Turn of the century historical photos of Franklin battlefield discovered
Historical photos provide a better understanding of Franklin’s history
(Franklin, Tenn.)— The Battle of Franklin Trust Chief Operating Officer Eric A. Jacobson announced today the findings of turn of the century photographs of the Franklin battlefield, which provide a never before seen look at the historic area.
In making the announcement, Jacobson said, “We are happy to announce that thirty previously unknown images of the Franklin battlefield, The Carter House, and the Confederate Cemetery have been discovered. Most were taken in June 1904, but several were taken in 1899. Photographer Albert Kern apparently made two trips to Franklin where he photographed the battlefield in 1899 and again in 1904.”
Jacobson added, “One image was taken at a point just outside where the Federal line of defense was located and the orientation is toward the southeast. A stone structure, known as the Cleburne cenotaph, is clearly visible and it is the clearest image of the monument that I have ever seen. This particular photo was taken in 1904, just two years before the cenotaph was torn down by a man who built a house on the property. There are also bricks and stones visible in the foreground, which appear to be remnants of the original Battle Ground Academy (BGA) that burned in 1902. BGA was then rebuilt west of Columbia Pike, and that building is visible in another photograph. Another image includes the Bostick home, which was known as Everbright. Several photos were taken from the crest of Privet Knob and offer sweeping and stunning looks at the battlefield.”
Several photos of the Carter House offer truly incredible views of the historic property, including a picket fence along Columbia Pike. The pictures also shows the obvious changes that Moscow Carter made to the house in 1880, including moving the bullet riddled smokehouse to the west end of the house and attaching it as an extra bedroom. A photo of the Confederate Cemetery shows it just prior to Carrie McGavock’s death and before the 1909 tornado which destroyed most of the beautiful trees that once graced the cemetery.
The photos were discovered in a house in Ohio many years ago and were subsequently stored away. Only recently were they re-evaluated and high resolution scans made. A few images have been posted on the Carter House Facebook page, and the Battle of Franklin Trust is planning to conduct a public forum which will allow interested parties to view the photos in early 2013.
The Battle of Franklin Trust is a 501 (c) 3 management corporation acting on behalf of Franklin’s battlefield sites to contribute to a greater understanding and enrich the visitor experience of the November 30, 1864 battle. It’s organized for the charitable and educational purposes of preserving, restoring, maintaining and interpreting the properties, artifacts and documents related to the battle so as to preserve an important part of the nation’s history.
The Andrews Agency
Battle of Franklin Trust
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