Carnton is a beautifully preserved antebellum home built in 1826 by Randal McGavock, showcasing both Federal and Greek Revival architectural styles. During the Battle of Franklin on November 30, 1864, it served as the largest Confederate field hospital, tending to hundreds of wounded soldiers in its rooms. Its floors still carry the faint marks of that somber night. 

Positioned less than a mile from the Union line, Carnton played a central role in one of the bloodiest battles of the Civil War. The site also includes the McGavock Confederate Cemetery, the largest privately owned military cemetery in the U.S., where nearly 1,500 Confederate soldiers killed in the battle were laid to rest. 

Today, Carnton operates as a museum under the Battle of Franklin Trust, offering tours of the house, gardens, and grounds.