Rudy Jordan – Franklin’s Fearless Pioneer of Main Street Revitalization
Newcomers to Franklin, Tennessee fall in love with its charming historic homes and vibrant Main Street. However, there would be no Franklin as we know it today without the vision of one incredible lady, Rudy Jordan. With her slow Southern drawl and the fortitude of the strongest steel magnolia, Rudy exemplifies all that’s marvelous about historic Franklin.
Most people don’t know the years of determination it took to create the excitement around one of America’s most sought-after towns. It took the courage of Rudy and a small group of visionaries to challenge the naysayers who said it couldn’t or shouldn’t be done. Without their determination, we would not have the Franklin we all know and love today.
Rudy was Executive Director of the Heritage Foundation from 1978 to 1984, then Executive Director of the Downtown Franklin Association and the Main Street Program from 1984 to 1998. It’s remarkable that Rudy’s unparalleled legacy of stepping in to preserve Franklin started almost five decades ago. We can’t wait to share her story with you. Grab a cup of tea, and enjoy this glorious ride.
Peter and Rudy Move to Franklin, Tennessee
The daughter of an Alabama cotton farmer, Rudy attended the University of Alabama and graduated with an English degree from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. While working as a journalist at the Huntsville Times, she met fellow writer, Peter Jordan. He was originally from Maine and was a graduate of Dartmouth College.
While serving in the United States Army, Peter worked at the Huntsville Times. During that time, Peter and Rudy fell in love and married five months later. Soon after, they moved to Connecticut so Peter could get his doctorate degree in English at the University of Connecticut. His thesis was on William Faulkner. Upon graduation, Peter was hired by UT Nashville (TSU) as an English professor.
It was 1973, and the Jordans were looking for a Tennessee home. A friend told them, “The only place for you to consider moving, since you want to raise a family and love old houses, is Franklin, Tennessee.” Because the Murfreesboro Road/Highway 96 interchange had opened on I-65 in 1969, people who worked in Nashville were able to commute and live in neighboring towns like Franklin.
Founded in 1799, Franklin was an aging historic town and still trying to find its identity after being devastated in 1864 by the Battle of Franklin during the Civil War. Peter and Rudy came to town and hit the ground running. They became involved in preservation efforts with the encouragement of Sue Berry.
Sue is considered the “Mother of the Heritage Foundation of Williamson County.” she was a charter member of the preservation organization.
She affectionately called Rudy, “Rudy Berry”, and they became great friends in Franklin’s early preservation efforts.
Sue quickly got Peter and Rudy involved using their gifts. In 1974, they began writing a newsletter, The Sentinel at the Heritage Foundation. Rudy explained, “Peter was a photographer and a wordsmith, and always made the newsletter fun and sparkle.”
Peter also loved nature and supported Franklin’s Parks Department on several landscape projects. At Franklin’s Bicentennial Park’s trailhead, you can see a marker in Peter’s honor.
The Heritage Foundation of Williamson County
The Heritage Foundation was founded in 1967 after a prominent antebellum home was demolished to make way for a gas station on the corner of Bridge Street and Hillsboro Road. Rudy became a board member in 1976. Then in 1978, she became the next Executive Director.
When Rudy first started working at the Heritage Foundation, President Bo Stewart asked her, “What is Franklin’s most important preservation priority?” Rudy said, “Saving Main Street.” That’s when her Main Street legacy began. Rudy was the only paid person on staff with an occasional assistant, everyone else at the Heritage Foundation was a volunteer.
One of Rudy’s many contributions to downtown was starting the festivals in 1983 while she was still at the Heritage Foundation. Rudy, along with merchant Barbara Kurland, created the Main Street Festival in the spring to celebrate Franklin’s downtown. Once she moved as Executive Director of the Heritage Foundation to Executive Director for the DFA, she started Dickens of a Christmas in 1985. In addition to this 19th Century street re-creation, the festival featured living windows showcasing artisans. The next year, Rudy launched Pumpkinfest to the delight of the children. It even included carnival rides.
At one time, they even had a jazz festival on the square sponsored by the Arts Council, which unfortunately didn’t survive. The festivals were all run by volunteers and used as a fundraiser for the DFA. Today, the remaining three festivals bring over 300,000 locals and visitors to downtown and add more than $10 million annually to the economy.
