The house is owned by the Shorter Chapel AME Church, which had planned to demolish it before its history was revealed. Local preservationists worked with Church leadership to research the building’s history and to create a historical marker. In 2020, the Williamson County Historical Society erected the historical marker. In 2021, the CHP at MTSU, in collaboration with the Shorter Chapel, developed a preservation plan for the Green Book House. THE MERRILL-WILLIAMS SITE PRESERVATION The Merrill-Williams House at 264 Natchez Street is one of the oldest houses in the Natchez Street Historic District. The AAHS began a successful fundraising campaign in 2019 to save the historic home from sale and demolition. CHP at MTSU developed a Historic Assessment and Future Use Recommendations report. The building is currently under rehabilitation for use as the African American Center for History & Culture. The AAHS and CHP at MTSU plan to collaborate for the renovations, upkeep, staffing, and curation of exhibits for the center. CAROTHERS FARM IS PROTECTED AND INTERPRETED The Carothers Farm is a remarkable example of African American agricultural heritage in Williamson County. In November 1989, the John Henry Carothers House was added to the National Register in recognition of its significance in ethnic heritage. The Williamson County Historical Society erected a historical marker on the property in 1998. More recently, with development pressures encroaching on rural land around Franklin, preservation efforts have expanded. In 2019 a partnership including developers, the City, the AAHS and the CHP at MTSU moved forward plans to preserve the property, restore the house, and provide interpretation of the Carothers family’s history. The CHP at MTSU developed “Telling the Stories of an African American Landmark” in 2020 and exhibit panels in 2024. LEE-BUCKNER SCHOOL IS DOCUMENTED, MOVED, AND PROTECTED The Lee-Buckner School is the last remaining Rosenwald school in Williamson County. The school was one of 375 Rosenwald schools in Tennessee when its doors opened in 1927. The CHP at MTSU provided the Heritage Foundation with the assistance of an experienced doctoral student in historic preservation for two years to assist with the moving, planning, and interpretation of the site. In February 2024, the LeeBuckner School was moved from its original location on Duplex Road in Williamson County to the Heritage Foundation’s Franklin Grove Estates & Gardens property. Once restored, the building will permanently house an interpretive exhibit on the school’s history as well as rotating exhibits on African American history and space for ongoing education programs. THE PLANNED RESTORATION OF AMERICAN LEGION POST 215 In 2024, the Williamson County African American Veterans Foundation launched a successful fundraising campaign for the renovation of the American Legion Hall for Post 215, an important African American landmark. The project includes plans for a museum with exhibits that tell the story of Williamson County’s African American military veterans, including members of the U.S. Colored Troops, Medal of Honor recipient George Jordan, and Tuskegee Airman Thomas Patton. The current American Legion Hall was purchased in 1952 by three World War II veterans, led by William F. Scruggs. 90 FRANKLIN, TN | PRESERVATION PLAN
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