John Henry Carothers House Heritage Development Plan

The John Henry Carothers Farm is a National Register-listed property tucked away in the rapidly growing city of Franklin, Tennessee. Originally consisting of about twenty-six acres, the farm now sits amidst new development off Liberty Pike. One of the region’s few remaining farms once owned by an African American family, it has unfortunately fallen into disrepair over the last few years (see images of the farm in March 1989 here).

John Henry and Ezeal built the Carothers home from stock building plans, completing the property in 1937. Using native materials, notably the limestone quarried by Ezeal from the land, these men adapted stock plans to the vernacular architecture of Williamson County. According the National Register nomination, John Henry went on to build two other stone homes from similar plans. One home was already demolished at the time of the nomination in 1989, and no other information is provided. John Henry constructed the other home in 1941, and it was located on Jordan Road; it has since been torn down, as well. The Carothers home off Liberty Pike was modified many times over the decades. Its initial construction was modest in form. Fireplaces and mantels found in the home are original to the initial design. Ten years after its construction, a back porch was added. In 1953, electricity was added to the farmhouse. John Henry died on April 6, 1980, leaving the farm to Ezeal. In 1984, nearly fifty years after the construction of the home, running water and a bathroom were installed. All of these changes in the physical structure of the farmhouse indicate modernization of the farm. There are various pieces of farm equipment scattered around the landscape from various eras in farming technology. Tractors, mowers, and devices used to seed the ground are demonstrative of the advancements the farming industry has achieved, as well as the Carothers family.