MURFREESBORO, TN (WGNS) - The Woman’s Club of Murfreesboro is inviting the community to a special Summer Garden Party on Saturday, August 29th, 2026 — a signature fundraising event hosted at the beautiful home of Ronnie and Donna Barrett. The evening will help underwrite ongoing renovation expenses at the Club’s historic home at 221 East College Street, a 170‑year‑old treasure known as the Baskette House.
The Woman’s Club purchased the home in 1916 from the estate of hotelier James Monroe Haynes, transforming it into a hub for civic, cultural, and literary life. Its roots stretch back even further to the Helen Hunt Jackson Reading Club, founded in 1887, which created Murfreesboro’s first public lending library. That library served the community until 1948, and its legacy still echoes through the Club’s mission today.
The Baskette House itself is one of downtown Murfreesboro’s most remarkable survivors. Built in 1856 by Dr. Robert Turner Baskette and Helen Crichlow, the Italianate home endured the Civil War, occupation during the Battle of Stones River, and the devastating 1913 tornado. It remains one of only a handful of pre‑Civil War structures still standing in the city.
Restoration efforts have been steady and substantial. Over the past year, the Club completed a full rewiring of the home, removing original 1920s electrical lines and bringing the structure up to modern standards. Crews also updated plumbing, restored the upstairs tenant space, and refurbished three original 1856 window sashes above the front porch. Community generosity made these milestones possible.
The next phase of work includes additional plumbing upgrades, creation of a handicapped‑accessible bathroom, and structural support improvements for the kitchen, prep room, assembly room, and basement. Exterior restoration will continue as well, ensuring the home remains safe, stable, and true to its historic character.
For 139 years, the Woman’s Club has contributed to Murfreesboro’s civic life — from housing the first permanent lending library to supporting soldiers’ families during wartime, offering scholarships, and hosting countless community gatherings. Today, the Club is asking for the community’s help to preserve the building that has anchored its mission for more than a century.
Those wishing to attend the Garden Party, donate, or sponsor may email their name, phone number, and address to womansclubmboro@outlook.com. RSVPs are required. More information about the Club’s mission can be found at www.womansclubofmurfreesboro.org.
The 2026 Legacy Gathering is chaired by Susan Quesenberry, President 2026–2028, and Aurelia Holden, Past President 2024–2026.
