Each May, the Heritage Foundation of Williamson County celebrates The National Trust for Historic Preservation’s Preservation Month with multiple events and meetings that celebrate and honor the successes in historic preservation across Williamson County. This year is no exception; however, the celebration will look a little bit different due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Several major events including the Preservation Awards and the Heritage Foundation’s Annual Meeting as well as the 3rd annual Preservation Symposium will still happen, but all have been rescheduled for June and will be virtual events in lieu of public gatherings.
The Heritage Foundation of Williamson County’s Annual Meeting and 52nd annual Preservation Awards will be held Tuesday, June 16, from 5:30 – 7 p.m. The public is invited to attend, but attendees must register at williamsonheritage.org/events. Details on joining the virtual meeting will be sent to all who register in advance.
Nominations for Preservation Awards, which celebrate outstanding historic preservation projects in Williamson County, are being accepted until 5 p.m. on May 8. You can nominate a qualifying project in multiple categories by clicking here: www.williamsonheritage.org/
A full description of the new categories for this year’s awards as well as the nomination/application forms can be found at WilliamsonHeritage.org/Awards.
The 3rd Annual Preservation Symposium will be held June 26. Details on this event are being finalized and will be made available as soon as possible.
How You Can Support The Heritage Foundation
As the Heritage Foundation looks for new and creative ways to continue to celebrate and promote historic preservation during the month of May, several angel donors have stepped up to offer a 2:1 match to every donation made to the Heritage Foundation during Preservation Month. That means your $100 donation becomes a $300 donation.
“This donation match is a huge opportunity for us as we continue to push through this difficult time and continue to protect and revive the historic places right here in our own backyard that are at risk of being lost forever,” said Heritage Foundation CEO, Bari Beasley. “May being National Preservation Month is something we always look forward to because it helps us promote what we are doing locally along with what others are doing nationally.”
Anyone who wishes to make a donation can go to williamsonheritage.org/donate to make a tax-deductible donation that will be used to preserve the places and stories that matter right here in our community.
The Heritage Foundation is once again participating in The Big Payback on May 6-7, which is a 24-hour fundraising initiative spearheaded by the Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee. All donations for The Big Payback can be made starting at 6 p.m. on May 6 through 6 p.m. May 7 at https://www.thebigpayback.org/
ABOUT THE HERITAGE FOUNDATION OF WILLIAMSON COUNTY
Since 1967, the Heritage Foundation of Williamson County has been dedicated to preserving Williamson County’s architectural, geographic and cultural heritage as well as promoting the ongoing revitalization of downtown Franklin in the context of historic preservation. Notable projects include The Franklin Theatre, Roper’s Knob, parts of the Franklin battlefield and the Old, Old Jail. The Foundation brings county history to about 3,000 school children each year through the Heritage Classroom program as well as walking tours of downtown Franklin. Events and festivals produced by the Heritage Foundation such as Main Street Festival, the Heritage Ball, Pumpkinfest and Dickens of a Christmas bring hundreds of thousands of locals and visitors to downtown Franklin each year. The Heritage Foundation owns and operates The Franklin Theatre, the Downtown Franklin Association, and the organization’s newest division and current restoration project, Franklin Grove Estate & Gardens. For more information about the Heritage Foundation, visit www.williamsonheritage.
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