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By: MIKE WEST, Managing Editor
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Posted: Sunday, April 12, 2009 7:58 am
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The Historic Courthouse
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Part II
Civil War sites and information do abound in Rutherford County.
Part I focused on sites tied directly to the Battle of Stones River. This article will focus on the First Battle of Murfreesboro, which is more familiarly known as Forrest’s Raid.
Nathan Bedford Forrest remains a controversial figure, but there’s no denying his importance to the residents of Woodbury and Murfreesboro in 1862. This raid was also his first independent command and was marked by his use of subterfuge and cunning on the battlefield.
The community is fortunate that two structures that played a key role in the raid are still standing and open to the public. They are the Rutherford County Courthouse and Oaklands Historic House. Hint: You can follow Murfreesboro’s new blue tourism signs to find them all.
The Rutherford County Courthouse:
Built in 1859, the Historic Rutherford County Courthouse is only one of six remaining Tennessee antebellum courthouses. The building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places for its significant architecture, political and military history. The interior of the courthouse has been restored to its 19th Century appearance.
There are plaques commemorating Forrest’s July 1862 raid on the exterior of the structure, which is located in the center of Murfreesboro’s Square. A state historical marker tells the story of the raid.
Hours are 8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday only. Admission is free.
The Heritage Center of Murfreesboro and Rutherford County:
The Heritage Center is one of the best places to learn about Forrest’s Raid and to see photographs taken of the Courthouse and Square during the Civil War.
It is the best spot to get an overview of Murfreesboro’s varied and interesting history.
The center, 225 W. College St., Murfreesboro, features a number of exhibits including:
“The Time that Changed Everything:” Murfreesboro’s Civil War Era shares personal accounts of county residents as it traces the sequence of local events during and after the Civil War and features hands-on components including a writing desk, a typical soldier’s tent, and school benches, with reproductions of period diaries, games, and textbooks. This exhibit is sponsored by the Tennessee Civil War National Heritage Area.
The center is open 10 a.m.- 3 p.m. Monday through Friday. Walking tours of downtown are available on the hour. Group tours are available Monday-Saturday by advance reservation. Call 615-217-8013.
Oaklands Historic House Museum:
During the Civil War, the prominent Maney family played host to both Union and Confederate Armies. The home was a focus of Forrest's Raid and a visit from Confederate President Jefferson Davis in 1862.
Once the center of a 1500-acre plantation, the house was built in four phases during a 40-year period. Oaklands eventually was transformed into an Italianate mansion with the fourth and final addition in 1857, just a few years before the beginning of the Civil War.
It gives visitors a unique view of a time of prosperity in the Old South, while also teaching about the hardships suffered during the Civil War. Throughout the year, the historic house offers day camps and other special events for the public.
Hours are 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday and 1 to 4 p.m. Sundays. Closed Mondays, Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day and New Year's Day. Last tour begins one hour before closing.
Admission is charged: $7 for adults, $6 for Senior Citizens and AAA, $5 for children 6-17, Children 5 and under- Free, $5 for students with a college ID.
Oaklands Historic House Museum is located at 900 N. Maney Ave, Murfreesboro, which is one mile from the Murfreesboro Downtown Square. Call 615-893-0022 or log onto www.oaklandsmuseum.org
Confederate Circle at Evergreen Cemetery:
There are no Confederate soldiers buried in Stones River National Cemetery.
The National Cemetery was designated for Union dead only and is the last resting place for federal soldiers killed at the Battle of Stones River and other Middle Tennessee actions.
In most cases, Confederate dead were buried on the battlefield in mass graves or just where they fell.
In 1865, the Murfreesboro Memorial Association, a women's group, established a Confederate cemetery located one and a half miles south of town near the current intersection of Middle Tennessee Boulevard and South Church Street.
When Evergreen Cemetery was established, the Confederate soldiers, most of them unknown, were removed and reinterred at what’s now called “The Confederate Circle.” Some 2,000 soldiers are buried there.
Evergreen, located off Greenland Drive near Middle Tennessee Medical Center, was established in May 1872 when the city of Murfreesboro acquired 20 acres from the Maney family that included their slave graveyard. The cemetery now encompasses more than 100 acres and around 25,000 burials.
Other prominent burials at Evergreen include Brig. Gen. Joseph Palmer, who was wounded seriously at the Battle of Stones River and Shiloh. Section I, Lot 36-37.
The Rutherford County Archives:
The Rutherford County Archives is the hidden jewel for genealogists and researchers. With collections pertaining to the permanent and historical records of Rutherford County, the archives is the source for information on local families and history.
The archives’ eager staff assists visitors with their research requests or points them in the right direction to find the information they are seeking.
The new 10,000-square-foot facility is located at 435 Rice Street, Murfreesboro. From the Public Square remain on North Church Street and go through the Square. Turn left at Burton Street. Turn right at Rice Street. The Rutherford County Archives is located on your left. Admission is free.
Hours are 8:30 a.m. – 4 p.m. Monday – Friday. Call 615-867-4609 and on the Web at rutherfordcounty.org/archives.
Next: Part III of this series will focus on the Sam Davis Home, the Confederate Cemetery at Beech Grove and other resources near Murfreesboro.
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