. Mere Bulles Restaurant 3. Granite City Food & Brewery

Best Burger

1. Burger Up 2. Ground 3. The Bunganut Pig Bar & Restaurant

Best Caterer

1. Red Pony Catering 2. Catering & Events by Suzette 3. Menu Maker Catering & Events

THANK YOU FOR VOTING US

Best Bank, Best Wealth Management, and finalist for Best Mortgage Company.

Best Banker

Barbara Fleming

FirstBankOnline.com

INST ID NMLS#472433

Drive Thru or

Order Online for Takeout and Curbside Pickup

PHOTO: ERIC ENGLAND

2 easy ways to order!

FIVE DAUGHTERS BAKERY

Best Chef

1. Michael Moranski, Red Pony 2. John Williams, Gray’s on Main 3. Jonathan King, The Heritage at Brentwood

Best Chinese

1. Keriyaki Asian Cuisine 2. Corner Asian Café 3. W’lins Asian cuisine & spirits

Best Cocktails

1. Cork & Cow 2. Grays on Main 3. J. Alexander’s Restaurant

Best Coffee Shop

1. Frothy Monkey 2. Mama’s Java Cafe 3. The Coffee House at Second and Bridge

Best Craft Beer

1. Mill Creek Brewing Co. 2. Cool Springs Brewery 3. Hop House Tennessee Taps

Best Distillery

1. Leiper’s Fork Distillery 2. Wheeler’s Raid Distillery 3. H Clark Distillery

Best Donut

1. Five Daughters Bakery 2. Tiny Little Donuts 3. Peace Love and Little Donuts

Best Hot Chicken

1. Big Shake’s Hot Chicken & Fish 2. Bishop’s Meat & Three 3. Party Fowl

Best Japanese/Sushi 1. Wild Ginger 2. Peter’s Sushi & Thai 3. Koi Sushi & Thai

Best Mediterranean

1. Taziki’s Mediterranean Cafe 2. Grecian Family Restaurant and Bakery 3. Mediterranean Cuisine

Best Mexican

1. Tito’s Mexican Restaurant, Berry Farms 2. Pueblo Real Mexican Restaurant 3. Sopapilla’s

Best New Restaurant 1. Culaccino Italian Restaurant + Bar 2. 1799 Kitchen & Cocktails 3. CoreLife Eatery

Best Pizza

1. Amico’s New York Pizza 2. Mellow Mushroom, Franklin 3. Sal’s Family Pizza

Best Restaurant

1. J. Alexander’s Restaurant 2. Cork & Cow 3. Gray’s on Main

Be sure to stop in and see our wide variety of wines, specialty spirits and customized gift items

MARTIN’S BAR-B-QUE JOINT

Best Seafood

1. Bonefish Grill 2. Connors Steak & Seafood 3. Cajun Steamer Bar & Grill

Best Steak

At the corner of Franklin Road and Moores Lane, 6910 Moores Ln, Brentwood, TN 37027 615-471-1772

PHOTO: ERIC ENGLAND

Thank you for voting Moon, Wine & Spirits one of the TOP 3 wines & spirits stores in Williamson County!

1. Sperry’s 2. Stoney River Steakhouse and Grill 3. Cork & Cow

Best Thai

1. Jasmine 2. Peter’s Sushi & Thai 3. Koi Sushi & Thai

Best Vegan/Vegetarian 1. Herban Market 2. Vui’s Kitchen 3. CoreLife Eatery

Best Wine Menu (in a restaurant)

1. JJ’s Wine Bar 2. Red Pony 3. Sperry’s Cool Springs

Best Wings

1. Martin’s Bar-B-Que Joint 2. Wings To Go, Nolensville 3. Quinn’s Neighbourhood Pub and Eatery

Thank you for voting for us!

WINNER OF THE READER’S CHOICE AWARDS

LEADERS IN REAL ESTATE WORKING FOR YOU We are ready to help you buy or sell a home in Middle Tennessee – and we have the experience and knowledge to make the whole process easier for you.

CONTACT US FOR ALL OF YOUR REAL ESTATE NEEDS

(615) 775-3830

106 E. Main St. | Franklin, TN 37064 | (615) 790-7400 | (615) 775-3830 | Lic. #00059191 All information deemed correct but is not guaranteed and is subject to change.

BIRDIE’S BREAKFAST AND LUNCH SPOT

Highlands Residential Mortgage

Julie Arnold

SR. LOAN OFFICER | NMLS # 175611

What’s the best thing about Williamson County? The best thing about Williamson County is the fact that it is a great place to raise a family. It has a small-town feel with all the amazing things a larger place would offer.

Voted BEST

What does your community mean to you? Williamson County is my home and that is exactly what it means to me. That is why I started my career in the mortgage industry.

BY WILLIAMSON HOME PAGE

MORTGAGE PROFESSIONAL

Tell us about your favorite place in Williamson County. My family home is my favorite place in Williamson County. Sounds silly, but my JULIEARNOLDTEAM.COM family means the world to me, BEST NEW RESTAURANT and being a resident of this amazing jarnold@HighlandsMortgage.com community is such a testament to how101 muchWestpark I love Williamson County.

Drive, Ste 110

Writers’ Choice

restaurant marketing world and opened Birdie’s in the spring of 2020 — literally the week that COVID-19 shut down the majority of the nation. Breax’s support for community members and first responders has made for good Brentwood, TN 37027 business. And don’t forget about What is the one thing you want people in Williamson County to his weekly partnership with The know about your business? The Bearded Baker for fresh, homeone thing I want the people of WilIf you’re looking a bite to made desserts.

NMLS # 134871 | 950 W. Bethany Dr., Suite 800 Allen, for TX 75013 | eat EQUAL HOUSING LENDERMATT MASTERS liamson County to know is that The while in Nolensville, you can’t Julie Arnold Team at Highlands ResBEST MEXICAN go wrong with one of their newidential Mortgage has your back! We est restaurants that has already truly care about our clients and it is become a community favorite such an important piece of what we of the small (but growing) town. do in this industry.

Ask any homeowner who purchased From breakfast food like the Hoduring the housing boom spanning Pre-pandemic, visiting with mer — a bowl of breakfast potathe COVID-19 pandemic just how friends may have included toes topped with two eggs, crumemotional that transaction was for a night at Garcia’s. I love the bled bacon, cheddar, jalapeños them. Having a team behind you restaurant’s family atmosphere. and smothered with country that truly cares about getting you They have options for the folks sausage gravy — to lunch items into the home you desire most is who may want what you’d find like the Chicka Boom — a fried or critical in this housing market. at any Mexican restaurant, but grilled chicken sandwich topped also serve up delightful variawith lettuce, tomato, pickles and tions like a Hawaiian quesadilla, lemon-herb mayo on a brioche which is filled with fresh sliced bun — it’s all delicious. Owner jalapeno, pineapple and cheese.

Wade Breaux left the corporate

615-440-8663

A HIGHER

STANDARD Birdie’s Breakfast OF LENDING and Lunch Shop Garcia’s

9100 Carothers Pkwy Ste 103 | Franklin, TN 615-472-1756 SCOUTSBARBERSHOP.COM

It’s equal parts spicy and sweet and goes well with a margarita.

AMANDA HAGGARD

BEST ASIAN

Wild Ginger In what’s become your absolute best bet for food on Bakers Bridge Ave., Wild Ginger continues to provide the county with its most eclectic Asian fusion cuisine.

You’ll hear people rave about the sushi menu — of course, it’s excellent and varied, especially when you let yourself enjoy it tempura-style. However, don’t be afraid to venture off into the entrees, the restaurant’s delicious mie goreng and fried rice with chicken are highlights. It’s refined enough to compete with some of Nashville’s best Asian restaurants while accessible enough to get anyone interested in what’s on the menu.

CORY WOODROOF

Williamson's Best Readers' Choice Awards - PR Firm -

BEST HOT CHICKEN (& FISH)

BEST RELIABLE MEAL

Big Shake’s Hot Chicken & Fish

McCreary’s

Look, we’re not going to necessarily say you should always eat a piece of hot fried fish when you consume a quarter of hot fried chicken. But sometimes misery loves company, and that’s exactly the pair that will get you into the best kind of trouble at Big Shake’s Hot Chicken & Fish. The hot chicken restaurant off Murfreesboro Road boasts the best fried bird in the county, but it also boasts what might be the piece of best fried hot fish around, period. The breading on both dishes is the right kind of subtle and the sides are on point (get some fries and mac and cheese while you’re cheating on your diet). CORY WOODROOF BEST MEAT-AND-THREE

Bishop’s If you have relatives who are coming to town and want to try Hattie B’s (as relatives who visit are wont to do), you’d do yourself a favor to avoid the long lines at the Nashville hot chicken staple and head over to Bishop’s. The “B” in Hattie B’s stands for Bishop, with that family running a delectable meat-and-three in Cool Springs over by the theater. It’s the perfect place to stop before a movie, with an authentic Hattie B’s quarter breast of hot chicken awaiting you alongside whatever else is on the menu. While that’s always a hit, be sure to try the carrot soufflé on the side. It’s life changing. CORY WOODROOF

A cottage pie with Porter Road for when you’re growling. Some fish and chips that you know will hit the spot. Pork bangers and mash to go with a few pints of Guinness.

Nearly 20 years after opening its doors — at a time when downtown Franklin’s retail scene wasn’t the sustained success story it has become — McCreary’s continues to hit the mark when it comes to owner Natasha Hendrix’s goal of “no pretenses, just comfortable, casual fun.” GEERT DE LOMBAERDE BEST BBQ

Moe’s Original BBQ It’s always a sign of a great BBQ place if the pulled pork isn’t the best item on its menu. When you stop over by Moe’s Original BBQ in Cool Springs, you need to take advantage of the BBQ chicken.

While some may feel Jim ‘N Nick’s has the monopoly on BBQ chicken with white sauce, Moe’s version is the dish’s best-kept secret in the county. You can’t go wrong with anything on the Moe’s menu, but give that a go the next time you stop in. Once you have some, you’ll be stopping in more frequently to eat all the other entrees. CORY WOODROOF BEST ITALIAN

Amerigo When I want Italian food, I want comfort. And Amerigo’s menu is full of comfort-food Italian. I almost always go for the five-layer lasagna, but also love the restau-

rant’s fig and prosciutto pizza, which is sweet and salty in the best way. I also won’t argue if someone at the table wants to order calamari. AMANDA HAGGARD BEST BURGER

Brothers’ Burger Joint It’s not hard to find a good hamburger in Williamson County; heck, even the Mickey D’s dollar menu hoists a solid double double. However, Brothers’ Burger Joint in Nolensville takes the cake for all of middle Tennessee.

Brothers’ signature burger, the spicy Jumpback Jack (my favorite in Nashville) with pepper jack cheese, candied bacon, caramelized onions and cumin aioli, tastes like one of my grandmother’s tacos, which is one of the best compliments in this listing of food.

You can taste the skillet in the beef like you can with a delicious old-school beef taco. They’ve also got some of the best fries around too. If you’re in Nolensville, it’s a must. CORY WOODROOF BEST PIZZA

Sal’s Family Pizza Former Williamson County Schools Athletic Director Jeremy Qualls introduced me to Sal’s Family Pizza, a place that’s easily boasting the best slice in the county. Chains grip the area and dilute any meaningful attempt at having pizza, but Sal’s Family Pizza knows what it’s doing. The restaurant brings its New York roots to the table and offers up a pie that you might find in a little corner pizzeria in New York City. The slices are big and fla-

THANK

YOU!

Thank you, Williamson County, for voting Nolensville Ace Hardware one of the Best Hardware Stores in the area!’

Come in and see our Big Green Egg selection

‘We are here with helpful service’ Nolensville Ace Hardware 7120 Nolensville Rd | Nolensville, TN 37135 Phone: (615) 832-4448

Thank you for voting Uncle Classic Barbershop Williamson’s Best Barbershop!

