Lotz House

Posted on 27. Dec, 2008 by admin in Battle Of Franklin

The Lotz House Museum

The Lotz House Museum, open to the public again and in a historic home that stands on the battlefield of Franklin, features the largest and most comprehensive collection of War Between the States and Old West artifacts in the Mid-South. Pieces to be seen include examples of furniture from the 1820s to 1860s made by artisans John Henry Belter and Prudent Mallard. Just across Columbia Avenue from the Carter House, Lotz House was completed in 1858 after three years of construction by Johann Albert Lotz and became a prominent landmark on the field of the battle of Franklin. In 1855, German immigrant Johann Albert Lotz, purchased five acres of land from Fountain Branch Carter. Three years later, after doing most of the work himself, Lotz completed his home.

Albert Lotz, a carpenter and piano maker from Germany, built the house and then turned it into a showcase for his carpentry skills. Potential clients would see his expertise in the finely crafted building, and then hire him for his services. Much of his work remains in the house to this day. The two story wood house was completed in 1858 and became home to Johann, his wife Margharetha, sons Paul and Augustus and daughter Matilda. Since then, Lotz House has been a private residence, a bakery and sandwich shop, retail kitchen shop and a law office.

The Lotz House Museum reopened on October 30th 2008 as a Civil War House museum, displaying both the house and also a collection of antiques and decorative arts which will add to Williamson County’s growing tourism base.

Lotz House And The Battle Of Franklin

When the Lotz family awoke on the morning of 30th November 1864, their house was surrounded by Union troops. Lotz feared that his house would not provide protection for his family in a battle, so he moved his family to the brick basement of the Carter House.

Located a few yards behind the center of the Union's entrenched line, the Lotz House divided part of Colonel Emerson Opdyeke's brigade as it made the famous counter charge that stemmed the Confederate breakthrough along the Columbia Pike.

Blood Stains On The Lotz House Floor

When they emerged the following day, the Lotz family were horrified to see the bodies of dead soldiers “so thick that you couldn’t take a step without walking on one of them” between the Carter House and their home. Their home served as a hospital for the wounded on both sides until the following summer. Even to this day, you can step into the Lotz House and see numerous blood stains in all of the rooms.

The house itself suffered severe battle damage, but as the structure served as Lotz’s “show house,” he was quick to make repairs, although some of the battle scars do remain. During the battle a solid shot cannon ball crashed through the roof, smashing into the floor of an upstairs bedroom and down to the first floor. The large repaired patch made by Mr. Lotz remains in the second floor and on the first floor where the cannon ball finally came to rest one can clearly see where the hot lead ball first hit, burning the floor then rolled.

In the Lotz House there are many uniforms, a Union drum and many other artifacts related to the battle. It is also home to one of the finest collections of American Victorian furniture in the southeast. The Lotz House Museum offers its visitors a chance to see the material culture of the soldiers who fought in the war - North and South.