Franklin

Population: 46,000
Location: 20 mi. south of Nashville

http://www.historicfranklin.com/

Franklin was named after Benjamin Franklin. In the years prior to the Civil War, Franklin was the center of plantation economy in one of the wealthiest counties in Tennessee. However, the Civil War devastated the economy. Union troops occupied the area for nearly three years. The Battle of Franklin was fought on November 30, 1864, and was one of the war's bloodiest battles, costing more than 8,000 casualties. It took 120 years for the county's economy to reach pre-war levels. Today, Franklin is one of the wealthiest cities in one of the wealthiest counties in the US.