CIRCA

vorful. It just about bookends the county in Brentwood and Franklin, giving locals something authentic to combat all the Dominoes and Papa John’s. CORY WOODROOF

BRENTWOOD

330 Franklin Road, Suite 910-D, Brentwood, TN 37027 – 615.309.0044 COOL SPRINGS

1560 West McEwen Dr. Suite 150, Franklin, TN 37067 – 615.472.1360 NOLENSVILLE

7240 Nolensville Road, Suite 301, Nolensville, TN 37135 – 615.283.3154 SPRING HILL

4816 Main Street, Suite I, Spring Hill, TN , 37174 – 615.614.1651 BOOK NOW at uncleclassicbarbershop.com

Jefferson’s flavorful buffalo gives the old standard a fresh kick.

It’s also a great place to stop in and spend the afternoon for the game. CORY WOODROOF

BEST RESTAURANT

some of Nashville’s best restaurants, hands down. Its old timey aesthetic only adds to the smalltown appeal. There’s a lot of good food in the county. Circa stands head and shoulders above the rest. CORY WOODROOF

BEST BREAKFAST

Circa Grill

BEST WINGS

Puffy Muffin

Tucked away in historic downtown Thompson’s Station next to everyone’s favorite red caboose, Circa Grill features what might be the county’s most eclectic menu: This fall, you could start out with the melt-in-your-mouth sweet potato gnocchi and fresh fried green tomatoes as small plates, pace it with some heavenly sweet cornbread (how all cornbread should be done) and haggle amongst your tastebuds between choosing the seafood fra diavolo (complete with a delectable whipped ricotta), a wood grilled fillet or just eating a whole dish of mac and cheese to yourself. Circa could compete with

Jefferson’s (Brentwood, Fairview) After spending time reminding folks in Murfreesboro who really has the best wings in the city (sorry, Slick Pig), Jefferson’s made its way to Williamson County in the last few years and cemented itself as the county’s best place to get a hot wing. While we prefer the boneless style (they’re not chicken nuggets), the array of sauces at Jefferson’s pack enough heat without sacrificing flavor. The buffalo sauce at Jefferson’s might be its best. Buffalo is easy to make generic, but

The Puffy Muffin is a Williamson County staple; it’s one of the county’s longest-running institutions, having been at its Brentwood spot since 1992. Everyone knows how good the bakery is; it’s not all that surprising to hear about a batch of those crisp iced cookies making someone’s day.

The breakfast is a heck of a way to start the day, though. While you might go for one of their famous quiches or, y’know, a fluffy muffin, the oatmeal, believe it or not, is absolutely worth a try. You might not think oatmeal would be a banner breakfast menu item, but don’t doubt Puffy Muffin’s capacity to surprise you. CORY WOODROOF

“Thank you to our amazing team and community for recognizing Ford Classic Homes as the Best Home Builder in middle Tennessee.”

Visit us at one of our communities: . Westhaven – $800s to $1.3 million . Lockwood Glen – $800s-$900s . The Grove – $1 million to $2+ million . Witherspoon – $1.5 million to $3+ million . Splendor Ridge - Coming May 2021 Starting at $1.3 million . Southbrooke - Coming Early 2022

2021 BEST BUILDER Award Winner Home Page Guide to Williamson’s Best

Call us today at 615-503-9727 or visit www.FordClassicHomes.com

BEST THAI FOOD

Jasmine

THANK YOU for voting Moody’s Tire and Automotive Williamson’s Best Auto Repair!

Cool Springs contains a multitude of dining options; trying to just pick one thing can be daunting.

Jasmine, though, is your best bet for Thai food in the county. While it might be boring to get the same thing every time you go, my wife and I are partial to the restaurant’s chicken pad thai (I’m about a 3 or 4 on the spice level, depending the day). It’s got the perfect balance of everything that makes that dish special; not overdoing the peanut is an accomplishment in and of itself. Also, if you’re looking for something a little more traditional, the fried rice is really fresh and pretty darn good, too.

CORY WOODROOF

BEST DESSERT

Meridee’s When it comes to finding dessert to please anyone in your party, Meridee’s in downtown Franklin is where it’s at. I’m partial to the shop’s cinnamon round cake, chocolate chess pecan pie or its key lime pie (with a cup of coffee, naturally), but you can’t go wrong with any of their cookies, cakes, pies, brownies or muffins. Everything is made from scratch. The hardest part is picking just one dessert to eat. AMANDA HAGGARD BEST BUTCHER

The Butcher Block HISTORIC FRANKLIN (615)-794-1504 1600 Columbia Ave Franklin, TN 37064 COOL SPRINGS (615)-853-2184 7101 Crossroads Boulevard Brentwood, TN 3702

If you’re a grill master (or a self-proclaimed grill master), finding the right butcher is like dating; you can’t settle until you find “the one.” The Butcher Block off Carothers Parkway in Cool Springs has perhaps the county’s best assortment of fresh meats, prepared for you on site to take

home and impress all your friends at the next cookout. But don’t let its general focus fool you. The butcher shop also has a mean deli menu of fresh sandwiches. The spicy Nashville Pest is to die for (those banana peppers make it).

CORY WOODROOF

BEST SANDWICH SHOP

Meridee’s Downtown Franklin’s bakery and sandwich shop Meridee’s is a favorite to many who venture down to Franklin’s town square to enjoy a meal. You can gain 20 pounds with the dessert menu alone, but that sandwich selection is delectable. The restaurant’s wonderful Monte Cristo reminds you of what we lost when Bronte Bistro (the old restaurant at Davis Kidd in Nashville) closed roughly a decade ago. That’s one of the highest compliments you can give a sandwich. CORY WOODROOF BEST COFFEE

Frothy Monkey I’m normally a plain coffee kind of gal, just drip coffee with a drop of half and half and I’m good to go.

But I really love the Golden Monkey at Frothy Monkey for a special treat. It’s made with golden turmeric milk, honey, cinnamon, turmeric root and espresso. It sounds like it’s good for you. It tastes delicious. And whether I just grab a drip coffee or a special drink like the Golden Monkey, the folks at Frothy always give good service.

AMANDA HAGGARD

BEST HAWAIIAN

L&L Hawaiian Grill Former Tennessee Titans guard Eugene Amano co-owns and operates a delightful little Hawaiian

shop in Cool Springs called L&L Hawaiian Grill. For a taste of Polynesian cuisine you really can’t get anywhere else in town, this is the place to go. It’s a delicacy to have such a subgroup of cuisine just sitting there, nestled in an office complex, but Amano and company do it the right way. You’ll swear you’re eating at a little restaurant by the ocean in Hawaii. CORY WOODROOF BEST DISTILLERY

Leiper’s Fork Distillery Just before the pandemic started, Leiper’s Fork Distillery was getting a really good thing going. They had live music — folks like Chris Stapleton would show up for open mic nights — and the location out in bucolic Leiper’s Fork just made it all the better. It’s not just a good place to hang out though — their small batch whiskey is delicious, particularly the rye. Summer’s coming, and if you’re looking for a place to spend an evening drinking under the stars, this is your place. AMANDA HAGGARD BEST KOREAN

Funk Seoul Brother at the Factory The Factory at Franklin has long been one of the county’s more unique destinations, with its being home to the only brick-andmortar Funk Seoul Brother as perhaps one of its coolest features.

The beloved food truck brings Korean cuisine to life with flair and care. The menu differs a bit from its mobile counterpart, but the constant is that you’re not going to go wrong with anything there.

Both spots have been temporarily closed due to the pandemic, making its return highly anticipated.

CORY WOODROOF

BEST ORAL SURGEON IN WILLIAMSON COUNTY Thank you for Voting!

BRAND NEW, STATE-OF-THE-ART FACILITY

Spring Hill Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery offers a full scope of Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery including: Dental Implants • Wisdom Tooth Removal Corrective Jaw Surgery

Dr. D. Carl Jackson, D.D.S. Call Today! (615) 302-8471 www.SpringHillOMS.com 4012 O’Hallorn Drive, Suite A Spring Hill, TN 37174

BEST CHAIN

Steak ‘n Shake

What’s the best thing about Williamson County? I would have to say the people that make up our wonderful community are what make it so special. Over the years, we have been blessed to treat many patients and we now call them family. Williamson County is a close-knit community in that way.

What does your community mean to you? We are proud to call Williamson County home. We opened our practice in Spring Hill in 2009. At the time, ours was the only oral surgery practice in Spring Hill and one of few in the county. In 2020, we opened a brand-new, state-of-the art location in Spring Hill. Our new location will allow us to continue providing a patient experience that is truly a step above. Our investment in this facility represents our continued commitment to Williamson County.

Tell us about your favorite place in Williamson County. Well, it’s certainly our brand-new building at 4012 O’Hallorn Drive in Spring Hill!

We invite everyone to come by and check out our new facility!

What is the one thing you want people in Williamson County to know about your business? We are committed to this community. We care about the people here and we want to provide the opportunity for them to receive the best care, right here in their own community.

4012 O’Hallorn Drive, Suite A | Spring Hill, TN 615-302-8471 WWW.SPRINGHILLOMS.COM

PHOTO: DANIEL MEIGS

Spring Hill Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery

Williamson County is an oasis of chain restaurants; you pretty much have one of everything.

While you can go into Nashville and find most all of what’s around, Williamson County does have one of middle Tennessee’s only Steak ‘n Shakes. A popular destination for anyone looking for a steakburger, those thinly cut fries or a hearty milkshake, the Steak ‘n Shake on Murfreesboro Road gives the county plenty to be proud of for chain food restaurant bragging rights. CORY WOODROOF BEST ICE CREAM

Whitt’s Don’t let anyone fool you; frozen custard is and always will be better than plain old ice cream. It’s got an integrity to it that’s hard to beat, and it’s just more fun to eat. Whitt’s in Berry Farms must be eaten in moderation as not to splurge on too much of a good thing, but it’s the best frozen treat you can find on a hot summer day (or a cold winter one, if you’re a year-round desserter). The strawberry shortcake is a personal favorite, and the drive-thru is appreciated when you need sweets on the go. CORY WOODROOF BEST RESTAURANT WE WISH WAS STILL AROUND

Vittle’s One of the toughest casualties of the pandemic locally has been the loss of Vittle’s. The longtime meat-and-three gave Brentwood residents a taste of home and boasted some of the best fried chicken tenders and fruit tea this

MILL CREEK BREWING CO.

side of the Harpeth. Brentwood’s dining scene won’t be the same without a friendly greeting and a delectable lunch at what was one of the surest bets in the county.

CORY WOODROOF

BEST BEER

Mill Creek Brewing Co. Mill Creek Brewing Co.’s slogan says a lot about what I like about their beer: Less fuss. More beer. I’m typically not looking for a ton of nuance out of beer. I like them all, but my main criteria are: It should taste good, be refreshing and not make me roll my eyes with some weird name when I order it. Lil Darlin, a citrus-infused wheat beer, is perfect for summer and fall. It’s light, flavorful and it gets the job done.

I’m also a sucker for a good can design, and these guys have that on lock down, too. AMANDA HAGGARD BEST DONUT

Ellie’s Old Fashioned Donuts I must be honest: I love almost all donuts. But Ellie’s Old Fashioned Donuts are special. Their food truck is almost always set up at the Franklin Farmers Market, and while they vary what they serve each time, they almost always have my favorite: a cinnamon sugar cake donut. You might think it’s hard to mess that up, but getting the right ratio of cinnamon and sugar is important and their cake donuts will knock your socks off. Don’t sleep on the blueberry either. AMANDA HAGGARD

THANK YOU FOR VOTING SCHAFFER SKIN WILLIAMSON COUNTY’S #1 MEDSPA

Amy Bannerman

Jessica Cole

Tara Schaffer

Alexa Boggess

Come see us at our new location - 8119 Isabella Lane, Ste 100, Brentwood, or call for an appointment - 615-828-6674

A MOMENT’S PEACE SALON & DAY SPA

Bone & Joint Institute of TN What’s the best thing about Williamson County? At Bone and Joint Institute, we love the community feel of Williamson County. We are at the forefront of innovation and technology, but still retain this hometown feel. We have beautiful parks, green spaces and areas for families to enjoy.

