In commemoration of the 150th Anniversary of the Battle of Franklin
Franklin Tennessee’s Lotz House Executive Director J.T. Thompson announced the Civil War house museum will open its cellar for private tours the third Saturday of each month from March through October marking this year’s 150th Anniversary of the Battle of Franklin. The two hour tour will be conducted by historians Thomas Y. Cartwright and/or John Marler.
In November 2013, the Lotz House revealed historian John Marler had completed a two year archeological excavation project in the Lotz House cellar uncovering and meticulously documenting approximately 900 Civil War relics and items connected with civilian life from the mid to late 1800s. The Lotz House was built in 1858 and is located at 1111 Columbia Pike, at the epicenter of the Battle of Franklin held November 30, 1864.
John Marler began this project two years ago to see if there were any artifacts that could be recovered in an effort to help preserve the story of the Lotz family and the Battle of Franklin. As a result of many hours of hard labor and careful removal, he recovered 900 items ranging from canister shots, bullets and Civil War uniform buttons and buckles to civilian items such as a whiskey flask bearing a patriotic eagle, doll parts, toys and chips of china.
The Cellar Tour will include a review of the excavation process, a first-hand look at the some of the relics uncovered and a description of the significance of the findings along with an interpretation of how it relates to a better understanding of the happenings inside the Lotz House following the historic battle.
In making the announcement, Thompson said, “We’ve had such an overwhelming number of requests to visit the cellar since we announced the incredible findings last fall. We’re ready to share this story with small groups of Civil War enthusiasts each month. Our mission is to preserve, educate and protect and this cellar tour hits all of those notes.”
Lotz House Cellar Tours will be held from 10 a.m. – noon March 15, April 19, May 17, June 21, July 19, August 16, September 20 and October 18. The cost is $30 per person for the Lotz House Cellar Tour. The guided tour of the Lotz House is $10 and is a separate ticket. This is a limited tour, first-come-first-served. To make reservations contact J.T. Thompson at jtt@lotzhouse.com or call 615-790-7190.
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