Downtown Franklin’s streets are lined with remarkable historic architecture, and this 1881 treasure could be yours.
Featured in Treasures of America and Where to Find Them by Reader’s Digest in 1974, the Watson House was designed by Hugh Cathcart Thompson, the celebrated architect behind Nashville’s Ryman Auditorium. A standout example of Second Empire Victorian architecture, it showcases a stately mansard roof, segmental arches, bracketed eaves, a central tower, and an ornate porch wrapped in graceful arches and balustrades.
Step through the original front windows — ingeniously crafted to open as doors — and you’re met with seven preserved marble fireplaces anchoring parlors and bedrooms alike. The hand-carved newel staircase remains a striking centerpiece, and upstairs, the historic clawfoot tub still holds its place.
Thoughtful renovations include a historically accurate front-porch reconstruction, a restored ornamental finial, meticulously matched flooring, a refined kitchen and pantry with custom bar, a renewed primary suite, and a refreshed guest apartment. The 1910 side porch offers views down 3rd Avenue.
The Watson House, located at 214 3rd Avenue South, is a rare chance to own a true Franklin landmark. Just promise to invite us over for the housewarming.