Each day, we will bring you a photo of the day, showcasing the sights of Williamson County (and beyond). Whether it’s a photo of a local landmark, a park, a photo from an event or just a great photo from the area, we want to showcase our local communities throughout the next year.
Today’s photo is of the new marker at Pinkerton Park honoring General Granger, which was unveiled last month during the Juneteenth celebration in Franklin. Juneteenth, which celebrates the end of slavery after the Civil War, became an official federal holiday this year.
After President Abraham Lincoln read the Emancipation Proclamation in 1863, supposedly all slaves were freed, but that is not what really happened. There was still a war happening, and the declaration was unenforceable in states still under Confederate control. As a matter of fact, the Southern states completely ignored it, especially on rural plantations. Texas was especially hard-headed about letting slaves know they were freed. It was not until June 19, 1865, when Major General Gordon Granger arrived in Galveston, Texas to deliver General Order No. 3 that slavery was officially ended in the state.
Franklin has a strong link to Major General Gordon Granger. Fort Granger, which is part of
Pinkerton Park was built by and named after Granger when his forces occupied Franklin. Like many of the forts built in the area, it was created to protect a railroad line to Nashville that was used to transport supplies to the Union army.
This year a new, updated sign about Granger building the fort, and his role in Juneteenth was dedicated in Pinkerton Park.
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