Tennessee Historical Commission
COVID-19 UPDATE: THE TENNESSEE HISTORICAL COMMISSION STAFF ARE CURRENTLY WORKING OUT-OF-OFFICE TO ENSURE THE HEALTH AND SAFETY OF OUR EMPLOYEES. WE WILL CONTINUE TO CARRY OUT OUR MISSION AND RESPONSIBILITIES AND RESPOND TO EMAILS AND PHONE MESSAGES AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE. DESIGNATED STAFF ARE CONTINUING TO COMING TO THE OFFICE TO RECEIVE AND DISTRIBUTE MAIL. AT THIS TIME WE STRONGLY DISCOURAGE SENDING ANY MAIL THAT REQUIRES THAT SOMEONE SIGN FOR IT. IT WOULD BE BEST TO SEND MAIL THROUGH USPS SINCE THEY DO NOT REQUIRE A SIGNATURE.
April 15, 2021: The Tennessee Valley Authority General Counsel’s Office has filed a petition to remove and relocate remains from six cemeteries-Unknown Cemetery (40SU265) Age Unknown, McCrary or McCreary Cemetery (40SU266) 1905-1914, Franklin Cemetery (40SU267) Age Unknown, Bailey Cemetery (40SU271) ca. 1920, Odom-Hudson Cemetery (40U275) ca. 1901-1953, Unnamed No. 10 Cemetery (40SU348) Age Unknown at the Gallatin Fossil Plant, located on 1499 Steam Plant Rd, Gallatin, TN 37066. The TVA tract numbers are identified as GSP 23, GSP 10-CE, GSP 11-CE, GSP 13-CE, GSP 17-CE, and GSP 18-CE. In accordance with TCA 46-4-103 the notice and petition are available here.'
January 28, 2021. Jeffrey C. Coller, counsel for Timothy & Linda Harris, has filed a petition to remove and relocate remains of Jerry Lee Laxton from the Chestnut Ridge Cemetery, located at 1170 Shotoff Cliff Rd., Onieda, TN 37841. In accordance with TCA 46-4-103 the notice is available here. The petition is also available.
January 28, 2021. Parker T. Brown of Fidelis Law, PLLC, counsel for Tennessee Baptist Children’s Home, Inc. has filed a petition to remove and relocate remains from the cemetery-also referred to as the James Baldwin Blackwell Graveyard-on the property, located at 6899 US Hwy. 70, Bartlett, TN 38113. In accordance with TCA 46-4-103 the petition is available here.
Sherrard, Roe, Voight & Harbison, PLC, counsel for Charlotte Nashville West Partners, LLC has filed a petition to remove and relocate remains from the O'Brien/Stephens Cemetery, located at 7114 Charlotte Park, Nashville, TN 38127, Davidson County. The letter of notification is available here. In accordance with TCA 46-4-103 the petition is available here.
White & Polk, P.C. Attorneys at Law, counsel for HDP1, LLC, has filed a petition to remove and relocate remains from the unidentified cemetery located at 7512 Maggie Drive, Antioch, TN 37013. The letter of notification is available here. In accordance with TCA 46-4-103 the petition is available here.
Evans, Jones, & Reynolds, Attorneys at Law, counsel for RBC Tennessee, LLC, has filed a petition to terminate the use of land as a burial ground, a noted cemetery reservation located at 1951-1952 Carter's Creek Pike, Franklin, 37064, Williamson County. The letter of notification is available here. In accordance with TCA 46-4-103, the petition is available here.
Lewis, Thomason, King, Krieg & Waldrop, P.C., counsel for Community Foundation Realty, Inc., has filed a petition to remove and relocate remains from the Monastery of St. Clare Cemetery, located at 1310 Dellwood Ave., Memphis, 38127, Shelby County. The letter of of notification is available here. In accordance with TCA 46-4-103 the petition is available here.
Lewis, Thomason, King, Krieg & Waldrop, P.C., counsel for petitioner Memphis Greenspace, Inc., and The Law Office of H. Edward Phillips, PLLC, counsel for petitioners Sidney Law, James Kevin Bradley, Brooks Bradley, Thomas Jesse Bradley, and Bedford Forrest Myers, have filed a petition to relocate remains from S. Manassas St. in Memphis, Shelby County, Tennessee, commonly known as Health Sciences Park. The letter of notification is available here. In accordance with TCA-46-4-103 the petition is available here.
Tune, Entrekin & White, counsel for Oldsmith Group, LLC. has filed a petition to relocate remains from cemetery at 9634 Concord Road, located in Brentwood, Williamson County. The letter of notification is available here. In accordance with TCA 46-4-103 the petition is available here.
White & Polk, P. C., counsel for FR Properties, LLC. has filed a petition to relocate remains from cemetery off Beasie Road, located in Murfreesboro, Rutherford County. The letter of notification is available here. In accordance with TCA 46-4-103 the petition is available here.
White & Polk, P. C. , counsel for Charlie B. Mitchell Jr., has filed a petition to relocate remains from cemetery off Beasie Road, located in Murfreesboro, Rutherford County. The letter of notification is available here. In accordance with TCA 46-4-103 the petition is available here.
Lisa K. Helton, counsel for D. R. Horton, has filed a petition for terminating use of land as burial ground and for removal and reinterment of remains of decendents in the Rutherford County Chancery Court pursuant to TCA 46-4-103. The petition is available here.
TNHomesites has filed a petition to terminate a cemetery in Sumner County. In accordance with TCA 46-4-103 the petition is available here.
Sherod, Roe, Voight, & Harbison, PLC, counsel for Robert and Melissa Beckham, has filed a petition to terminate a cemetery in Williamson County. In accordance with TCA 46-4-103 the petition is available here.
The Tennessee Historical Commission is the State Historic Preservation Office for Tennessee and has multiple programs related to historic preservation and history. Its mission is to protect, preserve, interpret, maintain, and administer historic places; to encourage the inclusive diverse study of Tennessee's history for the benefit of future generations; to mark important locations, persons, and events in Tennessee history; to assist in worthy publication projects; to review, comment on, and identify projects that will potentially impact historic properties; to locate, identify, record, and nominate to the National Register of Historic Places all properties which meet National Register criteria; and to implement other programs of the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966 as amended. The Tennessee Historical Commission is an independent state agency, administratively attached to the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation. The staff and executive director are responsible for the day-to-day operation of the office.
The Tennessee Historical Commission is also a twenty-nine member board. Twenty-four members, equally divided among the three grand divisions of the state, are appointed by the Governor and five are ex officio members. The ex officio members are the Governor, the State Historian, the State Archaeologist, the Commissioner of Environment and Conservation, the State Librarian and Archivist. When mandated by state law, the Commission is authorized to vote on new laws generated through the legislative process. More information on the appointed Commission can be found in Boards and Commissions below.