Saving the McPhail-Cliffe House
Rudy’s passion for historic homes was demonstrated when she saved the McPhail-Cliffe House in 1973 after she and Peter first moved to town. A bulldozer was literally poised against the side door. Located at the corner of 2nd Avenue South and Main Street, the house was under threat of demolition to make way for a parking lot for First Tennessee Bank, now First Horizon Bank. Sue Berry had been trying to find an owner for the house before it was bulldozed.
The house was owned by Josephine Cliffe Fleming, wife of Sam Fleming. She grew up in the home. Above is a photo of the McPhail-Cliffe House before it was moved. You can see Dr. Daniel B. Cliffe seated outside with his great granddaughter, Josephine, as a child.
The Cliffes and the Flemings were two of Franklin’s most prominent families, and Sam was President of the American Bankers Association, and grandson of Newton Cannon, Governor of Tennessee. Mrs. Fleming told Rudy, “Franklin doesn’t need another museum house.” Rudy explained she wanted the home to raise her family there, because she and Peter grew up in a small town, too.
They agreed to let Peter and Rudy have the house if they would remove it off the lot and restore the area to be graded for a parking lot. Years later, Mr. Sam Fleming wrote them a letter and said, “Josephine and I have watched your restoration with great interest. You do know, five U.S. Presidents were in this house.” Yet, even with this extraordinary history, they were willing to let the home be torn down.
The home originally faced 2nd Avenue South, and Dr. Daniel McPhail’s office was adjacent to the home. This tiny building later became Rudy’s office for the Heritage Foundation (1978-1984). She was upstairs, and the downstairs served as the Visitor Information Center, long before Visit Franklin became the visitor’s bureau.
It is vital to understand why the McPhail-Cliffe House is so very important to Franklin history. It was first located directly across the street where John Eaton’s home stood (now St. Philip’s Catholic Church). He was Secretary of War under President Andrew Jackson. It is believed that five United States Presidents have been in the McPhail-Cliffe home – Andrew Jackson, James K. Polk, Andrew Johnson, and possibly Ulysses S. Grant and James Buchanan. Read another John Eaton connection here.
Dr. McPhail made history within the walls of this tiny office (below) to more than likely be the first surgeon in Middle Tennessee to successfully administer anesthesia. During the Mexican War,
Dr. McPhail left Franklin and served as a brigade surgeon to the First Tennessee Regiment Infantry where he later died.
After Dr. McPhail’s death, his nephew Dr. Daniel B. Cliffe (1823-1913) inherited his uncle’s office and took over the practice. In addition to being a doctor, he was president of the Tennessee & Alabama Railroad and the Franklin National Bank. Dr. Cliffe joined the Confederate Army during the Civil War, but returned to Franklin as a “Union man.”
In the photo above, you can see where Dr. Daniel B. Cliffe left his mark on the upstairs bedroom window. His name is etched in the most beautiful cursive handwriting.
One of Franklin’s Most Historically Significant Homes
Rudy knew this historic home had to be saved. The wrecking ball was coming fast. The Jordans were given three weeks to get the house moved off the corner before the bank bulldozed it.
Thankfully, they were able to have it moved one-and-a-half blocks away to a lot on 231 2nd Avenue South. The house had to be cut in two and put on steels to successfully be transported by truck.
The house was reassembled, minus the front and side porches, by master craftsman Aubrey Cole. The home would become the Jordan’s personal residence. It was a picture-perfect life living in Franklin.
Once at the Heritage Foundation, Rudy could simply make the one-and-a-half block walk to work at her charming office on Main Street. What a beautiful connection it was to honor the home’s whole history.
Peter and Rudy raised their sons Will and John here. As you walk through the home, you will notice where the house was cut in two and refitted together.
One thing that is clear as you stroll from room to room, this home has a soul and a story to tell. Saving a home’s historic character is important to Rudy. She doesn’t believe in making the interior look like a brand new home. You will notice the original floors, windows, and mantels.
The historic additions were added one room at a time, and the Jordans didn’t add a square inch, but brought every bit of the house with them. Mr. Cole worked diligently on the house, and it took one year to complete.
