This is a special public presentation for America 250! It is entitled “The History and Significance of Murfreesboro’s Oldest Historic Site: the Old First Presbyterian Church and the Old City Cemetery.” Our speaker is Laura Bartel, Founder/Director of the Rutherford County Archaeological Society and its Old City Cemetery Preservation and Interpretation Project.

The archaeological remains of the Church, its original burying ground, and the original City Cemetery together comprise what is now simply referred to as the Old City Cemetery. There will be a slide presentation with an overview of the site. Laura will also discuss the Church’s early local, state, and national political significance and the Cemetery and Church’s use during the Civil War.

In addition, there will be several poster displays of the site with visuals and descriptions of its history, events, and other information, as well as information about Revolutionary War veterans who settled here and were a part of the earliest days and development of Murfreesboro.

On display will also be artifacts from the 2003 MTSU partial archaeological excavation of the Church.
We look forward to seeing you at this, free public presentation. The doors open at 1:30PM and the presentation will begin at 2:00PM. There will also be time after the presentation to look at the displays and artifacts.