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Birthplace for Sam Davis up for sale
Nancy Degennaro, The Daily News Journal, October 1, 2018 Although the Sam Davis Home at 1399 Sam Davis Road in Smyrna is a more identifiable site, Sherry Maraschiello lives on the property where the Civil War boy hero was born. And the property even has ties to ‘Wizard of Oz’…
Bethel Church marks 200 years
Jason Reynolds, The Murfreesboro Post, September 25, 2018 A congregation in the Bethel community is celebrating the church’s 200th anniversary and a connection to the foundations of the Methodist denomination in America. Bethel United Methodist Church was founded in 1818. The founder was evangelist Ebenezer MacGowan, a British native who…
Economy Car stops in Murfreesboro (1940)
Daily News Journal, March 15, 1940 Thank you local historian Carol Robertson White for finding this jewel of a news article!
Dr. ‘Seatbelt’ Honored
WGNS Radio, September 24, 2018 The late Dr. Robert Sanders, local pediatrician, was honored at 1:30 Monday (9/24/2018) afternoon with a Tennessee Historical Marker unveiled at the Rutherford County Health Department, where he served as director for a quarter of a century. He became known as “Dr. Seat Belt”, as…
Illustrators of Civil War preserved chapter in time
Susan Harber, The Daily News Journal, September 24, 2018 My daughter Katherine is a terrific artist, and I have always been fascinated with the illustrative sketch artists of the Civil War. These creative individuals supplied a visual account of a battle by depicting the soldiers fighting, suffering, celebrating and most…
The Peddler
Sadie Fowler, VIP Murfreesboro, September 5, 2018 More than 45 years ago two local women put their heads together to talk business, and what unfolded has been a Murfreesboro icon ever since — it’s called The Peddler, for short. Jane Jones and Mary Ann Richardson, both Rutherford County natives, met…
The Story of Walter Hill
southernrootsandbranches.wordpress.com, by Billy Pittard, July 15, 2018 I grew up feeling that Walterhill, Tennessee was my true home: the place where my roots were deepest. My maternal grandparents Ruth and Blackburn Batey lived at the crossroads of Jefferson Pike and Lebanon Road – which is arguably the heart of Walterhill. …
Murfreesboro’s First Astronaut, Dr. Rhea Seddon
Susan Harber, September 13, 2018 Margaret Rhea Seddon of Murfreesboro made history as one of first six female astronauts to enter the NASA program. Having the ‘right stuff,’ she was a pioneer in space exploration and is both a maverick and exemplar in our county today. Rhea was born on…
Tennessee College of Women once jewel for Main Street
Susan Harber, The Daily News Journal, September 10, 2018 A jewel in Murfreesboro was birthed in 1905 on 15 lovely acres with the creation of a charter by our state legislature for Tennessee College for Women. The school was widely known for strong educational instruction and Christian values under the…
The Old Haynes Hotel
Frank Caperton, Rutherford County Historical Society, September 4, 2018 “Mink Slide to Main Street”, C.B. Arnette, Page 181, printed 1991 Ed. note: The Haynes Hotel was constructed in the early 1890s, razed 1958 to make way for the new Penney Plaza. The last property in the block was the Haynes…
National Register of Historic Places – Walter Hill Dam
September 4, 2018, National Register of Historic Places The ‘National Register’ is a phenomenal source of information regarding historic homes. Search their database and you will find 49 properties as of September 1, 2018. The following ‘Register’ entry is dated November 7, 1990: The Walter Hill Hydroelectric Station is located…
History still being uncovered at Murfreesboro’s Center for the Arts
Patsy B. Weiler, The Daily News Journal, September 4, 2018 There has been an intriguing mystery recently at the Center for the Arts in downtown Murfreesboro and it wasn’t on stage. With a nod toward the popular Nancy Drew mystery story, “The Hidden Staircase,” a recently discovered set of iron…
Second Floor Video of Oaklands Mansion
Oaklands Mansion, August 29, 2018 Join the staff of Oaklands Mansion as they offer a tour of the second floor of Oaklands Mansion.
Memories of Mabel Pittard shared
Susan Harber, The Daily News Journal, August 26, 2018 When I began utilizing archives for detailed historical data, the same name continued to surface in an unending manner. I was fascinated by a single woman, who had spent decades of countless hours of scrupulous research on the origins of our…
Greg Tucker discusses 1911 shooting death of Murfreesboro Police Chief Joseph Arnold
Murfreesboro City Council Chambers, August 23, 2018 Each month Rutherford County Historian Greg Tucker speaks for a few minutes concerning the incredible history of Rutherford County. In August, Mr. Tucker spoke of the 1911 shooting death of Murfreesboro Police Chief Joseph Arnold at the hands of Deputy Sheriff Jep…
Total Eclipse 2017 Oaklands Mansion Front
Oaklands Mansion, August 22, 2017 Security camera footage of total solar eclipse on August 21, 2017, at Oaklands Mansion in Murfreesboro, Tennessee. Follow as the architectural lighting on the outside of the mansion comes on and the sky begins to dim.
Patterson Park to celebrate namesake at 15th anniversary
Scott Broden, The Daily News Journal, August 17, 2018 Patterson Park Community Center will honor its namesake dentist when it celebrates the 15th anniversary of the expanded recreation center Saturday. “He was a servant leader to the community,” said Gloria Bonner, a retired Middle Tennessee State University administrator. As a…
The Murfreesboro Boosters, 1929
Bill Jakes, Local Historian, August 14, 2018 They were local businessmen who traveled from area town to town “boosting’ Murfreesboro. In earlier times ( 20s, 30s, 40s, etc,), Murfreesboro had stores that were not found in smaller towns all over the area. We had fine department stores (Goldstein’s, The French…
New State Museum to Open in October
WGNS Radio, August 14, 2018 The Tennessee State Museum is scheduled to open to the public on Thursday, October 4, 2018 at its new location on the corner of Rosa Parks Blvd. and Jefferson Street at Bicentennial Capitol Mall State Park. Grand opening events will take place throughout the weekend.…
Historic Rock Springs Church established in 1804
Susan Harber, The Daily News Journal, August 13, 2018 And the Scripture says “Upon this rock will I build my church.” How true these words ring out inside Rock Springs Church of Christ, the oldest congregation in Rutherford County. Organized as a Baptist church on July 2, 1804, the…