Because Dr. Cliffe was a Union sympathizer and this house was originally one block from Public Square, it was used as the headquarters for Major General John Schofield, a Federal commander for the Army of Ohio. After the Civil War, Schofield was appointed U.S. Secretary of War (1868–1869) under President Andrew Johnson. He later went on to serve as Commanding General of the United States Army.
It’s incredible to imagine Rudy’s living room was where the Federal generals gathered during the Battle of Franklin. They headquartered at the McPhail-Cliffe House on November 30, 1864 until 2:00 p.m., upon leaving the home the Federal generals moved up Franklin Road to the Truett House.
Soon after at 4:00 p.m., the Battle of Franklin would begin. Some 10,000 American soldiers became casualties, about three-fourths of them were Confederates. Around 2,300 men died at Franklin, approximately 7,000 were wounded.
We are so grateful Peter and Rudy helped save this historically important home to both Franklin history, and American history.
Once Rudy retired from the Heritage Foundation, and turned her attention to saving Main Street, the home became her office as Executive Director of DFA.
Main Street Revitalization
After her success as Executive Director of the Heritage Foundation, Rudy turned her primary focus to saving Main Street in 1984. She wanted to help change the direction of the struggling downtown with its broken sidewalks, slip-covered buildings, and garish retail signs.
Rudy knew she had to restore the integrity of the original buildings by removing all the additions that took away from the historical charm of downtown. To compete with the malls, downtown had been transformed to look like a shopping district and its historic character was covered up.
So Rudy went from merchant to merchant and encouraged them to remove the aluminum canopies on the sidewalks and the vinyl siding covering the windows and transoms. As they were removed from the buildings, the beautiful brick facades were exposed.
With the encouragement of John Noel, Ed Stolman, Ed Silva, and Calvin LeHew, Rudy started the first association for the promotion of Main Street and downtown businesses. It was ultimately named the Downtown Franklin Association. John owned the Five Points Building (where Starbucks is anchored) and Ed had purchased twelve downtown buildings and started the process of preserving them.
As the first Executive Director of the newly formed DFA, Rudy also administered the Main Street Program. This national program was originally founded in 1980 by the National Trust for Historic Preservation. It was designed to reenergize and strengthen older and historic downtowns neighborhoods across America. It also promotes historic commercial districts through economic development and community preservation.
Rudy explained, “We had a classic downtown that was built way before we came here, and we wanted to save that.” The Main Street Program is a four-point approach that includes: organization, design, promotion, and economic restructuring. If a small town does not have all four key elements, the downtown will fail to prosper. (More about the national Main Street Program here).
Most of the downtown commercial buildings were built in the 19th century, many in the Victorian style. The residential homes include various styles including Federal, Greek Revival, Italianate, and Victorian. Unfortunately, you couldn’t see the buildings because they were covered with vinyl siding in an attempt to update and compete with the mall.
Franklin’s Main Street is located on US Highway 31, the main artery from the 1700’s to Nashville that runs north and south near Mackinaw City, Michigan all the way to Mobile, Alabama. It became a state road in 1926 as part of the original United States Numbered Highway System. For locals this stretch of highway is called Franklin Road, or just Main Street.
Downtown was struggling for shoppers with the impending opening of CoolSprings Galleria. Rudy explains, “Shops were moving to Murfreesboro Road to be closer to the interstate. I think we knew the town was going to die, and we would have to invest in it to turn it around.”
Rudy is a marketing genius and rebranded the town, “Historic Franklin”. Many people wanted to cover up its Civil War past, but understanding its place in history helped tell its unique story for future generations, both the good and the bad. Plus, the character of the old buildings was what made downtown Franklin so special, not modernizing their façades.
At one time, Public Square had space-age looking stadium lighting. Thanks to Rudy’s call to Middle Tennessee Electric, proper lamp posts were installed to light the sidewalks as electrical lines were being laid for underground utilities.
As part of Main Street’s revitalization, Rudy and various groups of local preservationists went on bus tours to other cities like Charleston, Savannah, Asheville, Madison, Indiana along with Hunstville and Mooresville, Alabama. These cities served as models for how streetscaping and Main Street redevelopment worked successfully. Malls across America were hurting downtowns in every American city. Franklin’s downtown revitalization was needed to help it survive.
