RUTHERFORD COUNTY, TN - As the United States approaches its 250th anniversary, Murfreesboro is preparing to celebrate a local landmark that was born out of the nation’s last major centennial celebration. Cannonsburgh Village, the living history museum that offers a glimpse into pioneer life in Tennessee, is officially turning 50 years old this year. The village was originally constructed as a Bicentennial project in 1976 and has since become a staple of Rutherford County’s cultural landscape.
The upcoming milestone will be a focal point of the "America 250" lecture series hosted by the Rutherford County Library System. On June 13th, Dr. Stacy Graham, a research professor from the MTSU Center for Historic Preservation, will lead one of the discussions... The village is comprised of historic structures—including a gristmill, a one-room schoolhouse, and a town hall—many of which were donated by local families who wanted to preserve the structures that had stood on their land for over a century.
This celebration of Cannonsburgh is part of a broader effort to re-examine Rutherford County's role in the American story. "We’re hoping to tell a story that hasn't been told before, or if it has been told, maybe shed new light on it to all the new people coming into our county," said Kayla Willoughby, Historical Research Center Supervisor.
Beyond the lectures, the community can engage with a traveling exhibit titled "Revolutionary Rutherford," which will premiere at Linebaugh Library on May 30th before moving to other locations like the Stones River National Battlefield and the Center for the Arts.
Another guest speaker will focus on females in history...
CONTACT: Civic organizations, schools and churches can request to have portions of several historic exhibits tied to the 250th Anniversary of America at their site by contacting Kayla Willoughby with the local library system (Click Here to file a request to have an exhibit at your facility in Rutherford County).
MORE DETAILS: Learn more about Rutherford County and the celebrations sponsored by the local library system by visiting RCLSTN.org/250th. You can also learn more about events outside of the special 250th celebration by visiting the Rutherford County Library System calendar (Click Here).