What does your community mean to you? Our physicians have been in this community for over 40 years and love it here. Williamson County is where we live and work. We serve the community in various ways.

In partnership with Williamson Medical Center, we provide sports medicine to the Williamson County Schools. We also are involved in the community to provide sponsorships and support for various community organizations and functions. We also partner with the Williamson Medical Center Foundation on events, including our upcoming Skeleton Gala in October to support expansion of the Emergency Room at Williamson Medical Center.

Tell us about your favorite place in Williamson County. Our favorite place in Williamson County is looking out of the windows of our building in Franklin. We see gorgeous sunsets and the rolling hills of Middle Tennessee.

Best Eye Care

Health & Wellness Readers’ Choice Best Allergist

1. Cool Springs Allergy Associates 2. Allergy Center of Franklin 3. Kimberly Bergeron, Heritage Medical Associates

Best Chiropractor

1. Berry Farms Chiropractic 2. Mason Chiropractic 3. Crist Chiropractic 9100 Carothers Pkwy Ste 103 | Franklin, TN 615-472-1756 SCOUTSBARBERSHOP.COM

1. Cool Springs EyeCare 2. Primary Eyecare Group 3. Berry Farms EyeCare

Best Family Care Physician

1. Williamson Medical Center 2. Heritage Medical 3. Vanderbilt Primary Care, Brentwood

Best Family Counseling Best Dental

1. Nashville Dentistry Co. 2. Wilco Dental 3. Rachel Oates Family Dental, Rachel Oates, DDS

Best Dermatology

1. Franklin Dermatology Group 2. Heritage Medical Associates 3. REN Dermatology and Laser Center

1. The Marriage Counseling Center of Franklin, Ramon Presson, PhD, LMFT 2. The Refuge Center for Counseling 3. Mercy Community Healthcare - Health Center

Best Hospital

1. Williamson Medical Center 2. Vanderbilt University Medical Center 3. TriStar Spring Hill

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Thanks for Voting A Moment's Peace

Best Day Spa, Best Hair Salon and Best Massage www.AMomentsPeace.com

615.450.1363

Writers’ Choice BEST BIKE RIDE

Nashville Dentistry Co.

What does your community mean to you? It’s a big melting pot. People who move here from all over are easily accepted and add to the community fabric. People feel at home and the community is very pro-business and loves supporting small businesses.

Tell us about your favorite place in Williamson County. Attending the Williamson County Fair What is the one thing you want people in Williamson County to know about your business? We are a family dental practice that is accepting new patients and see patients of all ages. We have early morning appointments as early as 7 a.m., and select evening appointments till 7 p.m.

What is your favorite thing about what you do? Being able to help people smile and help them lead healthier lives because disease in the mouth affects the rest of the body. Making subtle changes makes a profound effect on their overall health.

PHOTO: NICK MCGINN

What’s the best thing about Williamson County? The people. Everybody who moves here feels at home. Also, the continuous growth and development, proximity to Nashville, being able to have access to great schools, restaurants, the pro-business climate and shopping.

The Natchez Trace Parkway

NASHVILLE DENSTRY CO.

Best Massage

1. A Moment’s Peace Salon & Day Spa 2. Elements Massage 3. Hand and Stone Massage and Facial Spa

Best Men’s Health

1. Williamson Medical Center 2. Dr. Joel Locke, Franklin Office 3. Integrative Family Medicine

Best Oral Surgeon

1. Spring Hill Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery, Dr. Carl Jackson 2. Southern Oral & Facial Surgery 3. Coyne Oral Surgery and Dental Implant Center

Best Orthodontist

1. Lucas Orthodontic Group 2. Kemp & Rice Orthdontics 3. Hillsboro Orthodontics, Dr. Robert Sjursen

Best Orthopedic

1. Bone and Joint Institute of Tennessee 2. Tennessee Orthopedic Alliance 3. Vanderbilt Orthopaedics Franklin 211 Franklin Road, Suite 180 | Brentwood, TN 615-797-8003 NASHVILLEDENTISTRYCO.COM

Best Pediatrician (Tie)

1. Brentwood Children’s Clinic 1. Pediatric Associates of Franklin 2. Harpeth Pediatrics

Best Physical Therapy 1. Bone and Joint Institute of Tennessee 2. STAR Physical Therapy 3. Power PT & Performance Training

Best Plastic/ Cosmetic Surgeon

1. NuBody Concepts 2. Cool Springs Plastic Surgery 3. Clymer Facial Plastic Surgery

Best Weight Loss Center 1. Weight Watchers of Franklin 2. Cryo and Contour, Nutrition, Weight Loss and Cryotherapy 3. NuBody Concepts

Best Women’s Health

1. Women’s Group of Franklin 2. Vanderbilt Franklin Women’s Center 3. Williamson Medical Center

I was one of the millions of Americans who started riding a road bike last year. When the pandemic shut everything down I pulled my dad’s 1980s steel-frame out of my crawl space and started cruising up and down narrow roads like Edmondson Pike that are normally impassable because of traffic.

That car free paradise didn’t last though. By summer I had to go further afield to find new places to ride. That’s when I discovered that the Natchez Trace Parkway was the surefire cure to pandemic induced cabin fever. It’s impossible to think about a virus when you’re screaming down a hill at 40 mph, or when your legs are screaming at you for riding back up the hill at 4 mph. The endless winding asphalt and wide open fields of the Natchez Trace are the antithesis of binge watching Tiger King from my bedroom. The view from the bridge of a gorgeous fall day — an impressionist masterpiece in every possible shade of red, yellow and orange — is an antidote for hours of “doom scrolling,” the self-destructive practice where you scour social media sites for confirmation that the world is indeed ending. The coronavirus shrank my world dramatically; the Trace was one of the first things that made it feel big again. For that, I’ll always be thankful. MATT BLOIS

VOT E D # 1 I N ORT H O PA E DI CS A ND PH YS I CAL T HERA PY

Orthopaedic Urgent Care and Physical Therapy also available in Nolensville and Thompson’s Station.

(615) 791-2630 • 3000 EDWARD CURD LANE, FRANKLIN, TN 37067 WWW.BONEANDJOINTTN.ORG Scan this code with your smartphone to make an appointment.

BEST GYM (TIE)

NuBody Concepts What’s the best thing about Williamson County? My family and I love the many opportunities for an active lifestyle, like spending your day on the lake and cheering for the Preds at night.

What does your community mean to you? I have served patients in Middle Tennessee for over 20 years and wouldn’t want to be anywhere else. An important part of my community is our dedicated staff at NuBody Concepts. I enjoy working together as a team to help women and men of all ages achieve their aesthetic goals.

Tell us about your favorite place in Williamson County. Taking a stroll down Main Street in Franklin and stopping by the farmer’s market to pick up some produce for a family dinner.

What is the one thing you want people in Williamson County to know about your business?

Throughout 20 years as a plastic surgeon, I have learned that every patient is absolutely unique. There can never be a “one size fits all” approach to cosmetic surgery. I have enjoyed each and every one of my patients, and I take my mission to deliver the best individualized treatment very seriously. When we look good, we feel good. It is my immense privilege to help you with the former so that you can achieve the latter.

1187 Old Hickory Blvd Suite #200 | Brentwood, TN 615-229-5975 NUBODYCONCEPTS.COM

The Crag is a small but mighty climbing gym tucked between some inconspicuous office buildings near Cool Springs. It’s the perfect spot to get in some bouldering — scaling small walls without a rope — on a lunch break or, if you’re a Home Page reporter, on the way home from a city council meeting. The walls aren’t enormous, but the gym is rarely crowded. Unlike a regular gym, you won’t find perfectly manicured gym rats checking themselves out in the mirror. Instead, you’ll probably find a new friend who can help you figure out how to finish a tricky route.

If you’re running yourself to death on a treadmill please do yourself a favor and get some climbing shoes instead. The Crag is a great place to start. MATT BLOIS BEST GYM (TIE)

Maryland Farms YMCA/The Crag I’ll admit, I mainly go to the Maryland Farms YMCA to use the sauna, steam room and hot tub.

Plenty of YMCAs have a hot tub, but the fanciness of the Maryland Farms locker room makes me feel like a CEO. I usually swim a lap or two before calling it quits, just enough to make me feel like I did some work. But then it’s on to the main event. This is an insider’s guide to Maryland Farms YMCA locker room CEO experience. Start off in the jacuzzi. Pro tip: In the men’s locker room, the most powerful jet is all the way on the right. When the water starts feeling cool, move to the sauna.

Don’t talk to anyone. That’s weird.

Instead, bring a magazine. For me,

PHOTO: MATT MASTERS

Maryland Farms YMCA/The Crag

NATCHEZ TRACE PARKWAY

the epitome of luxury is reading The New Yorker while I cook myself like a Thanksgiving turkey.

Finish the CEO experience with an ice cold shower, a shock to the system that leaves you ready for a board meeting or a hostile takeover. MATT BLOIS BEST VISION CARE

Cool Springs EyeCare Jeff Kegarise and his wife Susan, both Doctors of Optometry, opened Cool Springs Eye Care in 2004 with one mission in mind.

They wanted to make every patient’s experience the best healthcare experience ever, every time they visit. “People want respect.

They want us to understand their individual needs and desires, including their diagnosis and treatment plan,” Jeff Kegarise said.

“They want to collaborate with us every step of the way.” A personable, caring staff sees 20,000 patients annually, providing eye

health and vision exams, care for dry eye disease, surgery and other vision related services. “We believe the patient-doctor relationship should always be improving.

That’s our goal,” Jeff Kegarise said.

LEN SERAFINO

BEST HIKE

Big East Fork Reserve Loop at Timberland Park Timberland, which spans 72 acres off Natchez Trace near Highway 96, has plenty of interesting trails within its official boundaries. But the most diverse and challenging route in the area loops out onto adjacent private property and takes hikers through cool creek valleys, along placid plains and around Inman Hollow before reconnecting to the park proper with a steady ascent. Your refreshed mind will thank your tired legs when you arrive back at the trailhead. GEERT DE LOMBAERDE

Best Landscaping

1. Hewitt Garden and Design Center 2. Mark Bates Landscaping & Garden Center 3. The Grounds Guys of Franklin

Morning Point Senior Living What’s the best thing about Williamson County? Morning Pointe loves serving the families of Williamson County! We love the people, the quality of life available, and of course the natural beauty that surrounds the area.

What is the one thing you want people in Williamson County to know about your business? Morning Pointe is the region’s choice for senior living. We offer single-level communities with assisted living and Alzheimer’s memory care services in five different locations throughout Williamson County.

What is your favorite thing about what you do? Morning Pointe serves the greatest generation of people!

