The Domino’s building on Columbia Ave. started being reduced to rubble on Wednesday as community members gathered to eat one last slice of pizza on the land.
The Battle of Franklin Trust, in cooperation with the Heritage Foundation and many other Franklin preservation groups, held a special ceremony for the public to witness the beginnings of the process of making the land at 1255 Columbia Ave part of the Carter Hill Battlefield Park for the Franklin battlefield.
The land where the old Domino’s was built was once occupied by the Carter House Cotton Gin, and archaeologists have found the substructure remnants of the old cotton gin right next to the demolished Domino’s.
At the ceremony, Calvin Lehew, an influential Franklin community member, announced that he and his wife Marilyn plan to fund the reconstruction of the Carter Cotton Gin.
To start the demolition, a line of Civil War re-enacters took the shot at the building with Civil War era rifles. Then, a few prominent preservationists took a swing at the building with a sledgehammer. Those gathered enjoyed a slice of pizza from Domino’s as the backhoe turned the corner to tear into the building.
This portion of the battlefield has added 20 acres to the over 7,000 acres of Civil War Franklin battlefield that has already been preserved by Franklin preservationists.
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