Harlinsdale Farm is a

historic district A historic district or heritage district is a section of a city which contains older buildings considered valuable for historical or architectural reasons. In some countries or jurisdictions, historic districts receive legal protection from c ...

Franklin, Tennessee Franklin is a city in and county seat of Williamson County, Tennessee, United States. About south of Nashville, it is one of the principal cities of the Nashville metropolitan area and Middle Tennessee. As of 2020, its population was 83,454 ...

that was listed on the

National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance or "great artistic v ...

in 2006. It dates from c.1900 and had other significant dates in 1935 and 1945. Its main horse stable, the centerpiece of the property, was completed in 1935. Instead of traditional placement to the rear of the main house on the property, this stable is prominent in the property, set at the end of the drive in from the road, with its long axis parallel to the road. Several buildings on the property were modified in 1945. with (see photo captions pages 26-29 of text document) It includes

Colonial Revival The Colonial Revival architectural style seeks to revive elements of American colonial architecture. The beginnings of the Colonial Revival style are often attributed to the Centennial Exhibition of 1876, which reawakened Americans to the archi ...

styling for four laborers' houses on the property. When listed, the district included 14

contributing buildings In the law regulating historic districts in the United States, a contributing property or contributing resource is any building, object, or structure which adds to the historical integrity or architectural qualities that make the historic distric ...

, four

contributing structures In the law regulating historic districts in the United States, a contributing property or contributing resource is any building, object, or structure which adds to the historical integrity or architectural qualities that make the historic distric ...

, and one

contributing site In the law regulating historic districts in the United States, a contributing property or contributing resource is any building, object, or structure which adds to the historical integrity or architectural qualities that make the historic distric ...

, as well as four non-contributing buildings and one non-contributing site. The NRHP eligibility of the property (and 342 other farm properties in Tennessee) was covered in a 1974 study of "Historic Family Farms in Middle Tennessee". It was opened as a park of the City of Franklin, Tennessee in 2007. It was formerly used as a breeding farm for

Tennessee Walking Horses The Tennessee Walking Horse or Tennessee Walker is a breed of gaited horse known for its unique four-beat running-walk and flashy movement. It was originally developed as a riding horse on farms and plantations in the American South. It is ...

History

Harlinsdale Farm was founded in 1933 by W. W. Harlin. In the mid-1940s, the farm gained notability for being the home of

Midnight Sun The midnight sun is a natural phenomenon that occurs in the summer months in places north of the Arctic Circle or south of the Antarctic Circle, when the Sun remains visible at the local midnight. When the midnight sun is seen in the Arctic, t ...

, a Tennessee Walking Horse stallion who won two World Grand Championships in 1945 and 1946. Harlinsdale remained the property of the Harlin family until 2004, when it was sold to the City of Franklin for $8 million. The farm is now open to the public as a park. Harlinsdale Farm continues to host

horse show A horse show is a judged exhibition of horses and ponies. Many different horse breeds and equestrian disciplines hold competitions worldwide, from local to the international levels. Most horse shows run from one to three days, sometimes longer fo ...

References

Colonial Revival architecture in Tennessee Farms on the National Register of Historic Places in Tennessee Historic districts on the National Register of Historic Places in Tennessee Houses completed in 1900 Houses in Franklin, Tennessee Parks in Tennessee Protected areas of Williamson County, Tennessee Queen Anne architecture in Tennessee National Register of Historic Places in Williamson County, Tennessee Horse farms in Tennessee {{WilliamsonCountyTN-geo-stub