Home & Garden Readers’ Choice Best Apartment Living

1. Dwell at McEwen Apartments 2. Avenida Cool Springs 3. Tapestry at Brentwood Town Center Apartments

Best Builder/Developer 1. Ford Classic Homes 2. Legend Homes 3. RG Custom Homes

Best Electrician

1. Lee Company 2. Hiller Plumbing, Heating, Cooling & Electrical 3. Brendan Tuck

Best Fence Company

1. American Fence and Gate Franklin 2. Affordable Fence 3. Williamson County Fence Co

Best Flooring

1. Carpet Den Interiors 2. R&S Flooring 3. Floorz 3. Inspired Flooring & Design

Best Furniture

1. Head Springs Depot 2. Sprintz Furniture 3. Havertys Furniture

6020 Arbury Way | Ooltewah, TN 877-776-4683 MORNINGPOINTE.COM

Best Neighborhood

1. Westhaven 2. Witherspoon, Brentwood 3. Fieldstone Farms

Best Plumber

Best Garden Center

1. Joslin Plumbing, Heating & Air Conditioning 2. Lee Company Plumbing 3. Hiller Plumbing, Heating, Cooling & Electrical

1. Hewitt Garden and Design Center 2. Harpeth True Value Hardware 3. Lowe’s Home Improvement

Best Porch Builder

Best General Contractor

Best Real Estate Agent

Best Hardware Store

Best Real Estate Brokerage

1. Tennessee Valley Homes 2. Lee Company 3. Rock City Construction

1. Harpeth True Value Hardware 2. Nolensville Ace Hardware 3. Lowe’s Home Improvement

Best Home Decor 1. Head Springs Depot 2. NEST Decor 3. Spruce

Best House Cleaning 1. Jetts House Cleaning 2. Molly Maid 3. Maid Right of Williamson County

Best HVAC

1. The Porch Company 2. Lee Company 3. Family Leisure Franklin

1. Paula Adams 2. Dani Cox 3. Mary Kocina

1. Scout Realty 2. Parks Realty 3. Benchmark Realty, LLC

Best Real Estate Team 1. LCT Team - Parks 2. We Live Here TN at Keller Williams Realty 3. Cook + Shelly Homes Team

Best Roofing

1. Five Points Roofing 2. Ford Roofing Company, LLC 3. Superior Roofing

1. Lee Company 2. Hiller Plumbing Heating Cooling & Electrical 3. Cloud’s Heating & Cooling

Best Senior Living

Best Interior Decorator

Best Window Company

1. Julie Wills 2. Head Springs Depot 3. JFY Designs

1. The Heritage at Brentwood 2. The Hearth at Franklin 3. Morning Pointe Senior Living

1. Pella Windows & Doors 2. Forst Builders, LLC 3. Lewis Glass Co Inc

HARD BARGAIN

Writers’ Choice BEST HISTORIC NEIGHBORHOOD

Hard Bargain

Advertise Today Email Kelly Gilfillan at kgilfillan@fwpublishing.com.

The Hard Bargain neighborhood in downtown Franklin has seen its share of changes through the years, but at its core is a similar community to the one that Harvey McLemore established in 1875.

Just ask someone who has lived there for most of her life. Johnnie Hamilton, who worked as a nurse for 30 years at Williamson Medical Center, was born and raised in the African American neighborhood and is living there again after a 10-year stint in another Franklin neighborhood.

“I was raised on Hard Bargain,” Hamilton said, “and I learned about the history as I grew up. It was a community of unity and everybody growing together. The goal of the community was to offer incentives for minorities who were working hard to be home owners, and that same concept is here today.”

McLemore, a freed slave for whom the McLemore House museum was named, subdivided the 15 acres he had purchased from Judge W.S. McLemore. He began selling lots to other freed slaves, and soon Hard Bargain became a thriving African American community.

It totals over 130 households, and there are many families in the neighborhood today whose roots go back several generations.

Hamilton’s grandparents, for instance, lived in the house at the corner of Mt. Hope and Ninth Avenue, where one of her aunts now lives.

“That was the landmark of the Patton [her maiden name] family,” she said. “That is our home place.”

Hamilton’s maternal grandparents lived on Grass Street, and the original house still stands after some renovations. Her parents’ house, where she grew up, was right across the street. Her father built the house, and its current occupants were childhood friends of Hamilton’s.

Hamilton, who lives on Green Street and raised two daughters, a son and a stepson there with her late husband, said the neigh-

borhood has seen some changes.

It used to include several Blackowned businesses such as stores, barber shops and restaurants.

And she noted that gentrification has given the neighborhood a different look.

But she is also pleased to point out the elements that help to give Hard Bargain its hold on history. Johnson Elementary School, which opened during Hamilton’s first-grade year in 1958, still serves as the neighborhood school.

Black churches stay active with their congregations, and historic landmarks such as the McLemore House still stand.

“Those things make me proud to be a resident of Hard Bargain,” Hamilton said.

The neighborhood includes the nonprofit Hard Bargain Association, which is overseen by resident Derrick Solomon. His wife, Marquita, is the granddaughter of the Rev. Denny Denson, one of the founders of the HBA. Solomon said the neighborhood has become considerably more diverse in recent years.

“I think we [HBA] have done a great job to bring value and di-

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What’s the best thing about Williamson County? The best thing about Williamson County is the rich diversity of experiences available to families. There are hiking trails, kayaking, great food, community arts and live music. The proximity to Nashville is also an appeal. We are a short drive from The Ryman, The Predators, and The Titans.

What does your community mean to you? Obviously living through the flood and the rebuilding was a terrible experience. However, in its aftermath I had the opportunity to witness the community care for each other. Regardless of socio economics, race, church or temple affiliation, neighbor cared for neighbor. I hope we never have another natural disaster like that in our county, but it is reassuring to know the community will be there.

Tell us about your favorite place in Williamson County. There are too many great places in Williamson County to name just one. In the last couple of years, I have enjoyed fishing or kayaking on the Harpeth River.

I also enjoy walking through downtown Franklin with my family and grabbing a cup of coffee or ice cream.

What is a hobby that you have that is not related to your business? I have numerous hobbies outside of school. I love being outdoors; either fishing, running or hunting. With access to the Harpeth River and running trails, I am seldom bored.

533 Sneed Rd. W. | Franklin, TN 615-662-4044 STMATTHEWTN.ORG

JOHN MCBRYDE

BEST HOME GARDEN

Stoney Creek Farms If ever there was a multipurpose garden, it’s the one that Leigh and Olin Funderburk are growing in Franklin. Known as Stoney Creek Farms, the property is located near Highway 96 East and is both a sanctuary and a place of business for the couple. The Funderburks use eco-friendly and all-natural methods for growing a variety of fresh vegetables, fruits and herbs, much of it for enjoying themselves. But they also share the garden. Stoney Creek offers u-pick-it produce, as well as classes, seminars and other special events. And for those who want to grow their own, the farm includes around 20 individual garden plots for renting. JOHN MCBRYDE BEST BIG HOME FOR SALE

Alan Jackson’s House When Alan Jackson put his gigantic home for sale, we knew folks would love to see just what it looked like. Jackson put his 22,000-square-foot abode on the market for a cool $23 million. The home has five bedrooms, eight bathrooms, a 15-car garage, a pool and an outdoor kitchen. What’s not to love? AMANDA HAGGARD

PHOTO: DANIEL MEIGS

Saint Matthew Catholic School

versity to the neighborhood, and it makes people want to move here,” he said. “It’s doing exactly what it was intended to do by my wife’s grandfather’s legacy, which is servant leadership.

“I thank God for the growth. I thank God for the togetherness, the unity, the peace, the love that’s reflected. At one point in time, Hard Bargain didn’t have all that, so it’s a time where we should all be coming together.”

Kids & Pets Readers’ Choice Best Children’s Clothing 1. The Little Cottage Children’s Shoppe 2. PLAID RABBIT 3. Once Upon A Child Franklin

Best Children’s Haircut

1. Uncle Classic Barbershop 2. Cookie Cutters Haircuts for Kids 3. Riley’s

Best Dance School

1. Ann Carroll School of Dance 2. Williamson County Parks & Recreation Rhythm 3. Legacy Dance Studio

Best Gymnastics

1. Let it Shine Gymnastics 2. Summit Sports Center 3. Harpeth School of Gymnastics

Best Indoor Play Place 1. Urban Air Trampoline & Adventure Park 2. DEFY Nashville 3. Chick-fil-A

Best Martial Arts

1. RMA Jiu Jitsu Nolensville 2. Masters Martial Arts 3. Family First Martial Arts Training Centers 3. Mpact Sports

THE STAGE IS THE GREATEST TEACHER! 615 BAKERS BRIDGE AVENUE SUITE 100 FRANKLIN, TN 37067 CALL OR TEXT: (615) 221-9700 HTTPS://FRANKLIN.SCHOOLOFROCK.COM

FIND US ON :

LESSONS, PERFORMANCE, SONGWRITING, CAMPS

PHOTO: MATT MASTERS

EDUCATION ELEVATED

NOLENSVILLE TOY SHOP

Thank you, Williamson’s Best voters!

It is an honor to partner with you in the education of your children.

#1 PRIVATE TE HIGH SCHOO SCHOOL IN WILLIAMSON COUNTY and home to THE NATION’S PREMIER FOUR-YEAR FOUR-YEAR -YEAR ENTREPRENEURIAL LEADERSHIP PROGRAM in a secondary school

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Best Music Class

1. Franklin School of Rock Cool Springs 2. Sky Studios 3. Franklin Brentwood Arts Academy 3. Jan Williams School of Music

Best Music Teacher 1. Laura Holderman 2. Schylar Shoates 3. Bethany Dick-Olds

Best Pediatric Dentist

1. Brentwood Pediatric Dentistry 2. Snodgrass-King Dental Associates 3. Franklin Pediatric Dentistry

Best Pet Boarding

1. The Farm At Natchez Trace 2. My Second Home 3. Berry Farms

Best Pet Daycare

1. The Farm at Natchez Trace 2. Oliver’s Daycare and Boarding 3. Paw Pals Inc. Franklin

Best Pet Groomer

1. Berry Farms Animal Hospital & Pet Spa 2. Haute Dogge Grooming Salon 3. The Farm

Best Pet Park

1. Harlinsdale Farm 2. Nolensville Dog Park 3. Barkwood Dog Park

Best Pet Photographer 1. Amiee Stubbs 2. Penny Adams 3. Christy Bryan

Best Place to See Santa

1. Dickens of a Christmas 2. Cool Springs Galleria 3. Vintage 615 Boutique Clothing & Decor

Best Place to Trick or Treat 1. Pumpkinfest 2. Westhaven 3. Cottonwood

Best Playground 1. Crockett Park 2. Pinkerton Park 3. Granny White Park

Best Preschool

1. Saint Matthew Catholic School 2. The Gardner School of Brentwood 3. Primrose School

Best Private Elementary School

1. Saint Matthew Catholic School 2. Battle Ground Academy Lower School 3. Currey Ingram Academy

Best Private High School 1. Battle Ground Academy 2. Father Ryan High School 3. Brentwood Academy

Best Private Middle School

1. Saint Matthew Catholic School 2. Battle Ground Academy 3. Brentwood Academy

Best Public Elementary School

1. Mill Creek Elementary 2. Scales Elementary School 3. Moore Elementary School

Best Public High School 1. Nolensville High School 2. Brentwood high school 3. Franklin High School

Best Public Middle School

1. Brentwood Middle School 2. Mill Creek Middle School 3. Grassland Middle School

Best Summer Camp

Writers’ Choice

1. Deer Run Camps & Retreats 2. Camp Marymount 3. YMCA Camp Widjiwagan

BEST TOY SHOP

Best Tutoring

Nolensville Toy Shop

1. Mary Lee Bunch Associates, L.L.C. 2. Kumon Math and Reading Center of Brentwood 3. Mathnasium

Best Veterinarian

1. Animalia 2. Berry Farms Animal Hospital 3. Battleground Hospital for Animals

Best Youth Group

1. Saint Matthew Catholic Church 2. Brentwood United Methodist 3. Young Life

Best Youth Sports League

1. Williamson County Parks and Recreation 2. Tennessee Soccer Club 3. Brentwood Blaze

Who opens a toy store in a small town? Heather Bell took a leap of faith and opened a terrific store in Nolensville filled with interesting toys for children of all ages.

“I can’t tell you how many times I have been faced with trying to find a toy for a birthday party one of my children was invited to,” Bell said. “Too often, I had to buy something on the run and then wrap it in the car.” She opened the shop early in 2013, in a very old home situated on the corner of Old Clovercroft Road and Nolensville Road. Bell was determined to provide a unique experience, especially for shoppers who are usually on a busy

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schedule. “So many people stop in on the way to a party. We do a really good job of helping people find the right toy. Once that’s done, we’ll gift wrap it if it’s for a party and give them a blank card to sign.”

Walk into the store and be prepared to be wowed! Customers are greeted by tiny dolls, a fourfoot-tall giraffe, games and costumes, just for starters. Kids love to run around and touch… well, everything. One man, shopping with his wife and son said, “the toys remind me of my childhood.”

His wife offered a different take.

“It’s different from any toy store I’ve ever seen. I never heard of some of these toys. I love it.”

Visitors to the toy shop can readily see that a great deal of thought was put into the kinds of toys Bell decided to carry. “Before we opened the store, my husband and I went to New York for the annual toy festival. It was very exciting.

We came home with a bunch of catalogs and started shopping.”

