Communities

WILLIAMSON COUNTY, TENNESSEE

Williamson County, Tennessee is located south of Nashville and wasestablished on October 26, 1799 and named for Dr. Hugh Williamson,surgeon general of the North Carolina militia, member of theContinental Congress and a signer of the Constitution. The countyprospered until the Civil War came. The Battle of Franklin was one ofthe most decisive of the Civil War leaving over 8,000 dead or woundedin five hours of fierce fighting and turning every home and building intown into a hospital. Williamson County settled down to an agriculturalbased economy after the war. Tobacco became the main cash crop. It tooknearly 120 years for the county's economy to reach pre-war levels. The1960's began a period of rapid growth, largely in part to theinterstate system. Today, Williamson County's population is 171,452 and it is awealthy county with a strong preservation effort of history andheritage along with a rich quality of life.

Thereare many 'firsts' in Williamson County such as The Masonic Hall, thefirst Masonic Lodge and first three-story building in Tennessee; St.Paul's Church, the first Protestant Episcopal Church in Tennessee; andthe Liberty Methodist Church, the scene of the first MethodistConference west of the Alleghenies.

Williamson County has six incorporated cities within its boundaries aswell as many wonderful communities, each unique in their own way. 

CITY OF FRANKLIN (County Seat)

Franklin was founded October 26, 1799 and laid out on land donated byAbram Maury. It was named after Benjamin Franklin. The first courthousewas built in 1800 in the center of the public square where there wasalso a public well. For most of its first 180 years, Franklin was aquiet, small county seat and the wealthy center of plantation economy.However, the Civil War devastated the economy. For more than a century,Franklin seemed remote not only from the capital city of Nashville, butfrom the rest of the world. Today, Franklin is one of the wealthiestcities in the United States with a population of 58,481. It is abalanced blend of residential, commercial and corporate life with astrong emphasis on preservation of history and culture.

CITY OF BRENTWOOD

The first settlers came to the Brentwood area in the late 1700's. Muchof the land was granted to Revolutionary War soldiers by the State ofNorth Carolina. Founded in 1860, the original site of business activityin the area was at the Frost place on Old Smyrna Road. The generalstore, the grist mill and the post office were located there. With thecoming of the railroad and the highway the town center shifted.Brentwood grew and prospered and by the time of the Civil War, the areawas one of the richest in the state. The soils were fertile andplantations flourished as was evidenced by the stately homes built. Bythe end of the War, there were very few farm animals or growing cropsleft. The war left its scar on the economy and many homes andplantations fell to ruin. The Brentwood area recovered from the CivilWar. In the 1920's it was rediscovered. Gradually many of theplantation homes were bought and restored. In the 1960's Brentwood grewand prospered as interstates were built and the population grew.Brentwood was incorporated in 1969. The current population is 36,176. History Excerpts Courtesy of T. Vance Little, City Historian

OTHER INCORPORATED CITIES IN WILLIAMSON COUNTY

Fairview
Incorporated in 1959
Population 7,870

Nolensville
Incorporated in 1996
Population 2,680

Spring Hill
Incorporated in 1837
Population 15,824 (Williamson County only)

Thompson's Station
Incorporated in 1990
Population 1,966

COMMUNITIES of WILLIAMSON COUNTY

Arrington
Bethesda
Burwood
College Grove
Grassland
Kirkland
Leiper's Fork
Peytonsville
Southhall
Triune