Leiper’s Fork, Tennessee: Where The Preservation of Land and History Revive a Cultural Hub – Episode 146

Leiper’s Fork is a must-visit for anyone visiting Franklin, Tennessee. A hidden gem for artists and cultural enthusiasts, sit back, unplug and let the village surprise you. With things to do in Leiper’s Fork, get ready to be transported to a place where time stands still and creativity and community come together.

With rolling hills, historic turn-of-the-century buildings, working farms, and front porches complete with rocking chairs, welcome to a little town home to approximately 650 residents and 1,100 acres of land. A well-known refuge for celebrities and musicians, welcome to Leiper’s Fork, Tennessee!

If you haven’t heard of this small unincorporated rural village before, you aren’t alone. I hadn’t either until recently. While planning my first trip to Tennessee, I mapped out a road trip to Clarksville and then Franklin. You can hear all about the historic Clarksville attractions that stuck with me in Episode 145 of The Thought Card Podcast.

Browsing through Visit Franklin’s website, I stumbled on a page that described a charming rural village, right outside Downtown Franklin, not too far from Nashville. 

Described as ‘stepping back in time,’ Leiper’s Fork promises a quiet escape from city life which was exactly what I was looking for in a day trip from Nashville. A mix of agricultural, commercial, and residential, in this tight-knit community, everyone knows each other, there’s a vibrant business community, and creativity influences art and music.

In this podcast episode, you’ll get to hear from Aubrey Preston, who has been instrumental in the town’s revitalization over the last 30+ years. Plus, things to do in Leiper’s Fork, one of Tennessee’s best-kept, not-so secret destinations. 

Continue reading or listen to the podcast episode here.

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This episode is made in partnership with Visit Franklin. Discover things to do, places to eat, and where to stay throughout Williamson County, which is made up of eight communities, each with its own unique personality and experiences for visitors.

Discover the Beauty and Community of Leiper’s Fork

Leiper’s Fork TN Backstory

Once indigenous land, Leiper’s Fork was first inhabited by native tribes such as the Cherokee and Chickasaw tribes. It was later settled by pioneering families from North Carolina and Virginia in the late 1700’s. 

Land grants of 320 acres were given by North Carolina to Revolutionary Soldiers for their military service. By 1818, a post office was granted to the Village due to its growth and its location on the National Road from Nashville to Natchez. 

It is believed that the ‘Leiper’s Fork’ name was taken from the creek passing through the Village, but local historians debate which Leiper the creek honors. 

Its natural resources gave way to farming and livestock production, and later to the harvesting of timber and mining of minerals. With the development of railroads and roads, these resources became accessible to larger markets, allowing Leiper’s Fork to become a center of trade in western Williamson County. 

Today Leiper’s Fork is a picturesque village with many historic buildings which have been saved and restored. These preserved structures are home to restaurants, art galleries, and independently owned shops. 

Getting To Leiper’s Fork From Franklin

Leiper’s Fork is a must visit for anyone going to Franklin. To get the most out of your Tennessee getaway, I recommend staying in Franklin and planning a day trip to the Fork.

With Tennessee flags flying high everywhere, Franklin is a walkable city, just south of Nashville, full of restored Victorian buildings, restaurants, shops, bars, and coffee shops. A dog friendly city, you’ll notice dog bowls and pet-friendly signage in front of a lot of establishments along Main Street. 

With scenic parks, Civil War history, African-American history, live music, and located approximately 30 minutes driving distance from Nashville, Franklin is named after Benjamin Franklin, a Founding Father of the United States who helped draft the Declaration of Independence.  

Staying at the stylish Harpeth Franklin Downtown Hotel, Franklin’s first hotel in the downtown core in decades, meant I was centrally located in the heart of the 16-block Historic District, close to everything. 

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Where is Leiper’s Fork, TN?

From Downtown Franklin, plan to either drive or take the Franklin Hop Trolley to Leiper’s Fork. If you decide to take the trolley there’s narration pointing out 50 points of interest from Downtown Franklin to the Fork. For those who don’t have a car or prefer public transit, hop on or off at several stops around Franklin and the Village of Leiper’s Fork. 