Some of the more popular items these days are LumiPets nightlights and BlockaRoo blocks for kids eighteen months and up.

Slime and putty are always popular and fidget toys, the kind that click, seem to be making a comeback. “With the pandemic keeping people home for so long, we sold a lot of puzzles and board games for the whole family last year,” Bell said. Although you can’t shop online yet, the owner hopes to change that this spring. “We’re going to start with toys for toddlers,” she said.

When asked if Nolensville turned out to be a good place to open her store, Bell replied, “Oh yes! We are very grateful to the people of Nolensville. The town has really supported us by shopping local.

In turn, we try to give back when we can with contributions to various school events.” LEN SERAFINO

S CHOLAR

ATHLETE

Montgomery Bell Academy is a school where boys are taught the value of leadership and character; are equipped with the fundamental tools to succeed in the classroom and beyond; develop an appreciation for the effort required to achieve excellence; and form friendships that last a lifetime.

• 10 National Merit Semifinalists, 150 AP Scholars or higher in 2020.

• More than 100 boys per year participate in school-funded international exchanges and programs on six continents.

• 16 varsity sports competing at the highest level, including recent champions in lacrosse, tennis, soccer, and football.

• 70 different clubs and activities.

• • • • •

Nationally-recognized Art, Music, and Theater programs.

70% of faculty hold advanced degrees, including 16 doctorates.

22% of students receive $2.5 million in need-based financial aid.

One of the nation’s top debate programs.

27 Advanced Placement Courses offered.

montgomery bell academy

4001 HARDING ROAD • NASHVILLE, TN 37205 • WWW.MONTGOMERYBELL.EDU Montgomery Bell Academy does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, national or ethnic origin, disability, sex, or age, in its employment practices or in administration of its educational policies, admission policies, financial aid programs, athletic programs, or other school-administered programs.

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Franklin School of Rock What’s the best thing about Williamson County? The best thing about Williamson County is the community. Williamson County is warm and welcoming; a place where there is a thriving business community as well as rolling hills and countryside. It’s the best of both worlds.

What does your community mean to you? Community means everything. We all depend on others in this world and without a strong sense of community life would be difficult.

What is the one thing you want people in Williamson County to know about your business? We aren’t your typical music school. We’re a community and a family. We are so much more than music. School of Rock has a place for everyone, beginner to advanced, and teaches students how to be a part of a team and inspire creativity. We encourage students to be leaders, and inspire others to rock on stage and in life.

We play incredible shows on amazing stages and provide experiences and memories that will last a lifetime.

What is your favorite thing about what you do? Watching the students’ true appreciation for music and how music provides an outlet for them.

There is nothing better than when you see that light bulb go off for a student with something that they have been working so hard on and it becomes second nature. The sheer joy you see on their faces when they have accomplished their goals is priceless.

615 Baker’s Bridge Avenue, Suite 100 615-221-9700 FRANKLIN.SCHOOLOFROCK.COM

PHOTO: ELIZABETH JONES

her were simply charmed by her beam of a smile and infectious laughter. Ellie G.’s Dream World will feature a safari theme, something that Blanton says she would have loved. JOHN MCBRYDE BEST WOODEN PLAYGROUND

Crockett Park Playground CROCKETT PARK PLAYGROUND

BEST DOG PARK

K-9 Korral Dog Park All dogs go to heaven, but if they’re lucky, they get to hang out at the K-9 Korral Dog Park at Harlinsdale while they’re still on Earth. This dog park has plenty of space for dogs to run, sniff, play, scratch and chase. And if you want to put your pup back on leash to walk the 200-acre farm and park, you won’t regret it. AMANDA HAGGARD BEST TEEN PROGRAM

project is far from theoretical. One group created an apparel company selling upcycled denim jackets and tie-dyed clothes. Another pair of WCS students created a website that connects students with nonprofits that need volunteers.

The ideas coming out of the EIC are exciting, and the students are bound to be the county’s most innovative minds going forward.

“When you leave your school and come here, you enter the business world,” Franklin High senior Angelina Ivanova told the Home Page in 2020. “We’re no longer high school students. We’re entrepreneurs.”

Tucked up the hill, behind the amphitheater, is a large wooden playground — yes, like the kind you played on as a child. The fenced-in area is organized by age — toddlers to big-kid — and provides ample shade during the hot summer months. There are tires sunk into the ground, swinging rope bridges, slides and tires swings. It embodies the feel of summer camp — there’s even a puppet show stage — and hours could easily be spent playing followed by a game of hopscotch and a walk around the rest of the park. Pro-tip: The easiest way to get there is to park behind Woodland Middle School off Crockett Road. ELIZABETH JONES

MATT BLOIS

The Entrepreneurship BEST GOODBEST PARK TRIBUTE WEATHER OUTING Innovation Center at Ellie G.’s Dream World Soar Adventure Williamson County Tower Schools When Franklin’s first inclusive The next big idea in Williamson County isn’t going to come out of an office park in Cool Springs. It’s going to come from the Entrepreneurship Innovation Center, a program through Williamson County Schools that helps high school students create their own businesses. The program’s physical location at Franklin High School feels like a slick Silicon Valley tech campus, with tall ceilings and glass walled conference rooms. The

playground opens sometime in 2023, it will have a name most would agree couldn’t be more appropriate. Ellie G.’s Dream World, which will be part of the planned Southeastern Municipal Complex Park located on Carothers Parkway, was named after Elliott Grace “Ellie G.” Castro. The daughter of Brandon and Samantha Castro and granddaughter of Franklin Alderman Brandy Blanton, Ellie G. died in September 2019 at the age of 4 from a rare, terminal form of dwarfism. All who knew or met

Kevin Vanderkolk, a longtime mascot for the Milwaukee Bucks and the Arizona Cardinals, opened Soar on Carothers Parkway in 2015 after thinking he wanted to run a trampoline park. It was a very good call: The four-level ropesand-climbing tower has since kept kids of all ages busy throughout the day and well into the evening hours. Bonus: Climbers and their families can bring their own food or have their favorite bites delivered. GEERT DE LOMBAERDE

People & Places Writers’ Choice BEST PUBLIC SERVANT

Pearl Bransford Franklin resident Cornelia Holland remembers the simple things that Pearl Bransford would do for her neighbors, her community — for just about anyone who needed help or support.

Holland became close friends with Bransford from the time the two first met in the early 1990s, and she would later chair Bransford’s first campaign for Franklin alderman at large in 200, along with a couple more re-election bids.

Holland joined a wide range of people across Williamson County and beyond who were mourning the loss of Bransford, who died from cancer at the age of 67. Bransford was the very embodiment of public service, whether it was her 13 years serving on the Franklin Board of Mayor and Aldermen, her career

as a nurse or her tireless involvement in education, historic preservation and racial equality issues, among others.

“She loved Franklin and served it both publicly and privately, helping those who don’t have a voice,” Holland said, recalling the “behind-the-scenes” things Bransford would do in the community.

“At Christmastime,” Holland pointed out, “she would go and pay off some water bills for people who were having difficulty. Or after the Heritage Ball (the annual fundraiser for the Heritage Foundation of Williamson County), she would get the leftover flowers and take them the next day to shutins in Franklin.

“Or this spring, with COVID and such, she noticed that there were a number of graduating [high school] senior signs in a neighborhood. And she knocked on the doors and congratulated the seniors and gave them a little gift.

She would hire a homeless man in her neighborhood to do a little job for her. She would pay him and he would have some dignity.”

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Ford Classic Homes What’s the best thing about Williamson County? Williamson County has been our home for over 25 years. As we’ve watched the community grow, we’ve grown with it. But what hasn’t changed is the heart of the community, which continues to support each other and work to preserve its local heritage and history.

What does your community mean to you? Without the support of our community, we would not be where we are today. We are very appreciative of the community for trusting us to design and create homes for their families and supporting us throughout the years.

What is the one thing you want people in Williamson County to know about your business? Ford Classic Homes has been part of the Williamson County community for over 25 years. We started building a handful of homes a year and have expanded into communities like Westhaven, LaurelBrooke, Windstone, The Grove, Myles Manor, Berry Farms, and The Brownstones in downtown Franklin. We continue to develop and construct projects like Richland Hall, Witherspoon, and now, Southbrooke. As we’ve grown, we remain committed to providing superior quality and value to every homebuyer and are committed to excellence in every detail of the homebuilding experience.

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It is these acts of generosity for which Bransford will be best remembered in the years to come, according to Franklin Mayor Ken Moore.

“She made visible contributions to our community that are going to be indelible forever,” Moore said, “and she made contributions that people are aware of. But the biggest thing I would say is, Pearl did things that nobody ever knew about, that impacted and changed people’s lives. That’s going to be her legacy, I think, was how she changed so many lives by just silently doing what Pearl did.”

Bransford was involved in many aspects of the community. As a supporter of historic preservation, for example, she established the Natchez Place Inc. in 2002 and worked to place the Natchez Street Community on the National Register of Historical Places.

“Her calling in the founding of Natchez Place Inc. and her desire and passion to save historic structures in the Natchez Street community and throughout downtown Franklin will have a lasting impact for generations to come,” Alma McLemore, president of the African American Heritage Society of Williamson County, said. “There will never be another Pearl Bransford; the void she leaves behind is tremendous and cannot be filled.

However, the community she inspired will be forever influenced and encouraged by her example.”

Bransford previously served on the boards of the Tennessee Preservation Trust and Carnton Plantation. More recently, she served on the Historic Franklin Masonic Hall Foundation Advisory Board for Transformation of Hiram Lodge No. 7 into a museum.

“I really appreciate Pearl’s support for our battlefield preservation efforts over the years,” said Sam Whitson, a longtime friend of Bransford’s who represents District 65 in the Tennessee House of Representatives. “She was always so easy to work with. Even where we happened to disagree, she did it in

such a way that you respected her opinion and her position.”

In the realm of education, Bransford had served on the Battle Ground Academy board of visitors and was on the Franklin Special School District’s Board of Education from 1992-2003. She was also on the committee for the Columbia State Community College — Williamson County Development.

Allena Bell, who serves on the FSSD board, said Bransford was a guiding light of sorts.

“As a more experienced leader in the community, Pearl generously encouraged my pursuit of excellence as a public servant,” Bell said.

“I will miss her dearly.”

Bransford’s influence will be forever felt through her family and closest friends, those who served the public with her and those she may have met only once.

“While frequently in the public eye, Pearl was a private person with great dignity, always looking to the future by learning from the past,” Holland said. “I never heard her talk in a negative way about anyone.

She is a wonderful example of how to live and serve and support others, whether it be the most successful or the homeless.” JOHN MCBRYDE BEST FREELANCE PHOTOGRAPHER

Andy Collignon One of the Williamson Home Page’s longest-tenured freelancers happens to share his boundless creativity through the lens rather than the page. Andy Collignon has been serving Williamson County with his stellar photography for many years now, helping the Home Page in particular with sports coverage. However, if you really want to see his gorgeous, invested photography in action, go to the Home Pages and look up what he did when the Star of Bethlehem came to Brentwood. He’s one of the best we’ve got to tell the county’s stories visually. CORY WOODROOF

BEST SPORTSWRITER

Chip Cirillo Chip Cirillo has been serving the Middle Tennessee community for a good while now, with a longtime special focus on the preps beat. Covering preps is an art like any other, and Cirillo has inbued in his work a sense of history and community. Most everyone who has had a child play a prep sport has seen him on the sideline and no one is against an interview with Chip after the game; it usually means you did quite well. Cirillo is a legacy sportswriter in the area and one of Williamson’s preeminent storytellers. We’re lucky to have him on our team. CORY WOODROOF BEST FOOTBALL PLAYER

Summit’s Destin Wade There is no shortage of great football players in Williamson County, but nobody does it quite like Summit’s do-it-all quarterback Destin Wade. Destined to play at quarterback at the next level, Wade had an electrifying 2020 on the field. The Spartans have been to back-toback state games with him under center, with last December’s trip ending with a gold ball. Summit’s first state title is due in large part to what Wade brings to the table.

