Sumner County Museum

09/04/2026

📣 High School or College Students: Need Community Service Hours?

The Sumner County Museum is looking for student volunteers to help with setup and cleanup for our 2nd Annual Barn Dance at Historic Cragfont!

This is a great opportunity for students who need:
🎓 TN Promise volunteer hours
📝 School-required community service hours
🤝 Volunteer hours for clubs, organizations, or resumes

We need help on:
📅 Thursday, September 10 from 4PM-6PM– Event Setup
📅 Sunday, September 13 from 2PM-4PM– Event Cleanup

Volunteers will primarily help move and set up tables, chairs, and other event items. We’re especially looking for high school students who don’t mind a little lifting and working as a team!

The Sumner County Museum can verify your volunteer hours.

Interested? Send us a message or comment below, and we’ll get you the details!

Please share with any students, parents, coaches, teachers, or youth organizations who may be interested!

09/03/2026

Grab your limited edition 30th Anniversary Candlelight Cemetery Tour T-shirt!👕 Purchase here ➡️ https://www.sumnercountymuseum.org/merch/p/30th-anniversary-candlelight-cemetery-tour-commemorative-t-shirt

This limited-edition, 100% cotton Comfort Colors shirt celebrates 30 years of the Candlelight Cemetery Tour, with all 30 tour years listed on the back!

📍Pre-order pickup begins Friday, October 2 at the Sumner County Museum. Shirts will also be available for pickup at the 30th Annual Candlelight Cemetery Tour on Saturday, October 3, so you can wear yours during the tour!

09/02/2026

🕯️CHARACTER REVEAL: Mary Ann (Parker) Branham🌙
Born in Bethpage in 1799, Mary Branham’s story is deeply rooted in the earliest days of Sumner County and in the men and women who helped shape a new nation.

Mary Ann was the granddaughter of Nathaniel Parker, a long-hunter, explorer, and patriot whose life was filled with adventure. Nathaniel first served under General George Washington during the French and Indian War, including the attack on Fort Duquesne. He later made several journeys into the Cumberland country and what would become Sumner County before giving patriotic service during the Revolutionary War.

Nathaniel eventually settled in Sumner County with his children, living for a time at Greenfield Fort before constructing a log home nearby. Later in life, he married Mary (Ramsey) Bledsoe, the widow of Colonel Anthony Bledsoe.

In 1820, Mary Ann married John Branham, a native of Kentucky who came to Nashville to study masonry as an apprentice. After visiting relatives in Sumner County, he fell in love with the area, purchased land along Deshea Creek, and used his skills as a stonemason to build a grist mill. Nearby, John built the family home where he and Mary Ann would raise their nine children.

Mary Ann lived through most of the Civil War before passing away in late 1864, while her husband John outlived her by another 23 years.

More than two centuries after Mary Ann and John began their life together, the Branham family name remains part of the Sumner County landscape. The road leading to their former home is still known today as Branham Mill Road.

We are excited to have the talented Katlyn Green Johnson portray Mary Ann (Parker) Branham by candlelight on Saturday, October 3.🎭🕯️🇺🇸

09/01/2026

With the demolition of the Sumner County Fairgrounds, we thought it was only appropriate to take a look back at where it all began.🎡

Pictured first is a photo showing the opening ceremonies of the very first Sumner County Fair in 1946. You can see 14 mules lined up with the grandstands packed full of spectators for the occasion!🐴

The second photo features a fair catalog from 1948, the fair’s third year. You could see a Tennessee Walking Horse presentation and a sheep show, where $7 was up for grabs for the finest sheep! The fair also featured jam and preserve competitions, livestock shows, and plenty of other attractions that brought people from all around to Gallatin.

For years, the Sumner County Fair was a place where family and friends gathered, competed, and made memories. After its final fair in 2023, this longtime tradition is now a part of Sumner County’s history.

Do you have photos or memories from the Sumner County Fair? We’d love for you to share them with us in the comments below!👇

08/31/2026

Save the date! Join us on November 14 to experience wintertime living of long hunters and their families.

Living history, food and community.

08/29/2026

We wish you could smell what’s coming off the grill at Andre's Barbecue!🤤🔥 We can’t wait to bring you Andre’s delicious BBQ, cheesy macaroni, baked beans, and homemade banana pudding at the Second Annual Barn Dance!

Andre’s BBQ has been serving Sumner County for 15 years, and once you try it, it’s easy to see why customers keep coming back! You can find Andre out in the community weekly, serving up some of the best BBQ around.

Come hungry and get ready for a night of great food, live music, line dancing, and fun, all while supporting the Sumner County Museum. 🤠🎶

🎟️ LIMITED TICKETS REMAIN!
📅 Saturday, September 12 | 5–9 PM
📍 Cragfont State Historic Site
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/second-annual-barn-dance-tickets-1990809046449?utm-campaign=social&utm-content=attendeeshare&utm-medium=discovery&utm-term=listing&utm-source=wsa&aff=ebdsshwebmobile

08/29/2026

Read the full story here- https://www.newschannel5.com/news/how-sumner-county-helped-make-dolly-parton-famous-through-the-power-of-mail-order-music

Long before streaming, a Sumner County record shop was mailing Dolly Parton's music to fans across 30 states. Discover how Gallatin, Tennessee played a surprising role in making Dolly a star.

Read more at the link in comments

08/28/2026

Break out your dancing boots and come to the Sumner County Museum's Barn Dance! There will be music, food, and line dancing. Tickets are going fast so get yours today: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/second-annual-barn-dance-tickets-1990809046449?

08/27/2026

Historic Downtown Gallatin continues to serve as the heart of the city, where centuries of history meet new businesses, restaurants, and community events.