Farragut Folklife Museum

The Farragut Folklife Museum is housed in the Town Hall of small Farragut Tennessee. It is open from 10-4:30 on weekdays and easily accessible from I-40/75. Admission is free. The museum concentrates on historical items from the area and the life of Admiral Farragut. The collection of Eastern Tennessee artifacts was primarily found within a couple miles of the building or donated by locals in support of the museum. The special Admiral Farragut collection was bought primarily by the city.

The atrium leading to the museum is filled with paintings and various historical artifacts and also some pictures from the history of the town. The actual museum has a small foyer. To the right is a small cute gift shop, containing Civil War memorabilia and things by local artists. To the left of the foyer are the small three rooms containing the majority of the collection.

The museum was run entirely by volunteers until last year when a director was hired. The docent on duty was not only knowledgeable about the contents of the museum but also the history of the museum itself. He was also very welcoming to visitors, greeting to everyone that came in and encouraging them to sign the guest book. Though the museum is small, the gift shop had a volunteer working it also.

The first room contains various artifacts from the area. There is a grouping of Civil War spent ammunition, most found within a mile of the Town Hall. The museum itself is built over the site of a Civil War battle. The docent said the display tended to be the most popular for children. Also in the front room are everyday objects from primarily home life in this area through the years, including things like purses, newspapers and a switchboard.
A well-done display is the fireplace one, highlighting details of things that would be typical found in a household, like a broom and vacuum cleaner. Part of the display that made me chuckle is a small rubber mouse.

In the second room of the museum is the city's Admiral David Glasgow Farragut Gallery. Admiral Farragut was born a few miles from the town hall and when the town was incorporated, they decided to honor him by naming the town after him. He fought on the side of the North during the Civil War, leading the Navy. He was the first person in the United States that held the rank of Rear Admiral, Vice Admiral and Admiral.

Starting by the door, the collection follows the life of Admiral Farragut around the room. It contains everything from dishes to buttons to pictures of people important in his life. Over the displays, there is a well-executed timeline. Not only does it help educate the public, but the docent on duty says it is a help for staff also as they have an easy reference when people have questions. Two enjoyable parts of the collection was the Last Will and Testament of Admiral Farragut, which they also had printed on a card so it is easier to read and the writing desk which is located to the right of the door from the first room. In this room, there is an empty display with a “Please pardon our progress” sign inside.

In the last room, there is both a loaned collection of Admiral Farragut history and area historical items, most of which focus on businesses and the railroad. In the Farragut section there is a striking painting of Washington, Lincoln and Farragut that was painted the the countries' centennial celebration. The collection under glass of his life was a striking snippet of history. However, the collection was only on loan until June 11, 2010. The rest of the room contained things like marble working tools and railroad employee cards.







The thing that I thought was one of the neatest items in the place was a brass Dixie cup dispenser.






















Outside, there is the Farragut Memorial Plaza. It consists of a garden area with benches circling a statue of the Admiral. Between the benches are stone markers detailing his life. The entrance to the area is flanked by two cannons. The area showed attention to detail, but the garden still shows sign on being in it's first year of life.


All in all, for a small museum that has primarily been run by volunteers and consists of donations, the Farragut Folklife Museum makes for a nice hour of wandering. I would recommend it to anyone interested in U.S. Naval history or the history of the Campbell Station-Farragut area.