He’s a special athlete and a thrill to watch. CORY WOODROOF BEST BOYS BASKETBALL PLAYER

Franklin’s Reed Kemp The face of Franklin boys basketball for the last two seasons, Kemp took the baton passed to him from 2019 grad Reese Glov-

state tournament-winning team.

Since then, she’s proven why she’s bound for a stellar collegiate career by continuing her offensive dominance. CORY WOODROOF BEST COACH

PHOTO: ANDY COLLIGNON

Brentwood Volleyball’s Barbara Campbell

DESTIN WADE

er and has helped keep the Admirals’ high-flying offense intact from its 2018 state tournament team. Kemp is one of the best to ever do it for Franklin and he’s consistently been a force since taking the court for the Admirals.

For two years running, no one in boys basketball has been quite as dangerous in the paint as Kemp.

He’s slated to rejoin Glover on the hoops team at Missouri Western this fall. CORY WOODROOF BEST GIRLS BASKETBALL PLAYER

Brentwood’s Amelia Osgood It’s hard to outmaneuver Brentwood ace Amelia Osgood. The Princeton signee and McDonald’s All-American games nominee was a driving force to get the Lady Bru-

ins to the state tournament last spring, and she’s been a firecracker on the court all through the 202021 season. She’s one of the best to play at Brentwood in recent memory, and she will continue to excel in D-1 competition. For now, she’s the best girls basketball player in the county. CORY WOODROOF BEST GIRLS SOCCER PLAYER

Christ Presbyterian Academy’s Caroline Betts When you’re not even a senior and you reach the 100-goal mark, that’s the sign of a stellar preps career in soccer. Caroline Betts has been consistently excellent for the Lady Lions since taking the pitch for CPA; she was a key contributor as a freshman to its 2018

The “queen” of Brentwood volleyball, Barbara Campbell recently retired from her post with the Lady Bruins, and it was a legacy run with the program. Just look at the past eight-straight state titles the team has won and the many victories that have come for the program under Campbell’s watch. She’s one of the best ever to coach the sport at any level in Tennessee history; she’s in the TSSAA’s Hall of Fame for a reason.

Her retirement leaves an impossible void in the local volleyball scene and recalls her excellence on the sideline. CORY WOODROOF BEST VOLLEYBALL PLAYER

Brentwood’s Shaye Eggleston Just like her sister Logan, Shaye Eggleston left a lot of state trophies at her alma mater. The early graduate helped power Brentwood to yet another state title last fall, with Eggleston never finishing her season without October victories. She’s a stellar presence on the court and stood as a vital leader for the Lady Bruins’ hallowed volleyball program. She’s now with Alabama to compete collegiately, where she’ll prove to be the next WillCo grad to excel at the next level. CORY WOODROOF

LCT Team Parks Realty What’s the best thing about Williamson County? The best things about Williamson County are the rolling hills and all the beautiful farms. We are so blessed to have wonderful parks and green spaces, and our cities have done a wonderful job planning future growth.

What does your community mean to you? It means home; the most wonderful place in the world!

Tell us about your favorite place in Williamson County. Downtown Franklin and Main Street What is the one thing you want people in Williamson County to know about your business? That we are proud of our hometown and welcome showing people all the amazing things about Williamson County so they can then call it home.

What is your favorite thing about what you do? We love working with people buying and selling homes.

Many people that are buying and selling are moving to the next chapter in life and it is so satisfying to help them with that transition. It is an honor to be part of their family’s journey in some small way.

What is a hobby that you have that is not related to your business?

Dog rescue What is your hometown?

Brentwood, Tennessee

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PHOTO: MATT MASTERS

At Pediatric Associates of Franklin, we know that healthy kids are happy kids.

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BEST GOLFER

BEST WRESTLER

Ravenwood’s Shelly Jang

Ravenwood’s Drew Dodson

She’s won the last two of the county athletics department’s best girls golfer trophies for a reason. Shelly Jang is a force on the green, having placed third overall in the TSSAA state tournament in 2019 and helping get Ravenwood to a fifth-place finish in 2020. Few have been so consistent and dangerous in their respective sports as Jang has. CORY WOODROOF

One of the best Raptor grapplers to come along in some time, Drew Dodson’s 2020-21 campaign has been a banner one, with a 34-1 record on his list of bragging rights heading up to the state tournament. Dodson has certainly been one of the better wrestlers this past year and will have a special place in Ravenwood wrestling history for his performance on the mat.

CORY WOODROOF

BEST CROSSCOUNTRY RUNNER

Page’s Leigh Walters Page’s Leigh Walters dominated the 2020 cross country season for the Lady Patriots, finishing seventh overall in the 2020 Division 1 large class state meet and cementing what’s been a banner career with Page. She’s slated to attend Wake Forest and run cross country, where we’re sure she’ll continue to shine and make her alum and county proud. CORY WOODROOF

PHOTO: ALEXANDER WILLIS

BEST HOBBY PHOTOGRAPHER

Sully Barrett SHELLY SASSEN

BEST VOLUNTEER

Shelly Sassen Any person who volunteers their time for the betterment of their community deserves high praise; however, one would be hard pressed to find someone more devoted to helping their community than Spring Hill’s own Shelly Sassen. As the executive director for The Well Outreach food pantry, Sassen has devoted countless hours to helping organize efforts to feed those in need. As the coronavirus pandemic ramped up in early 2020, Sassen doubled her efforts and helped organize weekly mobile food drives that would see 20,000 pounds of food delivered to hundreds of needy families. Sassen also helped organize a partnership with local schools, helping deliver food to students who traditionally relied on schools for nourishment.

The pandemic saw demand for food at the pantry increase by as much as 130 percent on a monthly basis, an increase in demand that Sassen helped serve in full force. ALEXANDER WILLIS BEST ACTIVIST

Angel Stansberry 2020 was a transformative year in the United States, and in many ways because of people like Franklin’s own Angel Stans-

berry. Beyond running Feed the Need Nashville, a nonprofit organization that feeds hundreds of Nashville’s homeless folks a week, Stansberry has spent the majority of her free time organizing demonstrations and stand-ins in both Williamson County and Nashville. From helping establish the Nashville autonomous zone following the death of George Floyd, to leading the charge in a peaceful protest against the Breaonna Taylor case ruling, wherever there are calls for change, it’s likely you’ll see Stansberry leading the charge. ALEXANDER WILLIS BEST HISTORIAN

Beth Lothers Williamson County Commissioner Beth Lothers is a self-described “nerd” whose passion for history has made quite an impact on Williamson County. The former Mayor of Nolensville is the co-author of Images of America: Nolensville, along with long-time journalist and writer Vicky Travis, who collected oral histories and some 1,200 photographs of the history of the people, places and purpose of the community of Nolensville.

Lothers’ work also extends to the preservation and restoration of the historic Morton-Brittain House alongside the Nolensville Historical Society. Her passion is ever present and it’s clear that Lothers is committed to remembering history and preserving the past. MATT MASTERS

While photography is often a fulltime career, the lure of capturing moments in time is strong enough on its own for many, even without the promise of a paycheck. Brentwood resident Sully Barrett is one such person, having felt compelled to document the ongoing string of protests that sprung up in the summer of 2020. Having witnessed the creation of the Nashville autonomous zone in May of 2020, Barrett has felt compelled to document history as it unfolded, using his photography skills to capture multiple protests including the March for Justice Rally in September, 2020, and the Nashville vigil for Trayford Pellerin, a Louisiana man who was fatally shot by police. When history is unfolding in Williamson County or elsewhere, more often than not Barrett will be nearby. ALEXANDER WILLIS BEST SMALL FOOD PANTRY

Nolensville Food Pantry The Nolensville Food Pantry is a service provided by Providence Baptist Church. Debbie Noland, the food pantry’s coordinator, told us they serve upwards of 5,000 people a year in the Nolensville area, supplying food to people going through hard times. “We’re small. We live entirely on food and money donations,” Noland said. “Relationships are nearly as important as the food. We invite folks to sit and tell their stories, often about divorce or illness. We want them to know that we love them right where they’re at.” Food and money donations are accepted every day. LEN SERAFINO

Head Springs Depot What’s the best thing about Williamson County? The people! I grew up in Franklin and am raising a family here now as well because the community is truly something special.

What does your community mean to you? Community is what keeps us going in all contexts. It is not just about quality furniture and mattresses for us – this community is what keeps our excitement up each day to serve our customers.

What is the one thing you want people in Williamson County to know about your business? We are grateful and thankful for the outstanding support and growth Williamson County has given us the past 11 years. We promise to continue to improve ourselves and serve the community in meaningful ways for years to come. We are here for you!

What is your favorite thing about what you do? When a customer has a smile on their face during a furniture or mattress delivery. There is not much better!

What is a hobby that you have that is not related to your business? I raise beef cattle on our nearby family farm.

What is your hometown? Franklin, Tennessee

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Franklin Franklin City Hall City of Franklin 109 3rd Avenue South Franklin, TN 37064 (615)791-3217 www.franklintn.gov

History

The city was founded Oct. 26, 1799,

by Abram Maury Jr., who named it after Benjamin Franklin, a close friend of Dr. Hugh Williamson, a Continental Congress member and Williamson County’s namesake. It is the county seat. Prior to the Civil War, Williamson County was one of the state’s wealthiest counties The Civil War devastated the city’s mostly agrarian economy.

The Nov. 30, 1864, Battle of Franklin, one of the war’s bloodiest, saw 8,000 casualties and the deaths of five Confederate generals. Several of the homes and buildings used as hospitals still stand.

The Cool Springs area began to develop in the late 1980s. Cool Springs Galleria opened in 1991.

Since then, commercial, residential and corporate development has continued nonstop. The area is now home to several national headquarters, including Nissan North America and Schneider Electric.

Just over 1,500 people lived here in 1870 and the population remained under 10,000 through 1970. It more than doubled between 1990 and 2000, from 20,098 to 41,842.

Government

The Franklin Board of Mayor and Aldermen, composed of an elected mayor, four aldermen elected to represent the city’s four political wards and four elected at large, governs the city. Aldermen serve staggered four-year terms, with the mayor and at-large aldermen elected together and ward aldermen elected two years later.

Franklin’s mayor is Dr. Ken Moore. City Manager Eric Stuckey oversees the city’s 14 professional departments.

Seven of Williamson County’s 12 voting districts — Districts 2, 4, 8, 9, 10, 11 and 12 — touch the

City of Franklin and each district is represented by two county commissioners. The city falls in State Legislative Districts 63 and 65, State Senate District 23, and U.S. Congressional District 7. To learn which city ward you live in, visit www.franklintn.gov/ home. To learn what Williamson County voting district you live in, visit www.williamsoncounty-tn. gov/40/Election-Commission or call (615)790-5711.

Departments and services

Franklin Transit Authority: Provides ADA-accessible public transportation trolley service in and around Franklin and Cool Springs; Transit on DemanD service; VanStar service which helps initiate vanpool service, and the Franklin Express, a coach bus service between Franklin and downtown Nashville through the Transportation Management Association. www.tmagroup/franklin-transit; (615) 628-0260.

Trash and recycling: The city’s Sanitation and Environmental Services Department provides residential trash pickup, ‘Bluebag’ curbside recycling, and yard and bulk waste within Franklin city limits. www.franklintn.gov/government; (615)794-1516 Leaf pickup: Leaves are picked up every week between October and early January by the city’s Street Department on designated days by subdivision according to color-coded zones. Compost is also available to purchase from the department at the compost facility, 1116 Incinerator Road.

Vouchers must be purchased in advance at the Utility Billing Office, 109 3rd Ave. S. www.franlintn. gov/government; (615)794-4572 Crime prevention and public safety: The Franklin Police Department provides public safety services within the city limits, while the Williamson County Sheriff’s Department does the same for nearby unincorporated areas. The FPD also oversees the city’s Neighborhood Watch Programs, Citizens’ Police Acade-

PHOTO: MATT MASTERS

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW

my, Franklin Police Explores and offers Rape Aggression Defense (RAD) training for women among other community services. www. franklintn.gov/government; (615)794-2513.

