The cold wind in the air was no match for the warmth in the hearts of the folks gathered under a tent Wednesday, Feb. 13 on Columbia Avenue in Franklin. They were gathered to celebrate a $1.85 million milestone – the conveyance of what has come to be known as the Cotton Gin Property.
The event marked the final dollar raised during a more than six-year aggressive campaign by Franklin’s Charge to acquire the properties along Columbia Avenue to reclaim the most hallowed ground of the historic Battle of Franklin during the Civil War. To assist the locally based efforts, a challenge grant issued by the Civil War Trust raised $500,000, with the final payment occurring on Feb. 12. Franklin’s Charge successfully raised another $500,000 through a variety of donors and creative efforts, including $1,000 pizzas. Click here to continue reading…