MURFREESBORO, TN (WGNS) - The Woman’s Club of Murfreesboro is gearing up for its signature fundraising event — a Summer Garden Party hosted at the beautiful home of Ronnie and Donna Barrett at 1750 Twelve Oaks Lane next week, from 5:00 to 8:00PM on Saturday evening. The Club’s 2026 Legacy Gathering co‑chairs and committee members say this year’s event carries special meaning as restoration work on the historic Baskette House continues to move forward.
If you’ve driven down East College Street lately, you’ve seen the stately 1856 home standing just one block off East Main. At 170 years old, the Baskette House is one of only a handful of pre‑Civil War residences still standing in downtown Murfreesboro. The Woman’s Club purchased the home in 1916 from the estate of hotelier James Monroe Haynes, transforming it into a center for civic, cultural, and literary life. Its roots stretch even deeper, tracing back to the Helen Hunt Jackson Reading Club, founded in 1887 — the group responsible for Murfreesboro’s first public lending library.
A Legacy of Service to the Community
Over its 139‑year history, the Woman’s Club has woven itself into the fabric of Murfreesboro. The Club housed the city’s first permanent lending library, provided space for Rutherford County’s first nurse before a hospital existed, supported soldiers’ families during wartime, led beautification projects downtown, awarded scholarships, and opened its doors to countless civic groups and community celebrations. It’s a long legacy of service anchored by a building that has seen the city grow and change around it.
Restoration Work Continues
The past year brought major progress. Crews completed a full rewiring of the home, removing original 1920s electrical lines and bringing everything up to modern code. Plumbing updates were made, the upstairs tenant space was refurbished, and three original 1856 window sashes above the front porch were carefully restored. Community generosity made those milestones possible.
The next phase includes additional plumbing improvements, creation of a handicapped‑accessible bathroom, and structural support work in the kitchen, prep room, assembly room, and basement. Exterior restoration will continue as well — all part of preserving a landmark that has stood through the Civil War, the Battle of Stones River, and the devastating 1913 tornado.
How to Support the Effort
The Woman’s Club is asking the community to join them — whether by attending the Garden Party, making a donation, or becoming a sponsor. RSVPs are required, and those interested may email their name, phone number, and address to womansclubmboro@outlook.com. More information about the Club’s mission is available at www.womansclubofmurfreesboro.org. As a 501(c)(3) organization, donations are tax‑deductible. The 2026 Legacy Gathering is chaired by Susan Quesenberry, President 2026–2028, and Aurelia Holden, Past President 2024–2026.
