WILLIAMSON COUNTY

Along I-65 just 10 miles south of downtown Nashville lies the scenic countryside of Williamson County. Stately homes, winding white fences, and green pastures with fine horses and cattle give testament to the fact that during the mid-19th Century this land was the very heart of the prosperous Middle Tennessee plantation country. Once again wealth and prosperity have returned to the area, giving Williamson County one of the highest personal incomes per capita in all of Tennessee. Homes in the area maintain the highest median sale price for existing homes. The region, once the hunting grounds of Native Americans, is rich in history, including the historic Battle of Franklin, one of the most decisive battles in the Civil War. After five hours of fighting, the battle left more than 6,000 Confederate soldiers and nearly 2,000 Union soldiers dead. After the ravages of that war, the county settled into a stable agriculturally based economy, relying primarily on tobacco. By 1960, the area was "re-discovered," and since that time, Williamson County has experienced rapid growth and development.

ECONOMY

With a growing workforce and a booming economy continues to attract new employers into the area, Williamson County can boast a low unemployment rate. Many companies play important roles in the county's economic growth, Primus Automotive Financial Services, now a part of Ford Credit employs over 700 people; and Hines Interests, the 1,000-acre Business Park in which Primus is located. Cool Springs Galleria, located off I-65 between Brentwood and Franklin, offers 1.4 million square feet of shopping. The renovation of the downtown Franklin shops and the increased preservation efforts of the battlefields sites and historic homes have increased tourism to the area.

TRANSPORTATION

The downtown Nashville commute is made easy with highway access to Interstate 65 and U.S. 31. The addition of Interstate 840, a new loop around Nashville, crosses Interstate 65 to make the commute to and from downtown area even faster.

HEALTH CARE

Although county residents have easy and quick access to the greater Nashville area with its wide variety of health-care specialists and medical centers, they can also choose the excellent local care at Williamson Medical Center. This 140 bed hospital offers a critical care unit, oncology unit, and maternity center with more than 60 doctors on staff. Approximately 55 dentists practice in Williamson County.

EDUCATION

Williamson County is served by two highly acclaimed public school systems that provide first-rate instruction for students from kindergarten through high school. Both the Williamson County Board of Education and the Franklin Special School District were awarded the Governor's A+ Award for Excellence. Franklin Special School District is one of the few school systems to have all of its schools accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools. A number of parochial and private schools augment the public educational opportunities afforded in the area, including, Battle Ground Academy, Heritage Covenant, Harpeth Academy, and Willow Hall. O'More College of Design and a branch of Columbia State Community College provide local higher education opportunities; Columbia offers college level credit in day and evening courses. Of course, the wide selection of outstanding institutions of higher education in the greater Nashville area remain within easy commuting distance for county residents.

QUALITY OF LIFE

Opportunities for participating in cultural activities and enjoying the performing arts are in abundance. A few annual events include the Tennessee Renaissance Festival, celebrated just outside of Franklin every weekend during the month of May; Symphony on the Lawn; held on the second Sunday in June; and the Franklin Jazz Festival on the first weekend of August. The expansive Franklin-Williamson County Recreation Complex offers over 40,000 square feet of recreational facilities: an indoor and outdoor swimming pool, indoor track for walking, two racquetball courts, weight room, two gymnasiums, teen center, crafts room and aerobic/exercise area.

COMMUNITIES

Located on the Davidson and Williamson county line, Brentwood is the closest community to downtown Nashville. Fairview, the smallest of the four communities in Williamson County is located to the west of Franklin, Williamson's county seat. Fairview is a serene community just on the outskirts of the bustling metropolis of Nashville. Franklin became the area's agricultural center because of its natural supply of exceptionally rich soil. Even today, reminders of vast wealth and elegant lifestyle, magnificent mansions and sprawling plantations of a time "Gone With the Wind" are still visible.