Demonstration Projects
“It was the bad old days,” Rudy explains. “We had a real time convincing some of these building owners to participate. Most didn’t want to spend any money, so we had to get creative and had an incredible volunteer force to get the job done.”
From 1978-1987, Rudy worked with property owners on their historic Main Street buildings with no local legal authority to enforce design standards for nine years. They used the Federal design guidelines, developed by the National Historic Preservation Act enacted in 1966, in the renovation of those properties. As part of the Main Street Program, building owners were offered a twenty-five percent return on their investment. They had to comply with the preservation requirements for the building’s facade.
It was important for the downtown merchants to see an example of what Main Street could be, so Rudy used Sandlin Drugs at 404 Main Street (now The Heirloom Shop) as a demonstration. She wanted shop owners to see what could be done using design guidelines following the national requirements for commercial real estate.
The credit provided for an economic incentive coupled with design aesthetics. To kick things off, Dewees Berry and Bo Stewart helped take down the Sandlin Drug sign to begin the facelift of the building. They served as DFA volunteers. The brick was repointed and repainted. National Tent and Awning donated the new sign and awning.
By replacing the old sign, removing the awning, uncovering the transoms, repairing the top cornice, and cleaning out the clutter in the storefront windows, the building’s facelift was a thing of beauty. It made for the perfect demonstration to encourage other property owners to follow suit.
Rudy then worked with other property owners using Sandlin Drugs as a demonstration to show how the credits works. She helped get federal and state tax credits approved for 28 projects on Main Street.
On the residential side, the Robertson’s house on 2nd Avenue was used to demonstrate residential preservation guidelines. Built in 1896 by Franklin’s first plumber, Thomas Bearden, the Bearden-Robertson House is located at 211 Second Avenue South.
The Heritage Foundation bought it in 1983 and renovated it with the help of local preservationist Bill Powell. They later sold the home to John and Carol Robertson, a preservation-minded couple. John was Rudy’s graphic designer at the Heritage Foundation and the DFA.
The restoration of this home helped demonstrate the importance of preserving, not only historic buildings, but private homes. These houses contributed to the historic fabric of the downtown’s character. It persuaded homeowners to jump on the bandwagon, even while there were no zoning requirements at the time.
Historic Zoning
Rudy explains, “There has always been confusion about National Register Properties and Districts and Historic Zoning Districts. The Register is for recognition, the Zoning District is for regulation. We had a National Register downtown district since 1971 that included the original 16-block area. But National Register status only provided recognition, not protection from adverse changes to our historic properties or demolition.”
In 1988, the Franklin board of Mayor and Aldermen tasked Rudy and Mary Pearce to determine the level of support among local residential and commercial property owners for local historic zoning. They went door-to-door to canvas interest in protecting the historic properties in the 16 blocks of the original town with local, enforceable legislation. Rudy took 1st, 2nd and part of 3rd Avenues and Mary took the rest of 3rd, 4th and 5th. They received huge support.
The Board of Mayor and Aldermen passed Franklin Historic Zoning in 1989, and set up a commission to develop and enforce local historic guidelines. Franklin then had local protection for its historic sites that were located in and contributed to the 16-block downtown district.
Historic Zoning Districts are run by Historic Zoning Commissions with members appointed by the mayor. The HZC uses Design Guidelines that guide and require property owners to follow those guidelines in a district. They oversee such things as setbacks from road, roof, windows, and compatibility of materials to buildings around them. It does not legislate color. See Franklin’s Historic Preservation Program.
After the first district was formed, five other districts followed suit radiating out from the downtown area. Mary Pearce became the first chairman of the Historic Zoning Commission and serves on the board to this day. Rudy Jordan served for 22 years and resigned in 2011 before Peter passed away.
