10/20/2026
LOTZ HOUSE TO HOST
THE 162ND ANNIVERSARY OF THE BATTLE OF FRANKLIN WITH
ILLUMINATION AND WALKING BATTLEFIELD TOUR
FRANKLIN, TENN.— In commemoration of the 162nd Anniversary of the Battle of Franklin held on November 30, the Lotz House will host a Walking Battlefield Tour on Saturday, November 28 and Sunday, November 29. On Monday, November 30, the Lotz House will host an Illumination Ceremony on the front lawn of the home, ground zero of the Battle of Franklin at 4:30 p.m., the time the battle ensued. In addition, they will celebrate Matilda Lotz’ birthday on November 29, the day prior to the battle when she turned six years old.
Lotz House Executive Director Thomas Y. Cartwright said, “We have commemorated the anniversary of the Battle of Franklin since we opened the Lotz House in 2008. It started with a handful of history enthusiasts working to keep the story alive. The Lotz House invited the public to remember those who died, those who survived, and how it changed Franklin and beyond forever.”
The public is invited to join in the lighting of a luminary, ceremony and reflection on the front steps of the Lotz House at 4:30 p.m. along with a special tribute by reenactor Bill Radcliff. This event is free and open to the public.
Lotz House historians Thomas Cartwright and Evan Brown will lead the Walking Battlefield Tours on Saturday, November 28, and Sunday, November 29 at 10:30 a.m. Reservations for the tour are required by calling 615-790-7190. Guests will relive what the soldiers experienced and how the battle was fought on a 90-minute tour.
For more information, call 615-790-7190 or visit www.lotzhouse.com. Other specialty tours are offered, including Ghost Tours, Women’s History Tour and Hands-on History Cellar Tour.
About the Lotz House:
The Lotz House, which has been on the National Historic Register since 1976, is located in the heart of downtown historic Franklin, Tennessee at “ground zero” of the Battle of Franklin, which was a pivotal battle in the Civil War on November 30, 1864. The house is open Monday – Saturday, 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. and Sunday 11 a.m. – 4 p.m. Admission is charged. The Lotz House is located at 1111 Columbia Avenue. For more information, call 615-790-7190 or visit www.lotzhouse.com.
# # #
