By Katie Shands
Photography By Cherie Carter & Alicia King Marshall
For one night in October, two of Franklin’s oldest cemeteries will transform into stages where the dead quite literally speak from their graves. Thanks to Alicia King Marshall and her passion for storytelling, Tombstone Tales will bring the past alive with costumed actors sharing the stories of those buried in Rest Haven and the City Cemetery.
Alicia started this event four years ago after she founded her award-winning company, Franklin Walking Tours. Although all of her tours are well-attended, Tombstone Tales is undoubtedly an annual highlight. Alicia credits Tombstone Tales' popularity in part to its engaging format. The lantern-lit tour features re-enactors stationed at headstones, delivering personal monologues in the voices of the dead. “A lot of times, we fall into the rut of telling the history of the big picture; this is how many people died in the Battle of Franklin, this is how many people lived here, this is how much these lots cost,” Alicia says. “It’s just statistics. I don’t want it to be pie charts. I think we interpret history best when we tell one person’s story, and this is a unique opportunity to do that on a larger scale.”
Guests can expect to meet a number of Franklin’s historical figures, including Anarchy Cowles, an enslaved woman whose husband, Jesse, purchased her freedom. The couple is buried next to each other in the City Cemetery. Visitors will also hear the story of Belle Cliffe Brownlow, a young lady who fell in love with a Union soldier during the Federal occupation of Franklin. Other featured tales are those of Anne Dallas Dudley, a well-known suffragist whose in-laws are buried in the City Cemetery, and Revolutionary soldier David Squier.
While it would be easy to stretch the truth for shock and awe, Alicia strives for the tours to be as accurate as possible. She meticulously researches everything, spending untold hours in the local archives. “Getting the details right matters to me,” she says. “Yes, we’re entertainers. We’re in the business of tourism, and we’re here to provide a tour that’s interesting. But I take accuracy very seriously. Everybody wants their stories to be remembered, and it’s my responsibility to get it right.”
Getting the facts right doesn’t equate to dull, however. As Williamson County historian Rick Warwick likes to say, “There’s no need to exaggerate about Franklin’s past. It’s plenty fascinating on its own.” Besides, Alicia is a natural-born storyteller who knows how to hold an audience captive with her words. Her background in songwriting has translated quite well into her current career. “Songwriting is just a different form of storytelling. I’m curious and interested in other people and their lives…Studying history and sharing it is just a different way to express that.”
Alicia hopes Tombstone Tales will attract not only history enthusiasts, but also those who might not typically attend related events. “It’s a unique way to present history,” Alicia says. “Maybe someone isn’t prone to sitting down and reading books about Franklin’s history. Maybe they don’t want to go on walking tours or visit museums. This event might be something that interests them, and they’ll come away knowing a little more than they did when they arrived. In all of these stories, there’s something we can relate to, learn from, or be inspired by.”
Tombstone Tales will be held on October 26th from 7pm - 9pm at Rest Haven and City Cemetery. Tickets are $20 for adults, $10 for teens, and $5 for children ages two to twelve. Although tickets will be available at the event, it’s recommended that visitors buy them ahead of time. To purchase tickets and find more information about Alicia’s other tours, visit franklinwalkingtours.com.
