Franklin County is in Southern Middle Tennessee and borders Alabama. It is a wonderful place to live for anyone who loves slower paced living. The residents in Franklin County are a throwback to the days where everyone speaks to everyone. They are welcoming and will help their neighbors out without hesitation. Franklin County is a popular place because it is comprised in an area with easy access to rivers, lakes and mountains all found in the county’s 576 square mile radius. It is less than an hour drive to Chattanooga, Tennessee and Huntsville, Alabama. Franklin County is comprised of several smaller cities and towns. Winchester is the largest with Decherd, Sewanee, Estill Springs, Cowan and Huntland as the most populated areas. They all vary in size but the one thing they all have in common is that they are all wonderful communities to raise a family. Two mainstays of the community that illustrate how family centric the area are both The Oldham Theatre and Tims Ford Reservoir.
The Oldham Theatre is the historic movie theater or picture show, as some may still call it, that continues to operate today. In the days of the multiplex movie theaters, the Oldham has only two screens. It has been in operation since 1950. It is located on the north side of the square in Winchester. The Oldham is a wonderful movie viewing experience and pricing makes it a budget friendly night out for the entire family. In addition to the Oldham, there’s a three-screen drive-in movie theater in Estill Springs called Montana Drive In. Both theaters bring back nostalgia for older people and a unique experience to the younger crowd.
Tims Ford Reservoir is on the Elk River and extends upstream to the dam. The locals usually refer to the entire area as Tims Ford. It is also home to the 3,546-acre Tims Ford State Park. The actual lake itself is considered one of the most charming lakes in Tennessee. It is regarded as one of the top bass fishing and recreational lakes in the region. The Park welcomes visitors year-round to participate in camping, hiking, boating, swimming and more. Hunting is also allowed by permit on the designated as huntable land. One more noteworthy activity that locals love, that also brings many visitors to the area is Bear Trace, the Jack Nicklaus designed golf course.