Fire and rescue: The Franklin Police Department has eight strategically located stations which cover the city when fire or other emergencies occur. Community Programs include car seat checks, Citizens’ Fire Academy, CPR classes, fire prevention programs and a speaker’s bureau. www.franklintn.gov/government; (615)791-3270.

Parks & Recreation: Franklin has more than 700 acres of park land divided into 16 parks including passive, active and historical parks, each with its own character and amenities. Walking and fitness trails, playgrounds, picnic tables and shelter areas, sports fields, skateboarding, disc golf, tennis, and basketball courts are available. City parks are open daily dawn to dusk. The city maintains several access points for those who enjoy canoeing/kayaking, fishing or swimming on the Harpeth River. The city is also home to several Williamson County Parks & Recreation Department recreation centers, sports complexes and programs. www.franklintn.gov/ government; (615)794-2103; www. wcparksandrec.com.

Library: The main Williamson County Public Library, 1314 Columbia Ave., offers a host of traditional and non-traditional library services including books, reading programs, exercise and wellness programs, art and literary events, book clubs and computer classes for all ages. www.lib.williamson-tn.org; (615)595-1245.

Newcomer’s Information: The city website provides a one-stop

link to information new city residents may need. Visit www. franklintn.gov/our-city/information-for-new-residents. The Franklin Visitor Center, which provides a wealth of information for residents and visitors alike, is located at 400 Main St., Suite 130; www.visitfranklin.com; (615)591-8514.

Downtown Parking: On-street parking in downtown Franklin is limited to 2 hours from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays, excluding city recognized holidays. Two free parking garages, one on 2nd Avenue, one on Fourth Avenue, offer unlimited free parking. There are also several privately owned paid lots. www.franklintn.gov/ our-city/parking-in-franklin; (615)791-3217.

Education: The Franklin Special School District (FSSD) serves children in grades pre-K-8 that live within the public school district’s boundary, which covers much, but not all, of the City of Franklin. Williamson County Schools provides public pre-K-12 education. WCS high schools serving Franklin are Centennial, Franklin, Independence, Page and Renaissance. Franklin is home to several private schools, including Battle Ground Academy (K-12 at two campuses), New Hope Academy (PreK-6); Franklin Classical School (K-12). Columbia State Community College has a Franklin campus and Belmont and Lipscomb universities both have a Franklin presence. www. fssd.org, (615) 794-6624; www. wcs.edu, (615)472-4000.

Top employers

• Williamson County Schools • Community Health Systems • Nissan North America • Williamson Medical Center • Mars Petcare

GUIDE TO WILLIAMSON COUNTY

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WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW

City of Brentwood 5211 Maryland Way Brentwood, TN 37027 (615) 371-0060; www.brentwood-tn.gov

History

The City of Brentwood was incorporated on April 15, 1969, but its history goes back much farther.

The first known residents of Brentwood were prehistoric Native Americans from the Mississippian-period who built mounds with ceremonial buildings. Such early villages have been found in the Meadowlake subdivision, at the library site on Concord Road, and at Primm Historic Park where the largest of the mounds is still visible today.

Brentwood’s first European settlers – planters and farmers – arrived in the late 1700s. Situated halfway between Nashville and Franklin, the area prospered and by the Civil War, the area was one of the richest in the state. During the war, many of the large plantation homes served as hospitals for Confederate and Union forces.

The war, however, left its scar on the economy, and many homes and plantations fell to ruin.

In the 1920s, Brentwood rebounded.. With the construction of Interstate 65 in the 1960s, Brentwood grew and prospered, and by the 1990s the area was prospering again. Today, more than 42,000 people call the city home.

Government

The city operates under a council/manager form of government. The seven-member Board of Commissioners enacts laws known as ordinances and sets policies and takes other formal actions through resolutions. The Commission adopts the Capital Improvements Program and Annual Budget each year. Non-partisan city elections are held in May every two years, with the at-large commissioners serving staggered four-year-terms. The May 7, 2021, election will see four members seated.

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GUIDE TO WILLIAMSON COUNTY

After each city election, the commission elects one of its members to serve a two-year term as mayor and another to serve as vice mayor. The board also nominates and elects citizen members of volunteer boards and commissions.

City Manager Kirk Bednar oversees the city’s day-to-day operations and ensures that the policies and programs approved by the Board of Commissioners are implemented.

Most Brentwood residents live in Williamson County government’s Districts 6 and 8, with each district electing two county commissioners and one Williamson County School board representative. The city falls in State Legislative Districts 61 and 63, State Senate District 23, and U.S. Congressional District 7.

U.S. Senator Marsha Blackburn (R) is a Brentwood resident.

Departments and services

Garbage: Solid waste collection is handled by private collectors.

Brentwood residents can contact companies directly for information about rates and scheduling.

A list of local providers can be found on the city’s website.

Crime prevention and public safety: The Brentwood Police Department, led by Chief Jeff Hughes and Assistant Chief Tommy Walsh, is internationally accredited.

Fire and rescue: The internationally accredited Brentwood Fire & Rescue Department employs more than 65 personnel, led

by Chief Brian Goss and Asst. Chief David Windrow. Its four stations, staffed 24/7, are geographically located to service the entire city.

Public Works: The city’s Public Works Department provides brush removal, pothole, curb and gutter repairs, pavement markings, right-of-way mowing, small drainage repairs and snow and ice removal among other services on a year-round basis. It conducts an annual streets inspection for

PHOTO: MATT MASTERS

Brentwood

resurfacing needs. During the last three Saturdays in April and October of each year, the department places dumpsters in city parks for citizens to drop off large, unwanted items for free.

Brentwood Library: Every Brentwood resident or property-owner has free borrowing privileges at the city’s nationally recognized John P. Holt Brentwood Library, which also serves as a de facto community center. A library card gives residents access to more than 165,000 books and other materials, including audiobooks, DVDs, music CDs and online resources, as well as newspapers, magazines and free WiFi. Trails and greenways: East of I-65, the city has miles of paved multi-purpose trails that connect many of the city’s parks, schools and amenities, including Crockett Park, Tower Park, Smith Park, Primm Park, the Brentwood YMCA, the John P. Holt Brentwood Library, the FiftyForward Martin Center and the county’s Indoor Sports Complex and Joe Reagan Soccer Complex. West of I-65, multi-purpose trails can be found in Granny White Park, Powell Park, Wikle Park, Deerwood Arboretum, and Maryland Way Park.

City Parks: The city’s 14 parks and greenways comprise almost 1,000 acres of property dedicated to social, cultural, historic, athlet-

ic and nature-oriented activities for all ages. The 164-acre Crockett Park is home to the city’s free Summer Concert Series, a community playground, baseball, softball, football and soccer fields, tennis courts, a Frisbee golf course and Williamson County’s Joe Reagan Indoor Soccer Complex. The 400-acre Marcella Vivrette Smith Park, 1825 Wilson Pike, opened in 2014 and is home to historic Ravenswood Mansion and six miles of rugged hiking. Brentwood Bark Park, the city’s dog park, is located in Tower Park. The Williamson County Indoor Sports Complex has indoor swimming pools, indoor tennis courts, a fitness center and group fitness classes.

Education: Williamson County Schools provides public K-12 education at multiple Brentwood campuses: Brentwood and Ravenwood high schools; Brentwood, Woodland and Sunset middle schools, and Scales, Lipscomb, Edmondson, Jordan, Kenrose, Crockett and Sunset elementary schools. Private Brentwood Academy serves students in grades 6-12.

Top employers

• HCA • United Health Group • COMDATA • Tractor Supply Co. • Brookdale Senior Living

PHOTO: ALEXANDER WILLIS

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW

Spring Hill City of Spring Hill 199 Town Center Parkway Spring Hill, TN 37174 www.springhilltn.org; (931) 486-2252

History

Spring Hill’s first settlers arrived with land grants and until the Civil War, the south county community grew with farms and plantations and the local businesses and tradesmen to support them.

On Nov. 29, 1864, the Battle of Spring Hill was a prelude to the larger Battle of Franklin.

Following the war, the community rebounded, yet remained primarily centered on agriculture for more than a century. That changed in the 1980s, when General Motors announced Spring Hill would be home to its new Saturn manufacturing plant.

The town, which is split between Maury and Williamson counties, had 986 residents in 1980. By 2000, that number had grown to 7,115. Today more than 40,000 people call Spring Hill home.

Government

A nine-member Board of Mayor and Aldermen is the policy-making body. It comprises eight atlarge aldermen from four wards elected for four-year staggered terms. The elected mayor serves a four-year term. The board meets at 7 p.m. the third Monday of every month in the courtroom at City Hall. The next municipal election is April 11, 2019.

The Williamson County side of the city is split between three county voting districts, 1, 2 and 3, with each district electing two county commissioners and one Williamson County School board representative. The city falls in State Legislative Districts 63 and 65, State Senate District 23, and U.S. Congressional District 7. For more information: www.springhilltn.org; www.maurycounty-tn. gov/; www.williamsoncounty-tn. gov/

Departments and services

Law enforcement and crime

prevention: The Spring Hill Police Department, located in the lower level of City Hall, provides law enforcement and crime prevention and investigation services. It leads the Citizens’ Police Academy, and manages the local Nixle community alert system. www.springhilltn.org; (931) 486-2252.

Fire Department: The Spring Hill Fire Department has three fire stations and provides firefighting, fire prevention, medical and rescue services. Community programs include fire engine visits and station tours, fire extinguisher training, and free smoke detector battery checks and batter replacement. www.springhilltn.org; (931) 486-3270.

Library: The Spring Hill Public Library is an independent library system that serves as a community resource, gathering place and programming for all ages. For now, it is located at 144 Kedron Pky., but plans are in the works to move it to the Northfield Building near the GM campus. www.springhilltn.org; (931) 486-2932.

Parks & Recreation: A combination of city- and county-owned parks and recreation center provide abundant opportunities for

residents. Port Royal Park, the city’s largest, has a splash pad, playground, fields, bike trail, pavilions, amphitheater and is ADA accessible. Evans Park has picnic pavilions, playground and multiuse athletic fields and dog park.

Harvey Park has picnic pavilions, a playground and restrooms.

The Walnut St. Skate Park welcomes skateboards, inline skates, BMX and freestyle bicycles and non-motorized scooters. www. springhilltn.org; (931) 487-0027.

The Longview Recreation Center, 2909 Commonwealth Dr., offers a full range of amenities including indoor and outdoor swimming pools, a gymnasium, wellness center, racquetball and tennis courts. www.wcparksandrec.com; (615) 302-0971.

Trash and recycling: The city contracts with Waste Management to provide weekly curbside trash pickup, with recyclables collected every other week. Visit www.springhilltn.org/483/solid-waste-removal for details on pickup schedules and details.

Top employers • General Motors • Wal-Mart

GUIDE TO WILLIAMSON COUNTY

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PHOTO: MATT MASTERS

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW

Nolensville Town of Nolensville 7218 Nolensville Road Nolensville, TN 37135 (615)776-3633; www.Nolensvilletn.gov

History

Nolensville’s story begins with a broken wheel.

Revolutionary war veteran William Nolen brought his family to the region in 1797 and settled here after his wagon broke a wheel and he decided to stay where it fell. He purchased part of a land grant and the town was later named after him. Many families followed and the town was first incorporated in 1839, though it later lost its charter after a solid local government failed to be established. The area remained largely agricultural in nature with local businesses, like the Nolensville Mill Company and the Nolensville Co-Op Creamery, created to support local farmers.

In the 1990s, the small community began to grow and in 1996 residents voted to re-incorporate.

From the late 1990s to present, it has seen phenomenal residential and commercial growth as farms have given way to new subdi-

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GUIDE TO WILLIAMSON COUNTY

visions with homes purchased by those desiring a Williamson County address and Williamson County schools in an area, for now, more affordable than nearby Brentwood and Franklin.

In 1990, just over 1,500 people lived in Nolensville. The estimated 2016 population was just over 7,500, but the city is fast growing.

