“As I told my children growing up, ‘You’ve got to know where you came from to know where you’re at right now and where you’re going to, bottom line.’ You’ve got to know where you came from and the museum’s a good place to do that.”
Those were the words shared by Cheatham County Historical and Genealogical Association Museum docent Jeff Taylor during the opening ceremony of the on Saturday. Taylor, dressed as a North Carolina militiaman who would have entered the county in 1780 under a land grant, perfectly summed up the sense of accomplishment and excitement present for all those who worked so hard to prepare for opening day and those in attendance.
Several hundred county residents descended upon the Cheatham County Historical and Genealogical Association’s (CCHGA) opening of the museum in its new location at 835 S. Main Street in Ashland City. The grand opening celebration included a ribbon-cutting ceremony, a special presentation to honor Ashland City’s first and only woman mayor Mary Gray Jenkins and refreshments.
The CCHGA and museum, a 501 (c)(3) non-profit organization supported by donations, began in 2002 inside the Cheatham County Public Library in Ashland City, but the library began to need more space. According to Cheatham County Historian Lisa Walker, artifacts were placed into storage in 2023 until the former Family Dollar space was secured. The CCHGA moved into the new location in August 2024 and began working on exhibits.
The spacious new location offers a little something for everyone, reflecting on the many facets of Cheatham County history including the school district, local industry, military service, law enforcement, local sports and famous musicians with Cheatham County roots. There is also a gift shop containing postcards and souvenirs.
Getting the CCHGA and Museum established took a village. Funding came from from association fundraisers and a $6,000 annual donation from the Cheatham County Commission. There was even a donation of picture frames the local Veterans of Foreign Wars Post # 6181 for the museum’s local military history exhibit.
Walker talked about the importance of having a hub for local history. “History brings about community and you’re going to find stuff here you’re not going to find in other museums or other historical associations. We are the main collector of Cheatham County history and so people can come here and see the Mastodon bone that was found over across the [Cumberland] river and items like that. I mean, one story’s not as important as the other and that’s what we’re trying to do here, is to tell the stories of the people and the community and keep that alive for generations because we have 31 years worth of collected photos. People today, we’re not going to have that in the future if we don’t collect it,” she said.
Jenkins, who has spent her 90 years in Cheatham County, said how important it was to her to see the way CCHGA and Museum have taken off. “I’ve loved history all my life, so it’s beyond belief to see the museum and where the genealogy group has grown,” she said.
Cheatham County Mayor Kerry McCarver said the new museum is especially important with the influx of newcomers to Cheatham County. “We have so many new people here that don’t understand the history, that never picked it up here. They can come and start to absorb all that. People who’ve been here, they live it, they see it, they truly have a connection with it, but it also gives the opportunity for those new people to understand the history of Cheatham County, where we are and who we are,” he said.
Peyton Craft, who attended the opening with her son Travis Craft, said her grandfather Danny Stack volunteered to help bring the new museum to life, and she sees its value. “It’s important to know where we all come from and learn the lessons from our roots and our family members from the past and always remember them. They’ve done a lot of hard work to get us to where we are now, and so that hard work shouldn’t be forgotten just because time has passed,” she said.
Another highlight of the opening was the announcement of the winners of the Kiss-the-Critter contest, fundraiser where the mayors competed to collect the most donations for the new museum. The winner received the honor of kissing a frog. Ashland City Mayor Gerald Greer took first place, raising $1,496.
The CCHGA and Museum is located at 835 S. Main St. in Ashland City and shares the space with local non-profit organizations Art League of Cheatham County, Arts and Entertainment League and Cheatham County Sports Hall of Fame. The museum is open Tuesday to Thursday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Saturday from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. For more information about the CCHGA and Museum, visit https://CheathamCountyHistory.Weebly.com/ or call (615) 792-3623.