Additional preservation districts formed in Franklin through historic zoning:
- Franklin Road Historic District
- Lewisburg Avenue Historic District
- Boyd Mill Avenue Historic District
- Adams Street Historic District
- Everbright Avenue Historic District
- Hincheyville Historic District
Streetscaping Success
“Streetscape had been talked about for years,” says Rudy. An effort to completely redesign the downtown streets and lower the crown of the streets to avoid future flooding of the downtown buildings was essential. The project began in 1990 and included installing new sidewalks, street lights, and trees from First to Fifth Avenue on Main Street.”
“John Grossman, a landscape architect and urban designer with the firm EG&G in Akron, Ohio designed the project. The Heritage Foundation and Downtown Franklin Association were all-in for this enormous project that involved the State of Tennessee, Williamson County and the City of Franklin, along with many private individuals. Heritage Foundation Board President, Bo Stewart, was a relentless Main Street advocate and visionary. By the time the project was completed in the summer of 1991, the price tag was $3 million.”
The project required the support of the downtown property owners. Calvin Lehew, John Noel, and Rudy divided up the street to get building owners to buy into Streetscape. To help pay for the sidewalks, each property owner was assessed an amount by linear footage in front of their buildings through a 10-year special assessment tax.
Ralph Duke, owner of Gray Drugs, told Rudy, “I can’t afford this.” But after they measured the sidewalk in front of his building, estimated the cost based on the formula given to them, divided the amount by twelve months and then ten years, Mr. Duke was in. Because he was so well thought of, he helped get other property owners and Franklin’s Board of Mayor and Alderman to support Streetscaping.
After Mary Pearce became Director of the Heritage Foundation in 1984, she and Rudy worked hand-in-hand to get Streetscape over the top. Rudy explains, “Since both the DFA and the Heritage Foundation were collecting donations for Streetscaping, Mary suggested the Heritage Foundation act as the clearing house for the money. They collected money for lights, personalized brick pavers for the sidewalks, trees, benches, and trash cans.”
“A controversy about what to do with the configuration of Public Square was one among many issues to be resolved. Ultimately, the square became a circle to facilitate the flow of traffic.
“Commemorative plaques were placed on Streetscape items installed in a way to recognize the generosity of private citizens. Together, we got the money for the four quadrants on the square donated.”
Marty Ligon, Gordon Inman, and Barbara Stephens contributed funding for three quadrants at Public Square. The DFA and the Heritage Foundation donated money for the fourth quadrant near the Old Courthouse. Plaques were placed in the four corners of Public Square to honor those donations.
The Dust Bowl
Like any renovation project, it had to get worse, before it could get better. This eighteen-month period from 1990-1991 was often referred to as the “dust bowl” and Rudy would take it in stride. She gained both community and government support.
Rudy was a genius marketer and had a banner installed across the street, “Please excuse our mess while we make our town beautiful.”
Streetscape was adopted by the City of Franklin’s Historic Zoning Commission (HZC). The Commission is composed of nine citizen appointees who represent expertise in architecture, history, or historic preservation. The mission of the HZC is to preserve and protect Franklin’s historic resources through identification, designation, and design review.
A major part of streetscaping was rebuilding the streets, stopping the flooding problem with new drainage solutions. Prior to Streetscaping, major rainfalls would bring water flowing into various shops. Merchants could be seen sweeping the water out to prevent flooding their stores.
As Streetscaping continued, the streets were paved and bricked. Beautiful sidewalks, pavers, and trash bins were installed. Gorgeous lampposts and landscaping was added. Additional parking was added behind the buildings. The entire process took about eighteen months.
The end result was a new and improved Main Street. Downtown Franklin was open for business and ready to shine.
Rudy wanted to bring more business to the downtown merchants. Many shops closed early, and there was not of lot do in the evenings. To encourage local restaurants to stay open in the evening, she helped get liquor by the drink passed. This brought more dining and entertainment options downtown.
Another fun project Rudy did to promote downtown shopping was Franklin gift wrap. Rudy had this printing plate designed to produce gift wrapping paper. It was stamped with an image of Historic Downtown Franklin. The wrapping paper was locally manufactured by the former CPS Industries.
The Streetscape project was completed in the summer of 1991. A parade and ribbon cutting took place on August 3, 1991. Tennessee Governor Ned McWherter attended. Rudy remembers, “It took place during Franklin’s Jazz Festival. The headliner at the festival was Uncle Yoke’s Black Dog Jazz Band from Kissimmee, Florida, playing what they called swamp jazz.”