Government

Nolensville changed its style of government in 2020. It is now run by a Board of Commissioners and has a town manager, Victor Lay. Derek Adams is now the town mayor and was elected in the fall of 2020 right on the heels of the town’s new charter.

Nolensville is located in Williamson County Government’s District 5 and represented by county commissioners Beth Lothers and Tommy Little. Its Williamson County School board representative is Gary Anderson. It is in State Legislative District 63, State Senate District 23, and U.S. Congressional District 7.

For more information: www.nolensvilletn.gov; www.williamsoncounty-tn.gov

Departments and services

Trash pickup: The town does not provide trash pickup; residential service is contracted privately.

The county-operated Nolensville Convenience Center, 1525 Owen Road, operates 7 a.m.-5 p.m. weekdays, 7 a.m.-6 p.m. weekends except holidays. It accepts trash (daily limits) and recyclable materials. www.williamsoncounty-tn.gov; (615) 776-2717.

Public safety and crime prevention: The Nolensville Police Department operates 24/7 out of Nolensville Town Hall. www.nolensvilletn.gov/police; 615-776-3640.

Education: Williamson County Schools serving Nolensville students include Nolensville high school; Sunset and Nolensville middle schools, and Nolensville, Mill Creek, Sunset elementary schools. www.wcs.edu; (615) 472-4000.

Fire Department: Nolensville established the Nolensville Fire Department in 2020 after having a robust volunteer department in the past. It was established through a new town charter. www.williamsonready.org; 615-776-5050.

Library: The Nolensville branch of Williamson County Public Library, 915 Oldham Dr., offers traditional library services in addition to children’s programming, meeting room, computers, test proctoring, book clubs and more. wcpl.ss9. sharpschool.com; (615) 776-5490.

Parks & Recreation: The WCPR Recreation Complex at Nolensville, 7250 Nolensville Rd., has a wellness center, outdoor pool, arts & crafts rooms, game room, dance room and sitting service. www.wcparksandrec.com; (615) 786-0200. Nolensville Park and Bark Park has ball fields, a playground, dog park and walking trails. Soccer is played at Osborne Park Soccer Complex and the Nolensville Soccer Club’s Gregory Park Soccer Fields. The town has a growing multi-use trail system connecting commercial and residential areas.

Sports: Nolensville has youth sports leagues in addition to middle and high school sports programs. The non-profit Nolensville Running Club is one of the area’s most active and sponsors regular group runs several times a week. www.nolensvillerunningclub.com.

Business: The Nolensville Business Council is part of Williamson Inc., the county chamber of commerce. The council addresses the specific needs of northeast Williamson County’s business community and meets quarterly. www.williamsonchamber.com; (615) 771-1912.

Top employers

• Town of Nolensville • Williamson County Schools • Blue Bell Creameries

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW

Fairview History

The area where the City of Fairview sits on land first inhabited

by Native Americans, who traveled the ancient Natchez Trace trail, which runs just a few miles from the city’s heart.

Due to the remote nature of Western Williamson County, early residents were independent and self-reliant as compared to Franklin and communities to the east. The opening of Hwys. 100, 96 and 96 West and Interstate 40 all led to the area’s steady growth.

Farming, timber and, during Prohibition, moonshine, were important to the local economy.

Tomatoes, in particular, were a good cash crop for many given Fairview’s soil.

The area went by several names but in 1880, the Christina post office was renamed Jingo.

Jingo became Fairview in 1937.

The city incorporated in 1959.

A 2015 special census reported Fairview’s population at close to 10,000.

Government

The city operates under a City Manager-Commission form of government, composed of an elected mayor and four commissioners elected at-large with staggered, four-year terms of office. The Board approves the annual municipal budget and decides on taxing and fee levels to fund municipal services. John W. Blade was elected Mayor in Nov. 6, 2018. The board meets at 7 p.m. the first and third Thursdays at City Hall, 7100 City Center Way.

City Manager Scott Collins oversees the city’s professional departments.

Fairview is in Williamson County’s District 1 and is represented

by County Commissioners Dwight Jones and Ricky D. Jones. The city is in State Legislative District 65, State Senate District 23 and U.S. Congressional District 7. For more information: www.fairview-tn. org; 615-799-2484. www.williamsoncounty-tn.gov/

Departments and services

Education: Williamson County Schools provides public K-12 education at multiple Fairview campuses: Fairview High School, Fairview Middle School and Fairview and Westwood elementary schools. www.wcs.edu; (615) 472-4000.

Public safety and crime prevention: The Fairview Police Department serves within the city limits and is charged with crime prevention and law enforcement.

Services include a drug enforcement department, Drug Take Back program, and works with the Williamson County Crime Stoppers program. www.fairview-tn. org/depts-services/police-department/; (615) 799-2435.

Fire Department: The Fairview Fire Department, located at 7131 Bowie Lake Road, has 14 professional firefighters providing 24/7 coverage of the city. www. fairview-tn.org/depts-services/ fire-department; (615) 799-3473.

Parks & Recreation: The 700acre Bowie Nature Park is the city’s crown jewel and home to walking, biking and horseback riding trails, lakes, picnic shelters, a nature center and a large community-built playground. It hosts summer camps and nature programming. www.bowiepark.org;

PHOTO: STEVE HARMAN

City of Fairview 7100 City Center Way Fairview, TN 37062 (615) 799-2484; www.fairview-tn.org

(615) 799-5544. Veterans Memorial Park, with trails and picnic areas, hosts the annual Fish Rodeo, www.fairview-tn.org/depts-services/parks-department ; (615) 799-5544. The county-owned Fairview Recreation Center features a gym, outdoor pool, fitness center, classes, senior activities and more. www.wcparksandrec. com; (615) 799-9331.

Leaf removal and chipper service: Public Works’ street department provides residential leaf pickup and chipping services operating under a zone system with routes on the first four Tuesdays of the month. Leaf service runs December-March; chipper service April-November. Guidelines at www.fairview-tn.org/ depts-services/public-works/; (615) 387-6084.

Library: The Fairview Library, 2240 Fairview Blvd., is a branch of the Williamson County Pub-

lic Library. It provides a host of traditional and non-traditional services, including children’s programming, free wireless Internet and community events. Lib.williamson-tn.org/Fairview_public_library; (615) 224-6087.

Health services: The Fairview Clinic of the Williamson County Health Department, 2629 Fairview Blvd., provides a variety of health and wellness services. It accepts TNCare insurance and has a private pay sliding scale based on family size and income.

Economic Development: The Fairview Chamber of Commerce is an independent business and economic development organization. www.fairviewchamber.org; (615) 799-9290.

Top employers

• Williamson County Schools • Publix • Wal-Mart

GUIDE TO WILLIAMSON COUNTY

75

Williamson County Williamson County 1320 W. Main Street Franklin, TN 37064 www.Williamsoncounty-tn.gov

History

Williamson County, established in 1779, is named for Dr. Hugh Williamson. Williamson (1735-1819) was surgeon general of the North Carolina militia, a Continental Congress member and signer of the Constitution. Franklin, its county seat, is named for his good friend, who also never lived here, Benjamin Franklin.

The county originally had been inhabited by at least five Native American cultures, including tribes of Cherokee, Chickasaw, Choctaw, Creek, and Shawnee. Early settlers came from Virginia and North Carolina as part of the western migration following the American Revolutionary War. Three Civil War battles were fought in the county. The Nov. 30, 1864 Battle of Franklin saw some of the highest fatalities of the war, including the deaths of six Confederate generals. Two years later, 1,481 Confederate soldiers who died in battle were re-interred on the grounds of Carnton plantation. The McGavock Confederate Cemetery is the largest private Confederate cemetery in America. The war had a significant effect on the county’s population, which did not surpass that of 1880 until 1970.

In 2017 the county’s population was 226,257.

Today the county and its individual cities are ranked among the nation’s best in the areas of education, recreation, health and cost of living. Twelve of the 25 largest publicly traded companies in the Middle Tennessee area are based here and 40 corporate headquarters call Williamson County home.

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GUIDE TO WILLIAMSON COUNTY

Government

The Williamson County Board of Commissioners, the county’s legislative body, consists of 24 members, two from each of the county’s 12 districts. Commissioners serve four-year terms. While the Williamson County Schools’ Board of Education sets school policy, the county commission is the schools funding body.

The county mayor is elected by popular vote every four years and may serve unlimited terms.

Williamson County Mayor Rogers Anderson.

Departments and Services

Williamson County Public Library: Beyond its extensive book collection, the county library offers genealogy workshops, art displays, book clubs, story time, computer classes and more. 1314 Columbia Ave., Franklin, has branches in Bethesda, College Grove, Fairview, Leiper’s Fork and Nolensville. 615-595-1243. http:// lib.williamson-tn.org/ Williamson County Parks & Recreation: Offers extensive facilities and parks covering everything from aquatics programs, fitness and wellness, therapeutic recreation, senior programs, newsletter, planning, arts and crafts, special events, and summer activities. Its Athletic Division sponsors leagues and programs in a variety of sports throughout the county. 1120 Hillsboro Road, Franklin, 37064; 615-790-5719; www. wcparksandrec.com.

Williamson County Schools: The county commission funds the county’s distinguished K-12 school system, guided by its own elected board and director of schools. 1320 West Main St., Franklin, 37064. 615-472-4000; www.wcs.edu. The county is also home to the self-funded Franklin Special School District and several private schools.

PHOTO: MATT MASTERS

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW

Williamson County Animal Center: The county’s Animal Control Officers enforce state laws and local ordinances concerning animals, which include dogs running at large and stray animals.

Though ACOs cannot remove nuisance wildlife from private property, humane traps are available to rent. The center also serves as the county’s animal shelter where dogs and cats can be adopted.

160 Claude Yates Drive, Franklin, 37064; (615)790-5590; www. adoptwcac.org.

Williamson County Highway Department: This department constructs and maintains roads and bridges in unincorporated areas. This is the place to call to report hazardous road conditions. 302 Beasley Drive, Franklin, 37064; (615)790-5596.

Law enforcement: The Williamson County Sheriff’s department is responsible for law enforcement in the unincorporated areas of the county. The department also oversees the Williamson County Jail. 408 Century Court, Franklin, 37064; (615)790-5560.

Solid Waste and Recycling: The Williamson County Solid Waste Department manages 10 convenience centers located throughout Williamson County and two additional recycling drop-off centers. No commercial recycling or waste will be accepted at any convenience center location. Commercial waste must be taken to the county landfill.

Proof of residency is required.

Hours are 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays; 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays. 5750 Pinewood Road, Franklin, 37064; (615)7900742. Visit www.williamsoncounty-tn.gov/159/Convenience-Centers for a list of centers.

County Clerk: The county clerk’s office, located in the

Administration Complex, is the place to head for vehicle title and registration services, business permits, marriage licenses and beer permits. 1320 W. Main St., Suite 135, Franklin, 37064; (615)790-5712; open 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Monday-Friday.

Election Commission: Your go-to spot for county and local election and voting information, voter registration and more. 1320 West Main St., Suite 140, Franklin, 37064; (615)790-5711; http://www. williamsoncounty-tn.gov/40/ Election-Commission.

Driver Services Center (DMV): Services include written and road driving tests and issuing new and renewal driver’s licenses and identification cards.

Hours are 8:30 a.m.-5 p.m. weekdays; Appointments available.

3830 Carothers Parkway, Franklin, 37067; (615)790-5515. www. tn.gov/safety/driver-services/ locations/williamson.html.

Williamson Medical Center: This county-owned hospital, established in 1958, offers comprehensive medical care at its Franklin medical center and walk-in clinics.

4321 Carothers Pkwy. Franklin, 37067; (615)435-5000; www.williamsonmedicalcenter.org.

Health Department: Medical and dental services; immunizations and help with immunization records; public health education programs. Hours are 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m. weekdays. 1324 W Main Street, Franklin, 37064; (615)794-1542; https://www. williamsoncounty-tn.gov/120/ Health-Department.

Top 5 employers:

• Williamson County Schools • Community Health Systems • Williamson County Government • HCA Healthcare Inc. • Williamson Medical Center

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