Franklin, Tennessee

When I say Franklin, I am speaking specifically of Historic Franklin, encompassing the areas around the square and the immediate streets that run West/SouthWest of it. Like most people, I go back and forth between wanting to live in town and wanting to live out in the country - or at least somewhere with a small town feel. In Franklin, you sort of get the best of both worlds. Downtown Franklin is a gem and is protected as an historically preserved town, with several buildings being individually listed on the historic registry. There is city hall, the courthouse and the obligatory church - all things one would find in or around a small town square. But there is also a large Starbucks with outdoor seating; the Mellow Mushroom for fab pizza; Ben & Jerry's at one end and a locally made, favorite frozen yogurt at the other; as well as two fine dining restaurants and an assortment of delis, cafes and one of a kind shops not to be found elsewhere. The houses immediately adjacent to historic Franklin are beautiful, ranging from Victorian and Georgian, cottages to Southern mansions. Main Street West, as it runs away from the town center, is lined with renovated old homes, as are some of the other streets closer to the square such as 7th, 8th, 9th and Fair. Similarly, South of the town's roundabout you will find more of the same on 3rd Streets and Margin Street. Yet if you tire of the upmarket Mayberry of Middle Tennessee, you can always drive just a couple of miles East to Cool Springs/Franklin where you can indulge your every mall/chain restaurant whim, and do the major grocery shopping while there. All in all, I decided not to move to Franklin when I came back to Tennessee, but given the community spirit, great private school and yes - even one of the top public high schools in the entire country, it's hard to find something wrong with it for families with kids.