Fort Granger Park, Tennessee, United States

5Wesley S 5:00 PM Dec 10, 2019

This site gives the visitor insite into how the Union Army commanded the field during the Battle of Franklin
The surprisingly well-preserved earthworks that make up the Fort are well-worth visiting. Visitors can grasp how much work went into constructing a fortification. Once you grasp the commanding view this site has of the landscape which Confederate soldiers had to cross in attacking this fort, you can easily understand how the artillery at this site wreaked havoc upon the attackers. There were no other visitors here during our stop, and it contributed to the eerie sense that the soldiers here had perhaps only left the location a month or two ago...

3NewbernTraveler 5:00 PM Oct 11, 2008

Well preserved fort, but really for the hardy Civil War buff.
On Nov. 30, 1864, Union artillery from Fort Granger shelled the right flank of the incoming Confederate attack upon distant Federal defense lines. Also, commanding Union Gen. John Schofield used the fort as his headquarters during the battle. The battle of Franklin never actually reached this fort, as far as attacking infantry goes. The fort was separated from the main fight by the Harpeth River. But it is still historically significant because of its artillery participation in the battle. Today the fort is rather well preserved. There are at least three ways that visitors can enter the site, and there are historical text markers within. Getting to the fort is somewhat of a problem. You have to turn on Eddy Lane, off Murfreesboro Rd (Tenn. 96, east of downtown Franklin). There are signs on the main road, but not on Eddy Lane. Just look for the Ft. Granger street sign and turn. Once there, good luck in finding a parking place. There are only two for handicapped, and none for anyone else. You just have to park on the roadside. If you visit on a weekend, you can park in the lot of a private adjacent business that is not operating then. (You can also park in nearby Pinkerton Park, off Murfreesboro Road, but it is a strenenous walk up to the fort.) If parking by the fort itself, you will have three entry options after passing the entrance gate. First, you can stay on the gravel access road and walk to a portion of the fort's northern wall. Second, you will see a steep incline right across from the road, at the edge of the entrance to a trench around the fort. This is the fastest to use. Third, you can stay to the left of the main trench ahead of you. It leads around to a wooden stairway, and allows entry on the south side of the fort. Whatever you do, stay out of the trench. You can't access the fort from it, and in places you will need help in getting out. If you are a Civil War buff, then you will probably enjoy this. If on the 26-stop driving tour of the Franklin battlefield, then make the effort to see this. It's not easy to see, but it is part of the story of what happened here. A free map of the 26-stop driving tour can be picked up at the Franklin visitors center, at 209 E Main Street. Or you can contact the Save the Franklin Battlefield group for a free map at P.O. Box 851, Franklin, TN 37065-0871.