7. Drive the Natchez Trace Parkway Bridge
The historic Natchez Trace Parkway «traces» the route of early travelers (Native Americans, settlers, soldiers, slave traders) heading north from Natchez, Mississippi to Nashville, Tennessee. Access this famous byway at the award-winning Natchez Trace Parkway Bridge, a concrete double arch that is 1,572 feet long. One year following its opening in 1994, the bridge was awarded the Presidential Award for Design Excellence.
Natchez Trace Parkway Bridge is 10 miles from downtown Franklin and within nine miles of the northern end-of-the-line near Nashville. The bridge crosses a wooded valley and features impressive views.
8. Shop and Catch a Show at The Factory
The Factory started out as an actual stove factory in 1928, then became an outlet for Magic Chef appliances, before it morphed into the Jamison Bedding Company. Today, through creative renovation and preservation, the 310,000-square-foot industrial and commercial complex known as The Factory has undergone the architectural version of a facelift. In 1997, it secured its place on the National Register of Historic Places while launching itself as a premier retail, commercial, and entertainment space.
Its 80-plus tenants represent a grand mix of boutiques, galleries, studios, cafés, concert halls, live theater venues, antique shops, and offices. Historic venues within The Factory include: Liberty Hall, the largest event rental space, often combined with the Heritage Room; the Jamison Theatre; and the Little Theatre, an intimate space fashioned out of a boiler room.
Franklin Farmers Market, open on Saturday mornings, is located behind The Factory, at the corner of Franklin Road and Liberty Pike.
Address: 230 Franklin Road, Franklin, Tennessee