Wanting more flexibility to explore at my own pace, I opted to drive. Only a short 15 minute drive from Historic Downtown Franklin, Leiper’s Fork feels off-the-beaten path, worlds away from Franklin’s 16-block picture perfect historic district designated a Great American Main Street. 

On a narrow two lane winding road, which opens up to rolling green hills, pass by country farms, horses and cows, and sprawling luxurious countryside estates.

Greeted by a vintage cop car marked ‘Sheriff of Leiper’s Fork’, you’ve arrived. 

Driving a little further on Old Hillsboro Road, all of the main attractions are located on a compact block. There aren’t established pedestrian sidewalks, so be careful of oncoming traffic and parked vehicles. 

Here you can find about a dozen small businesses, including art galleries, antique shops, gift shops, clothing stores, a wine tasting room, a spa, inns, and restaurants.

But as picturesque as it is today, Leiper’s Fork did not look like this 30 years ago.

Listen to this podcast episode on YouTube.

The Importance of Land Preservation

An important figure in the preservation and restoration of Leiper’s Fork, Aubrey Preston is a Tennessean, lifelong student of music history, and preservationist passionate about preserving important elements of America’s heritage and landscapes. Born in the Appalachian foothills of East Tennessee, Aubrey left the region in his 20’s and ended up in Colorado where he became a very successful real estate magnate. 

Like so many other southern natives, eventually the pull to come home became strong and he returned to Tennessee in 1991 where he purchased a turn-of-the-century farmhouse 30 miles south of Nashville in the small community of Leiper’s Fork.

Driving back and forth to Franklin, one day he took a country road wondering where it goes. He stumbled on a forgotten little commerce village with a lot of boarded up buildings. Upwards of 80% of the village’s businesses were boarded up or vacant at that time. 

As he got to know some of the locals, they expressed worry that with the construction of State Route 840 there would be an interstate exit that would disrupt their economy and way of life. 

Seeing potential in the community, Aubrey committed to helping revive the village. The community banded together to launch a preservation movement built on preserving land. In the 1990s, although preserving Downtowns was an emerging initiative, the idea of preserving land was the first of its kind in Tennessee. 

By taking an inventory of what the community had going for it, which was beautiful natural landscape, and a bunch of broken down buildings, the vision was to get Leiper’s Fork viable again. Leiper’s Fork wasn’t just a suburb of Nashville, but a cultural hub for art, music, food, and the country lifestyle. 

Motivated by his love for the land and a concern for its potential destruction, Aubrey gathered like-minded individuals and embarked on a mission to buy farms and preserve them. They worked tirelessly to get their town on the National Historic Register, recognizing the significance of the area’s history and architecture. 

Their efforts extended beyond just preserving the land; they also sought to revitalize the community by recruiting others to open businesses and restore broken-down buildings. Through their collective efforts, they successfully bootstrapped their community into what it is today.

Listen to this podcast episode on Spotify.

Through land trusts, hundreds of acres in Leiper’s Fork will remain undeveloped, leaving the preserved land a place for future generations to enjoy and cherish. Protected land surround the village on all sides, so not only can it not grow in size, but the beautiful countryside views will never change. But land preservation is not solely about protecting the physical landscape; it is also about safeguarding the intangible aspects that make a community unique. The abundance of family gardens, storytelling, and music that accompanies rural life are all integral parts of the cultural heritage that would be lost if farms were replaced by subdivisions. The feeling that time stands still here, is a big attraction, and why so many people, myself included, want to visit. 

Things To Do in Leiper’s Fork Tennessee

One of the things some people lose sight of when planning a trip to Leiper’s Fork is that it’s probably not the place you’ll want to pack your schedule with things to do from dawn to dusk. Visiting Leiper’s Fork is about connecting with the local community through food, music, art, local produce and products, and one-on-one conversations with locals. When you visit Leiper’s Fork, chill out, ditch the checklist, and power down your cell phone. As for things to do in Leiper’s Fork, here are a few of my favorites. 

