Franklin's Theatre and Hincheyville

Walking along Main Street in Franklin, TN, with its historic buildings, recipients of loving restorers, I fully expected to find a restored movie theater. And there it was--the Franklin Theatre. And we were fortunate enough to be able to walk through the theater

"Our enduring romance with the Franklin Theatre began in the summer of 1937 when the marquee first illuminated Main Street, invited Middle Tennesseans to buy a ticket--and laugh, cry and dream. Inside the theater walls, moviegoers enjoyed fresh popcorn, afternoon matinees and first kisses. They walked away with a lifetime of memories.

"Over the next 70 years, the world changed a lot--but the Franklin Theatre stood as a testament to a simpler way of life. But time eventually took its toll on the venerable movie house, and the doors closed in 2007 under the pressing of rising rents and the trend toward mega-theaters.

"Enter the Heritage Foundation of Franklin and Williamson County. Rather than lose the heart of Main Street, the nonprofit preservation group stepped in to buy and rehabilitate the historic landmark."

The poster below and its slogan "Home of First Kisses" seemed to me to be a creative way to gather community support for the theater's restoration.

"After three years of work--and an investment of more than $8 million--the historic Franklin Theatre re-opened on June 3, 2011 re-emerged better than ever.

Franklin Theatre Lobby

View from the balcony

Balcony seats

View from in front of the stage

"The new Franklin Theatre continues the cherished tradition of showing movies, but also adds a new dimension to Main Street--live music. With a state-of-the-art sound and lighting system, and undeniable charm, the Franklin Theatre is destined to be an entertainment and cultural icon for years to come" (franklintheatre.com/general-information-2).

We had spent longer in the theater than we expected, so our walk around the neighborhoods within the 16-block National Register district of antique shops and lovingly restored homes will be limited to driving around one of the neighborhoods. On our walk to our truck, we passed these two unidentified, but quite attractive, buildings--one home, one business.

The homes below were photographed on our drive through the Hincheyville neighborhood of Franklin.

House of Stone, 1927

Walker Whitson House, 1929

The Tudor-style home began as an over-under duplex.

Smith Hardcastle House, 1893

Lilli House, 1894

Note the floor-level windows in the living room.

Bennett Gathmann House, 1850

Liberty Hall McLemore House, ca.1900s

This brick structure was built in the "Four Square" style.

Campbell Westbrook House, 1828

The central tower is a main feature of this Queen Anne style home.

La Maison Du Rave ("The House of Dreams")