Even though it wasn’t easy for all the downtown businesses affected to live through the construction, most of them survived and were thrilled with the end result. Then the awards started rolling in.
The Great American Main Street Award Winner
Because of Rudy’s efforts, downtown Franklin has won numerous awards and is a case-study for communities everywhere. In 1995, Rudy received the huge honor of winning the Great American Main Street Award from the National Trust for Historic Preservation for the town of Franklin. It was the first year of the national competition.
Downtown Franklin is known nationwide as “America’s Favorite Main Street.” People from around the country began coming to Franklin to learn how to do streetscaping and revitalize their downtown districts.
In 1995, Rudy purchased the Harrison Building on Main Street from Calvin LeHew. You can still see the “Harrison” name on the top of each building. Mr. Harrison was a prominent businessman who founded the Williamson County Banking and Trust Company and grandson of William Harrison, builder of Franklin’s historic Harrison House.
Rudy’s building is between 55 South and Philanthropy. She leases the spaces to Kilwins and Jondie’s on the first floors, and has offices on the second floor that are available for rent. One of Rudy’s greatest joys is putting apartments in the vacant second floors of these commercial buildings. They all had old elevators at one time, and were just left to collect dust as underutilized space. Creating beautiful apartment living with Main Street views was a priority for Rudy. It’s such a wonderful way to preserve and honor these historic buildings.
In 1997, the State of Tennessee’s budget cut the Main Street Program. Rudy did not want the program to die, and requested it be moved to Franklin. She received a letter from Tennessee Governor Don Sundquist. He wrote, “Franklin will do a better job handling the Main Street Program than the State.”
In 1997, Rudy moved her office to City Hall where she managed the State of Tennessee Main Street Program. It remained in Franklin for one year, until the next year when the State of Tennessee got funding for the program again.
Rudy helped revitalize 28 historic buildings in downtown Franklin and served as DFA Director for fourteen years until 1998. Nancy Williams became the next Director to continue on Rudy’s vision, and the DFA merged with the Heritage Foundation at Rudy’s request.
Saving Five Points Post Office – 37065
Another very important part of Rudy’s legacy is saving the Five Points Post Office in downtown Franklin. It was built for $45,000 in 1924-1925 at the intersection of Main Street, 5th Avenue, and Columbia Avenue. The previous downtown post office had been located at Public Square.
Pictured above is Ed Silva, Barbara Kurland, Wayne Bell Glasgow, Barbara Stephens, and Rudy Jordan. The photo below is Five Points before the post office was built. You can see the Franklin Elementary School on the left that sadly burned in 1962. In the foreground is Franklin’s historic St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, where Rudy is a member.
This historic building (below) has served as a post office, as well as a genealogy library, archives, and headquarters for the Heritage Foundation office before it moved to the Old Old Jail.
Since 1925, the Five Points Post office has been standing at 510 Columbia Avenue for nearly 100 years serving Franklin, as the sole post office for decades. In 1991, the new post office at Oak Meadow Drive was built. The United States Postal Service was going to completely close the downtown post office, which would have negatively affected so many locals. It had been an anchor not just for postal services, but as a community gathering place.
The Five Points building was on the National Register of Historic Buildings. This designation helped Franklin’s accomplishment in making the sixteen square blocks of downtown a National Register of Historic Places Historic District. Within the district are Franklin’s oldest residential and commercial buildings, including the Five Points Post Office, Public Square, the Masonic Hall, and the historic courthouse.
In 1991, the Five Points Post Office was added to the list of America’s 11 Most Endangered Historic Places by the National Trust to raise awareness about the threats facing some of our nation’s greatest treasures. Then along came a hero.
Because of Rudy’s efforts, she was able to arbitrate with the district postal manager and their lawyer along with Tennessee’s State Historic Preservation Officer to discuss keeping the post office open. She used Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966 (NHPA) which ensures that federal agencies take preservation values into consideration when they propose a project that may affect historic properties in the process.
To gain public support, Rudy invited all the national television stations to see the local senior citizens and day care children from across the street. Everyone had signs that read, “Please Save our Post Office”. This publicity was all it took to convince the community it needed to be saved.
