Let the conversations begin!
What an honor it is to offer you a warm Wilson County welcome to the brand new online publication The Front Porch, the resource presented by the friends and volunteers of Fiddlers Grove Historical Village. If you’ve yet to experience the pleasure of a visit, I’m about to share with you the most treasured secret in all of Middle Tennessee. Here is the formal explanation of what exactly Fiddlers Grove is, as you’ll find it on the official website:
“Fiddlers Grove Historical Village is located on the grounds of the James E. Ward Agricultural Center in Lebanon, Tennessee. It is the mission of Fiddlers Grove to preserve the history of the citizens of Wilson County, Tennessee by preserving buildings, artifacts, oral and written histories. The Village will engage the public through preservation, interpretation, exhibitions, education, publications and hand on experiences to increase a better understanding of the history of Wilson County, and its way of life.”
Even though well over half a million friends, guests and visitors come to see us for our famous County Fair each and every year, few people recognize that, hidden among the gorgeous trees and buildings found in the Grove, the real beauty of this place is it’s transcendent ability to remove us from our everyday place in the modern world. As this magic takes a hold, an extraordinary sense of place will begin to develop as you slip into history, in a way that no other place can offer. You’ll find yourself immersed in the sights, sounds and tastes of over two hundred years of history. Tragically, for many of us in our contemporary lives, this amazing sense of connection to the places we inhabit has been underdeveloped at best, and completely erased at worst.
With all of it’s historic buildings, exquisite artifacts and setting of unequaled charm, it would be easy to assume that the magic of Fiddlers Grove is material in nature. However, as you’ll find in the articles and conversations to follow, the real magic of Fiddlers Grove comes to us through the passion and knowledge of it’s members and volunteers. We have craft artisans, historians, blacksmiths, wood carvers, bakers, musicians, farmers, artists, veterans, car enthusiasts and just plain ol’ good country folk all coming together to explore and develop their passions everyday at the Grove. All of this and more is now available to you right here on The Front Porch. And as anyone here in Middle Tennessee can tell you from experience, sitting on the front porch is always made better when good friends stop by to swap stories.
