Area Info

Franklin and the other unique communities of Williamson County are located approximately 20 miles south of downtown Nashville, Tennessee and are easily accessible via Interstate 65. It is located in the heart of Middle Tennessee, a scenic and cultural treasure of beautiful rollingcountryside woven intricately with quaint small towns, metropolitanlandscapes and a rich heritage of traditions. We appreciate andcelebrate our heritage, beauty, traditions and distinct communities andwe invite you to experience all that Franklin and Williamson County have to offer. 

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WILLIAMSON COUNTY, TENNESSEE

Williamson County, Tennessee is located south of Nashville and was established on October 26, 1799 and named for Dr. Hugh Williamson, surgeon general of the North Carolina militia, member of the ContinentalCongress and a signer of the Constitution. The county prospered until the Civil War came. The Battle of Franklin was one of the most decisive of the Civil War leaving over 8,000 dead or wounded in five hours of fierce fighting and turning every home and building in town into a hospital. Williamson County settled down to an agricultural based economy after the war. Tobacco became the main cash crop. It took nearly120 years for the county's economy to reach pre-war levels. The 1960's began a period of rapid growth, largely in part to the interstate system. Today, Williamson County's population is 183,182 (2010 census) and it is a wealthy county with a strong preservation effort of history and heritage along with a rich quality of life.

There are many 'firsts' in Williamson County such as The Masonic Hall, the first Masonic Lodge and first three-story building in Tennessee; St.Paul's Church, the first Protestant Episcopal Church in Tennessee; and the Liberty Methodist Church, the scene of the first Methodist Conference west of the Alleghenies.

Williamson County has six incorporated cities within its boundaries as well as many wonderful communities, each unique in their own way.

 

CITY OF FRANKLIN (County Seat)

Franklin was founded October 26, 1799 and laid out on land donated by Abram Maury. It was named after Benjamin Franklin. The first courthouse was built in 1800 in the center of the public square where there was also a public well. For most of its first 180 years, Franklin was a quiet, small county seat and the wealthy center of plantation economy. However, the Civil War devastated the economy. For more than a century, Franklin seemed remote not only from the capital city of Nashville, but from the rest of the world. Today, Franklin is one of the wealthiest cities in the United States with a population of 62,487 (2010 census). It is a balanced blend of residential, commercial and corporate life with a strong emphasis on preservation of history and culture.

CITY OF BRENTWOOD

The first settlers came to the Brentwood area in the late 1700's. Much of the land was granted to Revolutionary War soldiers by the State of North Carolina. Founded in 1860, the original site of business activity in the area was at the Frost place on Old Smyrna Road. The general store, the grist mill and the post office were located there. With the coming of the railroad and the highway the town center shifted. Brentwood grew and prospered and by the time of the Civil War, the area was one of the richest in the state. The soils were fertile and plantations flourished as was evidenced by the stately homes built. By the end of the War, there were very few farm animals or growing crops left. The war left its scar on the economy and many homes and plantations fell to ruin. The Brentwood area recovered from the Civil War. In the 1920's it was rediscovered. Gradually many of the plantationhomes were bought and restored. In the 1960's Brentwood grew and prospered as interstates were built and the population grew. Brentwood was incorporated in 1969. The current population is 37,030 (2010 census). History Excerpts Courtesy of T. Vance Little, City Historian

OTHER INCORPORATED CITIES IN WILLIAMSON COUNTY

Fairview
Incorporated in 1959
Population 7,870

Nolensville
Incorporated in 1996
Population 5,861

Spring Hill
Incorporated in 1837
Population 15,824 (Williamson County only)

Thompson's Station
Incorporated in 1990
Population 1,966

COMMUNITIES of WILLIAMSON COUNTY

Arrington
Bethesda
Burwood
College Grove
Grassland
Kirkland
Leiper's Fork
Peytonsville
Southhall
Triune