The Matt Gardner Homestead Museum
In the fall of 2023, the Tennessee Historical Commission awarded nearly $900,000 for Historic Preservation Fund (HPF) grants for historic preservation and archaeological projects throughout the state of Tennessee. One of the grant funding categories was brick-and-mortar restoration projects. The longstanding program (HPF) is one of the primary ways that the State Historic Preservation Office directly facilitates historic preservation in Tennessee.
The Land Trust for Tennessee applied for and secured a grant of $25,000 from the Tennessee Historical Commission on behalf of the Matt Gardner Homestead Museum to fund the stabilization of the Homestead; in addition, the Land Trust will meet the match required by the grant with $21,000 of institutional funds. The hope is that the Matt Gardner Homestead Museum will regain its 501(c)(3) status and, with support from the Land Trust for Tennessee, be able to apply for additional grants for future phases of this project.
Ultimately, the goals are 1) the Homestead will be open again seasonally to the public, staffed by MTSU Center for Historic Preservation interns; and 2) preservation of the land as historic context around the home and outbuildings through a conservation easement, working with the Land Trust for Tennessee.
Currently, the Land Trust for Tennessee has hired a contractor with experience in historic preservation who is undertaking phase one of the stabilization of the Matt Gardner Homestead. The current scope of work includes roofing repairs, foundation and beam repairs in select locations, and trim/siding replacement on the south and front elevations.
The Matt Gardner Homestead Museum is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. If you would like to donate to the Matt Gardner Homestead Museum through the Land Trust for Tennessee, please use the following link: https://give.landtrusttn.org/give/406240/#!/donation/checkout
Matt Gardner and the Gardner Family Story on Exhibit
The Matt Gardner story is currently featured in an exhibition at the Heritage Center of Murfreesboro and Rutherford County (225 West College St.). Two Families, Two Revolutions, created by the Tennessee Civil War National Heritage Area, looks at how the ideals of the American Revolution were embodied in the Armstrong (Hawkins Co.) and Gardner (Giles Co.) families from the 18th century through the present.
The Gardner family’s American Revolution story will be exhibited through research, family history and artifacts and will officially open to the public soon
Gardner Family Reunion 2023
After having virtual Gardner/Coleman family reunions for three years due to COVID-19, interest and attendance online was declining. Few kids, teenagers or young adults were ever in our virtual reunions. In addition, we lost matriarchs, patriarchs, and several other family members during those three years. Well, we all felt and knew in 2023, it was time to come back together again, but who would take it and where would we have it? Well, one of our family historians/genealogists hosted the reunion...and, of course, there definitely was no other place to have our 44th in-person reunion than back to where it all started: our roots in Pulaski and Elkton, Tennessee, and the old Gardner home- house.
We occupied both the Giles Hotel Inn & Suites and the Hampton Inn in Pulaski. Our 44th reunion t- shirts were purchased and printed by C & C Printing Factory & Office Supplies of Pulaski. The Thursday evening meet-and-greet fish fry was provided by Post #60 Legionaries Auxiliary & Sons of the Legion and held at the Pulaski Event Center.
On Friday, we toured downtown Pulaski with our tour guide, John Lancaster. Highlights were the Antoinette Hall opera house, the historic courthouse, and Reeves Drug Store.... The five-cent cokes and $1.00 scoops of ice cream were a hit by all!!!!! Then it was off to Soda Pop Junction in Lynnville, Tennessee, just up the road, for lunch and one of their famous milkshakes. Oh no, we did not forget to drop in on Lynnville’s Fried Pie Company for some old-fashioned fried pies-- peach and apple were the favorites.
Saturday started off at the Matt Gardner Homestead Museum (our home-house where it all started), where we shared so much history, heritage, and culture with new family members and our younger generation...it was awesome! There was a stop at the Gardner family cemetery for some of us on the way to Wolf Gap History Nature Education Center in the Tarpley Shop community, where lunch was provided by Da Rib Crib of Elkton, along with some fun and games.
After a short rest it was time for the reunion banquet at Legion Post #60, where there was more family fellowship, history, acknowledgments, and good banquet food provided by Select Foods Pulaski.
On Sunday morning, there was a delicious breakfast again prepared by Select Foods, followed by a brief church service with family singing, scripture, prayer, and a sermonette by one of our very own. Then it was time to say goodbye with a traveling grace prayer, lots of hugs and “see you next year,” and then we were all gone.
It was a busy, fun-filled weekend. We called it, “The Gardner family invades Giles County.” It wasn’t the first time, and we are sure it won’t be the last...but it’s always a good time.
