27 Historic Preservation Plan or a native, for that matter, find their place and understand what Franklin and Williamson County are all about? Community Heritage Centers provide exhibits, workshops, and educational programs about important themes in a city’s history. A center for the community can be a place to share and collaborate to advance knowledge and understanding. A heritage center in Franklin could perhaps be combined with efforts to create a county museum. A working group should be convened to explore creating a community heritage center at an appropriate location in Franklin. The working group should include historians with diverse interests, educators, museum directors, and representatives from the Convention & Visitors Bureau. The Franklin story is much more than the Civil War battle. Exhibits and programs at this location afford the opportunity to include the perspectives of all races, all social classes and economic levels. A good example is the Massie Heritage Interpretation Center in Savannah. The Center, housed in c.1855-56 buildings, is owned by the Savannah-Chatham County Public Schools and includes exhibits of Savannah’s City Plan, Savannah in the Victorian Era and elements of Savannah architecture. Franklin’s community heritage center could also serve as an expanded visitor center, providing visitors with an orientation to Franklin’s unique heritage, as well as information about things to see and do. The Heritage Center needs to be in close proximity to Franklin’s Main Street, in a location that affords visibility, convenience and nearby parking. Goal 2: Preserve Historic Sites, Settings & Linkages Franklin’s significant historic sites, settings and linkages need to be preserved in ways that assure retention of long-term residents, affordable housing choices, and diversity. The following strategies seek to accomplish this. Develop a Master Plan for Downtown Franklin Residents have identified downtown Franklin as the heart of the City. Much has been invested in its revitalization, which brought it back to life in the 1980s. Since that time, it has become a symbol of the City’s identity. It is also an important portion of the City’s tax base, representing significant public and private investment. Since the original revitalization effort, the regional market has changed and there is significantly more competition for downtown. Fortunately, the regional market is an affluent one in terms of disposable incomes, meaning there are unmet Strategies to Preserve Historic Sites, Settings & Linkages Develop a Master Plan for Downtown Franklin Develop a Neighborhood Conservation Program Conserve Historic Lanscapes Evaluate the Effectiveness of Design Standards Explore Financial Incentive Programs Enhance Historic Cemeteries Develop Corridor Management Plans for Historic Roads Improve Gateways and Linkages
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