Historical society preserves Nolensville’s past
Kristen Kindoll, For Williamson11:01 p.m. CST March 8, 2016
The Tennessean
For 15 years, the Nolensville Historical Society has been dedicated to its mission of maintaining the community’s legacy. However, the historical society is not only concerned about preserving the past, but also truly being a center for Nolensville’s growth and education. The historical society will host two upcoming musical concerts, Farmer Jason on March 12 at 3:30 p.m. and The WannaBeatles on April 23 at 7:30 p.m. By reinventing a venue from the past, the 1937 Nolensville School, the society has created a vibrant community center for today.
Bette Mosley, a Nolensville Historical Society member, says the renovation of the 1937 Nolensville School gained the area’s attention. “Many of our members were former students and felt passionate about saving (the school) from destruction,” she says.
The renovated school was opened in 2013, thanks to key support from volunteers, as well as private and public donations. Several groups have already used the school for meetings and/or educational occasions.
The school’s four original rooms have been established as a museum: the Historic Classroom, the 1937 Kitchen, Grady Bob’s Workshop and the 4-H History Room, as well as the Nolensville Sports Hall of Fame and a recent addition of Girl Scout memorabilia. Many of the museum items were donated by members of the original families who settled in the Nolensville area. The museum is open on the first Saturday of every month from May through October from 9–11 a.m. Volunteers are often on hand to give tours to visitors.
“Several Scouting troops are in the process of earning a history badge through our program, and several older Scouts have individually earned their Eagle Scout award by implementing a service-oriented project for the historic school,” Mosley said.
Membership to the Nolensville Historical Society is open to all interested parties. The group meets the second Monday on odd months, with a 6 p.m. potluck dinner followed by the meeting at 6:45 p.m. The next meeting date will be March 14. Yearly dues are $25 per family.
The historical society will be involved with the Nolensville Buttercup Festival on April 9. The Nolensville Farmers Market is held each Saturday morning during the growing season, resuming around the first of April. Tickets for Farmer Jason are $6 each, with children 3 and under admitted free. WannaBeatles tickets are $10 each, with children 5 and under admitted free. For more information about the society or museum, or to purchase tickets, visit www.nolensvillehistoricalsociety.org.