Rutherford County Library System Presents America 250 Lecture Series and Traveling Exhibit
The Historical Research Center, in partnership with Linebaugh Public Library, Friends of Linebaugh Library, and the Rutherford County Archives, is excited to announce the premiere of the Revolutionary Rutherford traveling exhibit and America 250 Lecture Series at 10 AM on Saturday, May 30, 2026. During this event, Middle Tennessee State University history professor Dr. Lynn Nelson will present the lecture “Tennessee’s American Revolution,” followed by light refreshments and the premiere of the new traveling exhibit, Revolutionary Rutherford: The Revolution’s Legacy in Rutherford County.
This project is funded under an agreement with the State of Tennessee, administered by the Tennessee Commission for the United States Semiquincentennial, and through the generosity of Middle Tennessee State University Honors College and their grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities.
These events commemorating America 250 will not only give insight into the nation’s two and a half centuries but also enlighten audiences about Tennessee’s and Rutherford County’s revolutionary history. The exhibit explores how the Revolutionary War shaped and impacted what later became Rutherford County by highlighting the war’s legacy on local Native Americans, the impact of land grants in the region, and the preservation and commemoration of national and local history.
The traveling exhibit and the lecture series will be at Linebaugh Public Library from May 30 to July 13, 2026, with the lecture series taking place every other Saturday, starting on May 30.
- Saturday, May 30, 10 AM: Tennessee’s American Revolution, presented by Dr. Lynn Nelson
- Saturday, May 30, 11 AM: Exhibit Premiere with light refreshments
- Saturday, June 13, 11 AM: A Bicentennial Village Turns 50: The Significance of Cannonsburgh, presented by Dr. Stacey Graham
- Saturday, June 27, 11 AM: Heroines Aplenty: Portrayals of Revolutionary-Era Women in Tennessee over the Years, presented by Dr. Antoinette van Zelm.
- Saturday, July 11, 11 AM: Interesting Grave Structures in Rutherford County, presented by Dr. Michael Fletcher.
After July 13, the Revolutionary Rutherford exhibit will travel across the county to various institutions. Interested in hosting the exhibit? Fill out the exhibit request form, located at RCLSTN.ORG/250TH/. For more America 250 events happening at your local libraries, please visit the webpage listed above.