1. Leiper’s Fork Distillery

If you’re interested in visiting distilleries in Tennessee, don’t miss Leiper’s Fork Distillery.

Leiper’s Fork Distillery is a small batch family-owned whiskey distillery owned by Lee L. Kennedy, who began making whiskey at the age of 16. 

Bringing the history and art of Scottish and Irish whiskey making back to Williamson County, this Tennessee distillery celebrates the time-honored tradition of creating hand crafted small batch whiskey. Using local ingredients and limestone filtered water, tour the production facility and see the behind the scenes whiskey and bourbon making process, from grain selection to mashing, fermentation, distillation, barrel aging, and bottling. Sitting in the 200 year old historic log home, the tasting room table dated back to the Civil  War, and there was even a charred section from a fire. 

Sampling their line of spirits, the Tennessee whiskey is undoubtedly my favorite. Visiting the gift shop, I brought back home a bottle of Leiper’s Fork Tennessee Whiskey for my husband and a whiskey dipped cigar for my father-in-law. Other souvenirs available for purchase include t-shirts, candles, and honey. 

Overall, Leiper’s Fork Distillery offers a timeless ambiance and is a great place to hang out. You can easily spend a few hours here: grab a drink, listen to live music, smoke a cigar, or enjoy the peaceful surroundings.

Admission: $24 for an hour tour and tasting. 

2. Leiper’s Creek Gallery

Named after the creek that runs through town, Leiper’s Creek Gallery founded by Lisa Fox, an abstract painter and gallerist, showcases paintings and sculptors by regional artists and makers. Leiper’s Creek Gallery welcomes all, families, and even dogs to enjoy the aesthetics of the historic building and the art work. 

Don’t miss the “Leipers Fork Lawn Chair Theater’ a rustic stage in the backyard which hosts live music, open mics, and other community events, like movie nights throughout the year. 

Don’t forget – bring your lawn chairs!

3. Copper Fox Gallery

Right next door, visit Copper Fox Gallery where browsing is encouraged. 

This fine arts gallery features mixed media and crafts from 90 regional artists. Here you’ll find glass work, photography, ceramics, jewelry, textiles, and more. 

I noticed a strong wildlife and nature theme.

4. Wines in the Fork

Wines in the Fork is a wine shop and tasting room overlooking Harpeth River. 

A truly unique and unforgettable experience where you can (literally) sit right in the middle of the creek, with water flowing by your feet, all while sipping wine. 

This offered a glimpse to what locals probably do in their own backyards. 

To wrap things up: Leiper’s Fork offers visitors an easygoing getaway, where life slows down — and the connections to nature, Southern culture, and rustic charm rise to the forefront. 

As I mentioned before, my advice when planning a trip to Leiper’s Fork is to ditch the itinerary. So, sure, read up on what to in Leiper’s Fork, but don’t overwhelm yourself by preparing so much ahead that you lose the essence of your visit.

Chad Gallivanter put together a great video recapping what to see and do which I highly recommend watching.

Whether you choose to spend an afternoon, plan your entire vacation around the village, or decide to move here, like so many others have, enjoy all that awaits you at Leiper’s Fork, a welcoming town with a strong cultural identity, connection to the past, and sense of place. 

Other Podcast Episodes You’ll Enjoy

Explore Clarksville’s Rich History At These Cultural Attractions – Episode 145

Appreciating Adirondack Art, Nature, and History at Adirondack Experience – Episode 142

Must Try Portland Food and Drink Experiences – Episode 132

Danielle Desir Corbett

Danielle Desir Corbett is an award-winning and 6x grant-funded travel writer and podcast host who went from financial struggle to visiting 27+ countries all without waiting until retirement. Her story is proof that budget doesn’t limit adventure. Tune into The Thought Card Podcast for practical strategies to travel smarter and live on your terms. Say hello: thethoughtcard (at) gmail (dot) com.

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