Opened in 2000, the Bradley Academy Museum and Cultural Center provides visitors with a rich history lesson of Rutherford County with special emphasis placed on the African-American experience in the area. Originally established in 1811, Bradley Academy was the first school in the county and the present-day Academy building, built in 1917 and opened in 1918, is now home to various historical exhibits and interpretive displays.
This historic church edifice was built in 1889 and serves a congregation that was established by former slaves in 1866. The congregation built two other frame church buildings prior to the construction of this stately brick sanctuary. Not only is the congregation the oldest of its kind in the county, but it also represents the oldest independent Black organization still in existence in Murfreesboro. In 1870, this growing congregation was selected to host the state's A.M.E. conference.
The General Joseph B. Palmer House is a historic residence on East Main Street in Murfreesboro. The Italianate-style home was built in 1869 by Joseph Palmer (1825-1890), a prominent local lawyer and politician. Palmer served as a Brigadier General in the Confederate military during the Civil War, and participated in many of the most important engagements in Tennessee. After the war he built this house as a wedding present for his new wife. Decades later the home was occupied by Edward Carmack Jr., a newspaper editor and failed businessman, from 1943 to 1972. In 1973 the house was listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It remains a private residence and is not open to the public.
The Childress-Ray House is a historic residence on North Academy Street. It is notable for reflecting the changing architectural tastes in Tennessee during the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. Originally built in 1847 as a Greek Revival dwelling, it underwent renovations over the years that consequently gave it elements of Italianate and Colonial Revival architecture. The house is named after two of its most prominent occupants: John Childress, a businessman, statesman, and brother-in-law of President James K. Polk; and Alice Newsom Ray, a founding member of the Rutherford County Historical Society who lived in the home from 1927 until her death in 2015. Today the house remains privately owned and is available for short-term rents on Airbnb. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1979.
This historic Murfreesboro church dates back to 1812 when the congregation maintained a modest church edifice at what is now the Old City Cemetery. During the Civil War, that structure was occupied and eventually destroyed by Union troops. A new sanctuary was built at the church’s present location on North Spring Street in 1867. In 1913, that building was mostly destroyed by a tornado. The congregation responded by building this Classical Revival style structure on the same spot within less than a year. This 1914 church continues to serve the congregation and was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1993.
Built in 1859, the Rutherford County Courthouse is one of only six antebellum courthouses within the state of Tennessee. The original courthouse, built in 1813 on the same site, burned down in 1822 and had served as the state capitol building. The current courthouse and grounds both played important roles in the Civil War. The courthouse now serves as the administrative headquarters for the Rutherford County government and is home to the county’s legislative body. The building was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1973.
Opened in 2006 and free to the public, the Heritage Center of Murfreesboro and Rutherford County serves as both a museum and visitor’s orientation center that directs people to historic sites and events throughout the area. Within that dual capacity, it is dedicated to conveying the significant stories of Murfreesboro and Rutherford County with special emphasis placed on the area before, during and after the Civil War. It completes this task through varying exhibits, public programs, educational events and local tours.
Cannonsburgh (the original name of Murfreesboro) Village is a recreated mid-18th century and early 20th century village and living museum. The village is home to over a dozen historical buildings, most of which were purchased and relocated to Murfreesboro from various locations within Tennessee. All the buildings display period furnishings and artifacts in an authentic manner. The village and docents do an admirable job conveying and describing what life was like in a small turn of the century Tennessee town.
This Tour is a Walking Tour.
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This tour includes several historic homes and landmarks such as the Rutherford County Courthouse. The tour concludes at Cannonsburgh Village. We hope to add new entries to the tour in the near future.
