MURFREESBORO, Tenn. — The Tennessee Civil War National Heritage Area, in partnership with the Center for Historic Preservation at Middle Tennessee State University, invites the public to an opening reception for an exhibit created as a lead-up to the 250th birthday of the United States in 2026.
The reception for the exhibit, titled “Two Families, Two Revolutions,” will be held from 3:30-5:30 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 29, at The Heritage Center, 225 W. College St.
The exhibit compares and contrasts the material lives of two Tennessee families — the Armstrongs and Gardners, one white, one Black — who personified the spirit of the United States and will be on display in the museum portion of The Heritage Center.
“This exhibit reflects two Tennessee families who remind us that we have so much in common, even with our differences,” said Carroll Van West, director of the Center for Historic Preservation and Tennessee Civil War National Heritage Area.
The ideals of the American Revolution, embodied in the Declaration of Independence, have profoundly shaped Tennessee families in different ways, exhibit organizers say.
In 1782 as the Revolutionary War was ending, William Armstrong Sr. traveled to the Holston River Valley in East Tennessee to search for new opportunities.
In 1865 just as the Civil War was ending, Mat Gardner moved into Middle Tennessee’s Duck River Valley as a newly emancipated freedman.
Both men and their families built lasting, influential farms and established institutions that nurtured and inspired their communities for generations.
“Here are two Tennessee families, one white, one Black, one in East Tennessee, one from Middle Tennessee, who experienced freedom in different ways and at different times,” West said. “But what they gave the state were values and traditions that everyone shares. They both built farms; they both built churches; they both built schools, and they both served in the military.”
The display will feature handcrafted furniture they acquired, books they read, handstitched quilts and textiles they produced, and the games and toys they provided for their children. Through these tangible tokens of daily life, the exhibit exemplifies the rich stories of these civic-minded and hardworking families from the time of Tennessee’s early statehood to the present day.
For those unable to attend the August event, a second reception will take place at 3 p.m. Oct. 10.
The receptions are free and open to the public. Admission to The Heritage Center is free as well and hours are 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Tuesday through Friday. For additional information, call 615-217-8013 and visit the website at bit.ly/3WWCCHx. The center features interactive exhibits, public programs and educational events spotlighting stories from the history of Rutherford County, Tennessee.
The Heritage Center of Murfreesboro and Rutherford County is a joint venture with Main Street Murfreesboro/Rutherford County, Rutherford County government, and the city of Murfreesboro. The Heritage Center is managed by the Tennessee Civil War National Heritage Area, a partnership unit of the National Park Service administered by the Center for Historic Preservation at MTSU.
— Nancy DeGennaro (Nancy.DeGennaro@mtsu.edu)
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