Saturday, September 24, 2011
Cheri Sept-24-11
10:36 PM | 
Posted by
Sharp's Travels
We had a busy day planned for today. We left the 5th wheel by 8:45 am so we would arrive at Mansker’s Station here in Goodlettsville by 9am.
The Fort is an authentic reconstruction of a frontier station typical of the early Cumberland settlements. We were the only 2 on the first tour of the day. Our guide was dressed in period clothing and walked us through each building in the fort and gave us a great history lesson.
One could also tour the Bowen Plantation house there on the grounds. Built in 1787, the Bowen house is among middle Tennessee’s oldest brick residence. Again we were given a personal tour. Our guide was dressed in 18th century fashion and was very well versed on the history of this old house. Before it was restored he used to play in it as a kid. It was all so fascinating.
We then traveled about 45 miles from Goodlettsville to the south side of Nashville and stopped in the town of Franklin to learn the history of the battle fought there between the Union and Confederate soldiers. The town is full of Civil War history.
We began by touring the Carter House, which was caught in the center of the Battle of Franklin. Outside on the grounds we checked out the extended kitchen, built separate from the main house for two reasons; fire proved a hazard & the heat from cooking was unwelcome in the summer.
Next the slave quarters, Carter’s slaves helped grow and harvest 4,000 bushels of corn, nearly 500 bushels of wheat & oats, and 12,000 pounds of cotton.
The smokehouse and the farm office show extensive damage due to the battle being fought around the property. They were riddled with bullet holes. The bullets went into the back wall and through the buildings and out the front walls.
The Carter House was a Federal style brick house. We weren’t allowed to take pictures inside the home. There was a formal parlor and a bedroom, which also served as a family room downstairs and upstairs 2 small bedrooms. The kitchen was located in the basement. Our guide really loved his job. He pulled you right into the history of the house and the battle that was going on outside between the Union & Confederate soldiers.
We had 2 more tours to get in today, so we were on the run. We headed across the street to the Lotz House. It has one of the finest private collections of American Victorian furniture in the Southeast. Again we could not take any pictures inside.
The last stop was the Carnton Plantation. The Carnton house served as the largest Confederate field hospital; blood stains still mar the floors today. In just 5 hours, during the battle of Franklin, 10,000 soldiers were killed, wounded, captured or missing. Land was donated on the Carnton Plantation for a Confederate Cemetery. We toured the slave quarters, the springhouse, the smokehouse, private family cemetery plot and the Confederate Cemetery before entering the main house, no pictures allowed in this house
The Carnton house was built in 1826. The furnishings were elegant and we got another history lesson of the bloody battle fought in Franklin on Nov. 30, 1864.
Our tour was over at 5pm and we headed to the Bunganut Pig for the best hamburger in town. We sat out on the patio and just as we were finishing our meal we felt rain drops. We headed for the bike. It was time to make tracks for home. We ran into a light rain shower and then the sun came out and we had a really neat rainbow.
We were home at 7:00 pm just before dark and we settled in for the night. What a great day!
Gay has uploaded pictures of the day. Click on this link https://picasaweb.google.com/sharpstravels then click on album: Mansker’s Station and Civil War in Franklin TN
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