Rudy’s advocacy opened the door for Five Points to become a Contract Postal Unit (CPU) with the USPS, versus a regular post office. In the arbitration, they agreed to give up metered mail and bulk mail services to the new post office on Oak Meadow. The good news was they retained the downtown boxes and continued to sell stamps and mail packages. CPUs allow for individuals to privately own a contract with USPS and provide many of the same services a government post office provides. The retention of the post office boxes makes Five Points unique as most CPUs only offer retail services. The post office boxes also gave Five Points its unique zip code: 37065. Rudy had the foresight to make sure a contract was created stipulating part of the building must always be utilized as a post office.
The post office re-opened its doors on December 1, 2023 after a new threat temporarily closed it. To Rudy’s delight, Matt and Julie Brown are the current owners/operators of Five Points Post Office. “Matt and Julie have contributed so much to Franklin, and I’m thrilled they got the contract for the postal unit.”
Beyond retail sales of stamps and shipping services, it offers business services including notary and copying, as well as general store items. It’s open Monday-Friday 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturday 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Because of Rudy’s brave efforts, the Five Points Post Office continues to offer an integral downtown service that meets the needs of residents and businesses alike.
The Dynamic Duo of Historic Franklin’s Preservation
You could say that Rudy Jordan and Mary Pearce are the “Dynamic Duo of Preservation”. Mary first came to the Heritage Foundation as a volunteer after she moved to town in 1978, then became Executive Director in 1984 after Rudy.
The Heritage Foundation made large community contributions. Under Rudy’s watch, it became a highly respected non-profit organization. Rudy’s ultimate legacy would be saving Main Street. She and Mary’s shared commitment to Franklin’s perseveration benefits generations to come and will be their legacy.
To this day, they remain close with their shared passion for Franklin’s future and preserving its past. In 2024, YOUR Williamson magazine honored them along with ten other women for the Ladies of Distinction: Iconic Women of Williamson award.
Mary Pearce says, “I met Rudy in 1982 when I moved to downtown Franklin. We have a shared passion for historic preservation and friendship that has lasted for decades.”
During Rudy’s career, she knew it was important to join the National Trust for Historic Preservation to take Franklin’s preservation efforts to the next level. She would take trips with groups of like-minded preservationists to Washington DC. They invited speakers from the National Trust to come back to Franklin and share their knowledge with the Heritage Foundation board. Rudy became a speaker for their events as well.
Downtown Neighborhood Association
Downtown residences also wanted a voice just like the DFA had for businesses. In 1997, the late Ernie Bacon and Dan Klatt started the Downtown Neighborhood Association. The first board included Barry Howard, Margaret Martin, Beverly Roberts, and Rudy Jordan. Rudy says, “My husband, Peter, and I jumped on board soon after, and we got into some good trouble.”
The Franklin Downtown Neighborhood Association’s mission is to serve the community by providing a means with which the residents of the downtown area may gain a greater voice over the economic, political, environmental and social forces that influence our quality of life.
In 2024, the Franklin Downtown Neighborhood Association honored Rudy with the Impact Legacy Award presented by DNA President Bob Ravener. This was the first year the DNA presented the award, and Rudy was honored to be the first recipient because of her tremendous work in restoring downtown Franklin.
“This award is specifically designed to recognize those who have done so much in the past, that took Franklin from where it was, to get Franklin to the place it is today,” said Ravener. “Rudy Jordan is the perfect recipient of this award; she has done so much for Franklin.”
Rudy’s son Will says, “When I was young, I knew that my mother was different than other mothers. She always had something to fight for and even though I didn’t know exactly what that meant. I could see it in her eyes, and I could hear it in her Southern drawl. When she said, ‘We have to save this town before it’s too late,’ she meant exactly that.”
Will Jordan is the oldest of Rudy Jordan’s two sons (John is the youngest). He is a Franklin native and spent his childhood growing up in downtown Franklin. Will is an incredible writer, photographer and owner of Kimbro’s Pickin’ Parlor, the legendary music venue and restaurant in downtown Franklin. He also owns Carpe Diem, right next door. It boasts the largest selection of vinyl in Williamson County. He also owns the fabulous Mockingbird Theater at The Factory. Read Will’s backstory here.
