Franklin and Springhill News nov 07

[larry_cockerham]

Meetings set to discuss potential Battle of Franklin
park

By Kevin Walters, Staff Writer

FRANKLIN — National Park Service officials are giving
residents two chances to give their ideas and opinions
as they conduct a study about the Battle of Franklin.

The National Park Service is completing a study that
may recommend creating a new national park focusing on
historic sites and Civil War battlefields in
Williamson County.

The study will offer management alternatives and may
involve management by the National Park System, state
and local governments, private sector organizations,
or combinations.

“The goal of this phase is to initiate public outreach
as well as gather information on the related resources
and the socioeconomic environment,” according to an
NPS press release.

As part of that study, NPS representatives will hold
two upcoming “open houses” to solicit information:

--The first meeting will occur from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.
on Tuesday, Nov. 27, 2007, at the Archives Building in
Columbia, Tenn.

--A second meeting will occur from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. on
Thursday, Nov. 29, 2007, in the Police Training Room
of Franklin City Hall.

Nov. 30 is the anniversary of the Battle of Franklin
which was fought in 1864.

For more information and to comment on this project,
visit the NPS website http://parkplanning.nps.gov.

http://www.tennessean.com/apps/pbcs....TY09/71114048/
1164
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Annexation around Rippavilla moves forward

By JILL CECIL WIERSMA
Staff Writer

SPRING HILL — A request to annex more than 500 acres
around Rippavilla for development will go to the Board
of Mayor and Aldermen after approval Tuesday by the
Planning Commission.

Planning Commissioner Gwynne Evans voted against the
request, saying the land was supposed to be preserved
as a buffer around the historic plantation.

"That's what we got told anyway," Evans said, adding
that they were "sold a bill of goods" in 1985 when
General Motors deeded the land to the Maury County
Industrial Development Board in lieu of taxes.

GM is selling the land as surplus. Attorney Huntly
Gordon asked the commission to annex 513.75 acres for
his client, Trace Investment Partners, saying the
developer has a "hard contract" for the land, which it
would develop over the next five to 10 years.

In accordance with its agreement with the industrial
board, GM is deeding roughly 100 acres adjacent to the
plantation to the nonprofit Rippavilla Inc.

Maury County had hoped GM would accept its $946,000
bid for 85 acres near Rippavilla.

According to an Oct. 15 letter to Maury County Mayor
James Bailey explaining why GM would not accept the
county's offer, GM officials cited difficulties in
dividing the property and said they consider the
100-acre donation a show of support for historic
preservation in the community.

"We are working with our selected developer of this
site, Trace Investment Partners, whom has expressed
their initial support for working with the county
involving the property," Holly Milewski, senior
project manager for GM, said in the letter.

"At this time, we would like for the developer to
begin working directly with the county as they begin
their site development plans, and will coordinate a
meeting between the county and the developer at your
request."

The board meets 7 p.m. Monday at City Hall, 199 Town
Center Parkway.

http://tennessean.com/apps/pbcs.dll/...0101/711150344
/1165/COUNTY09

[richard]

Larry, how could this effect the management and staffing of the Winstead Hill and the Carter house?

[larry_cockerham]

I could only speculate on Winstead Hill and the Carter House. The Carter House is a state-owned and state managed facility and probably does quite well financially. Hence I doubt they actually need the Park Service. Certainly there would be cooperation in some form with the Park Service if a formal park set-up occurred. The SCV which owns Winstead Hill (or at least our 11 acres or so) privately would likely resist losing control. Political correctness can be a scary thing. Cooperation is one thing, control is another. Just a thought.

[gary]

If nothing else, I hope the NPS helps buy that land that GM is putting up for sale.

[larry_cockerham]

Gary, the land around Rippavilla, located across highway US 31 from the Saturn plant, is a fine example of the Revolutionary land grants and is a beautiful piece of property. The Mansion is secured with about 100 acres around it, but since it is a prominent site well elevated as a fine plantation home needed to be for several reasons, the currently pristene fields will become shops, homes and offices, just as the rest of the world around big intersections and places of employment. Greed is the American password. Can any of us poor folks afford to buy that property? No. I doubt Uncle Sam can or will move fast enough. Probably not much help from Franklin, simply too much distance between, perhaps 20 miles (without looking at Mapquest). The mansion was used as headquarters by Hood both on the northern advance in November and again very briefly on the retreat in December, 1864. There is a banquet and Forrest symposium scheduled there for November 30, in commemoration of the battle for Franklin. Hopefully, I can attend.