The Watson House is one of Franklin’s most treasured historic residences—an architectural masterpiece built in 1881 and featured in Treasures of America and Where to Find Them by Reader’s Digest in 1974. Designed by Hugh Cathcart Thompson, the acclaimed architect of Nashville’s Ryman Auditorium, this remarkable home has been owned by only four Franklin families throughout its storied history. A striking example of Second French Empire French Victorian architecture, the home is distinguished by its mansard roof, segmental arched openings, bracketed eaves with pavilions, central tower, and an ex