Rudy’s son John is a wonderful filmmaker in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. His company John Jordan Films produced this fantastic promotional video below about Carnton and Carter House.
Saving More Historic Homes
In addition to her residence, Rudy saved several historic cottage homes from being torn down. She moved an old home once owned by Bobby Moore to her backyard in 1983. It is now a home for her grandson, Max. The tiny house (below) is used as an exercise room. The original porch columns from the McPhail-Cliffe home were incorporated into corner posts. Rudy’s backyard is truly a secret garden, a quiet respite from the buzz of Main Street.
Rudy says, “Sometimes you have to look the other way, but seeing a neglected little historic house affects me the way maimed animals affect other people. It speaks to my soul and my heart. I don’t renovate houses and flip them. I renovate houses and keep them and use them for rental income.”
In 1995, she purchased this charmer at 234 1st Ave South which is directly behind her home on 2nd Avenue South. We especially love the picket fences around Rudy’s properties that make them extra adorable. All these historic homes in downtown Franklin make me nostalgic for the past and simpler times.
In 2004, Rudy purchased 224 1st Ave South which is directly behind her home on 2nd Avenue South. It was in rough shape, complete with a woodchuck living under the kitchen floor. In spite of its flaws, the home had beautiful original doors, floors and windows. The year prior, she bought 238 next door which is now owned by her son, Will.
The following year, Rudy purchased 225 2nd Avenue South, the home adjacent to hers. It is currently leased to newborn photographer Jenny Cruger Photography.
Franklin’s First Lady of Historic Preservation
Rudy Jordan is Franklin’s “First Lady of Historic Preservation”. The beautiful wall art presented by the Heritage Foundation showcases Rudy’s many accomplishments.
You will never meet a preservationist more lovely and more passionate about saving historic homes than Rudy Jordan. She is still a champion for preservation and Franklin’s biggest supporter. It’s an honor to know and love her.
One of Rudy’s ultimate hopes is that the integrity of downtown Franklin remains. It’s important that the Historic Zoning Commission sticks to the guidelines in terms of height, size, and orientation of the structures. Rudy wants to see the small buildings saved, along with the grand ones.
With several historic buildings in danger because of deferred maintenance like the Masonic Hall, preservation work is never finished. Franklin still has districts that need historic overlays like Columbia Avenue. It’s up to all of us to carry on Rudy’s legacy.
Rudy remains a devoted mother and grandmother. Will’s children are Max (26) and Lucy (10), and John and his wife Stephanie and their children Oliver (12) and Camden (10). She divides her time between Franklin (9 months) and Maine (3 months), the New England retreat beloved by her late husband Peter. You might see her walking her adorable standard poodle, Marsh.
This painting of Rudy’s Maine retreat hangs over the mantel in her Franklin home. In Maine, she displays a painting of the McPhail-Cliffe home over the fireplace there.
Rudy continues to be an active member of St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, Franklin’s only antebellum church completed in 1834. Located at 510 W. Main Street, it is the oldest Episcopal church and congregation in Tennessee and oldest Episcopal church building west of the Appalachians.
There will never be another Rudy Jordan in Franklin’s lifetime. All of Franklin owes Rudy tremendous respect and gratitude for having the courage and the vision to shape the historic downtown we all treasure.
Former Franklin Alderman Margaret Martin says, “When Rudy came on the Franklin scene, she faced criticism from many sides. She had a knowledge of preservation that few of us had. Rudy had both an appreciation for what we had in the past and what we could become. In her sweet way, she stood up for her beliefs and helped make Franklin what we’ve become – a city where many want to love and live.”
People often call Franklin a “Hallmark” town. Thanks to the efforts of the incredible Rudy Jordan, it has become one of the most special places in all of America to call home. Please enjoy this video of Rudy sharing Franklin’s journey:
Thank you to Williamson County Historian Rick Warwick for allowing us access to his collection of historic photos. We also appreciate Trenton Lee Photography and Will Jordan Photography for their beautiful photography.
Sharing the backstories of historic Franklin with love,
