Rutherford Between History and Nature

In Rutherford, Civil War history sites sit alongside historic homes, museums, and nature trails. The area also offers interactive exhibits and hands-on activities. You can tailor your time to different interests, whether you want to focus on history, walking trails, or experiences for children.

Discover Local History

Stones River National Battlefield commemorates the Battle of Stones River, one of the largest and most significant battles of the American Civil War. The site covers about 670 acres and offers more than seven miles of trails. Living history demonstrations are also held there regularly. The trails and historical demonstrations offer different experiences: one gives you room to explore the grounds, while the other brings history to life through engaging presentations.

The Heritage Center of Murfreesboro and Rutherford County offers another perspective on the Civil War era. Its permanent main exhibit, “The Time that Changed Everything,” brings together personal accounts from Rutherford County residents and describes local events during and after the Civil War. The Center also offers exhibits, public programs, educational activities, and downtown tours. It also highlights historic and cultural sites, activities, and events throughout the county. To explore the period in greater depth, you can consider both personal accounts and a broader range of tours and programs.

Other historic sites showcase different aspects of the region’s history. Cannonsburgh Village offers a glimpse into about 100 years of early life in Tennessee, from the 1830s to the 1930s. Its programs include informational classes, crafts, gardening, history, and historic preservation. The Rutherford County Historic Courthouse and Museum is housed in a building listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The Bradley Academy Museum and Cultural Center is located in a restored building that is also listed on the Register. As a cultural and local history museum, it explores the significance of the United States Colored Troops and the legacy of African American education in Rutherford County.

The historic estates also vary in style and subject matter. Oaklands Mansion is a rural Italianate-style site listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The grounds feature walking trails, wetlands, and an arboretum with native trees. Self-guided tours of the mansion are available Tuesday through Friday by reservation. The Historic Sam Davis Home and Museum in Smyrna is a Greek Revival house on a 168-acre property. The grounds include two historic houses, several outbuildings, slave quarters, and a family cemetery.

Trails and Natural Areas

For walks, Murfree Spring Wetlands offers a different scale from Stones River National Battlefield: Murfreesboro’s city park covers 25 acres and has paved trails and elevated boardwalks. The Battlefield is much larger, at about 670 acres, and has more than seven miles of trails. The Murfreesboro Greenway System focuses on connecting different places: it links historic sites, parks, neighborhoods, and shops, while also serving as a corridor to protect natural and cultural resources.

History and landscape also come together at Oaklands Mansion: along with the architectural character of the estate, its grounds include wetlands, walking trails, and an arboretum with native trees. If you’re especially interested in the natural environment, this offers a different thematic complement to the historic exhibits and buildings. You can consider the various attractions according to the focus of your trip, without expecting any one place to cover every interest.

Get Involved and Learn Something New

The Discovery Center’s exhibits and programs are aimed at children ages 0 to 12; visiting groups must include a child in this age range. Interactive exhibits encourage children to explore science, art, and nature through hands-on play. At the LEGO Lab, a hands-on building area fosters imagination, problem-solving, and STEM learning through play. The focus here is on experimenting and building.

Earth Experience – Middle Tennessee Museum of Natural History is the first natural history museum in Middle Tennessee. Exhibits cover topics including dinosaurs, fossils, gemstones, minerals, rocks, and archaeological artifacts. Visitors can also tour an active paleontology lab, where real dinosaur bones are cleaned and restored. At Lucky Ladd Farms, other hands-on activities take center stage: there’s a petting zoo with animal encounters, a nature trail through Cedar Glades, and a gem-mining area where you can search for fool’s gold or fossils.

The Smyrna Outdoor Adventure Center offers specialized kayak training programs. Since program details may change, it’s best to check for the latest information before visiting. For a culinary stop, TailGate Brewery offers craft beers and homemade Detroit-style pizza.

Discover more destinations: La Vergne, Murfreesboro, Smyrna, Montgomery, Crockett County, Lauderdale County, Sevier, Polk County

For the overview of the wider region: Tennessee.