State Historic Sites Spotlight: Rock Castle State Historic Site
By Caty Dirksen, Outreach Coordinator
Carter House State Historic Site
Built in 1830, the Carter House is a classic brick Federal style dwelling featuring stepped parapet end walls. On November 30, 1864, the home was at the center of the Battle of Franklin and served as headquarters for the Federal Twenty-Third Army Corps. The Carter family took refuge in the cellar during the battle and the home was heavily damaged. Evidence of the fighting that raged on the property remains, including bullet damaged furniture and structures.
The State of Tennessee purchased the Carter House to save it from demolition in 1951, entrusting its care to the Tennessee Historical Commission that same year. The Battle of Franklin Trust has managed and operated the Carter House State Historic Site through an agreement with the Commission for the past 15 years.
Breaking Ground on the Herbert Harper Visitor Center
On March 28, 2025, the Tennessee Historical Commission broke ground on the new visitor center at Carter House State Historic Site in Franklin. The groundbreaking ceremony marked the kickoff for the $6.5 million State of Tennessee capital project. The funding for the building included $4.5 million from Gov. Lee and the Tennessee General Assembly, as well as $2 million approved by the Tennessee Historical Commission board from the THC’s Historic Property Land Acquisition Fund. The event was well attended, with remarks by THC Executive Director and State Historic Preservation Officer, Patrick McIntyre; Battle of Franklin Trust CEO, Eric Jacobson; Franklin Vice Mayor, Jason Potts; Senate Majority Leader Jack Johnson; Representative Lee Reeves; TN Department of General Services Commissioner, Matt Van Epps; and Orcutt|Winslow architect, Sarah Dexheimer. Special thanks to our THC board members including Vice Chair for Middle Tennessee Doris McMillan, Reggie Mudd, and Dan Pomeroy for their attendance.
The new visitor center will replace the current one built in 1981-82 and will feature interpretive exhibits sponsored by the Battle of Franklin Trust. The facility is named after late former Tennessee Historical Commission executive director and Franklin resident Herbert Harper, who worked at the Commission for 37 years. THC is excited to see this project underway and to help improve the visitor experience at Carter House State Historic Site!
Explore the Carter House State Historic Site through augmented reality and check out our other State Historic Sites in our digital brochure through the QR codes below!
(Photographs courtesy of TN Photographic Services)
