Leiper's Fork's Success Parlayed Into Guidebook
Photography By Meghan Aileen
The Leiper’s Fork Foundation, along with Middle Tennessee State University's (MTSU) Center for Historic Preservation, recently published Charting Your Own Vision: Lessons from Leiper’s Fork. The book is a guide for other small towns and rural communities interested in following the Leiper’s Fork model of success.
Contents of the book were developed by Laura S. Holder, Deborah Warnick, Aubrey Preston and Dr. Carroll Van West. The publication was prepared by MTSU’s Center for Historic Preservation in alliance with the Leiper’s Fork Foundation Inc. and will be made available for free to people interested in tourism and economic development.
“Leiper’s Fork is the heart of a living cultural landscape — the place where the beat of commerce, community life, music, faith, and education keeps the community alive and vibrant,” said Dr. Carroll Van West, Director of the Center for Historic Preservation at MTSU. “In these pages we talk about the challenges and successes. We outline principles that kept Leiper’s Fork square and level. And we offer this testimony: The preservation and rebirth of Leiper’s Fork is no miracle. It is the result of people working together, keeping the place whole, recognizing all the pasts that came this way, and keeping an eagle eye out for opportunity and community."
Leiper’s Fork grew from an unknown village to become a best-practice tourism and economic development study for small town representatives across the U.S. Many have visited the village to discover the secret behind it. Charting Your Own Vision: Lessons From Leiper’s Fork is the story of this achievement, presented as a digestible roadmap for small towns and rural communities to follow. Ideally, the guide will help inspire others by providing a template for growth. With this guidebook, town leaders can identify the steps toward a planned cultural development of their own and carve out a well-planned path.
“This booklet is about a movement,” Dr. West continues. “It began when residents and newcomers were determined that their village would not become just another rural ‘anywhere USA’ place. Instead, they chose to take their past, their traditions, their different opinions, and their strong sense of community to chisel out a pathway to lasting progress, in step with the changing times but paying due respect to those who came before.”
Leiper’s Fork’s success is ultimately community-based. The village remains committed to preserving the culture of the people who currently live and have lived there for generations, recognizing that communities are living landscapes first and tourist destinations second.
Local venue Fox & Locke hosted the launch event, attended by state and local government officials, local merchants, community members and media. Guest speakers included Dr. Carroll Van West, Commissioner Mark Ezell, Tennessee Department of Tourist Development, and Williamson Inc. President and CEO, Matt Largen. Visit Franklin’s President and CEO Maureen Thornton emceed the event, Williamson County Mayor Rogers Anderson welcomed guests, and local philanthropist Aubrey Preston gave remarks.
“This book happened because of the vision and commitment of Dr. Carroll Van West and MTSU’s Center for Historic Preservation.” Aubrey Preston said. “It’s been great to be part of a team that’s helped our community accomplish so much. I just want to say thank you to everyone who’s made it possible.”
This 2024 publication is a project of the Tennessee Civil War National Heritage Area and MTSU Center for Historic Preservation and was prepared in alliance with the Leiper’s Fork Foundation Inc. Special thanks to Solomon Davis, Anne Goetze, Bruce Hunt, Marty Hunt, Aubrey Preston, Michele Preston, John Turner, Deborah Warnick, and Rick Warwick for their contributions to this publication.
