Lotz House
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Lotz House
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Lotz House, September 2014.
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| Location | 1111 Columbia Ave., Franklin, Tennessee |
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| Coordinates | 35°55′4″N 86°52′22″W / 35.91778°N 86.87278°WCoordinates: 35°55′4″N 86°52′22″W / 35.91778°N 86.87278°W |
| Area | 0.3 acres (0.12 ha) |
| Built | 1858 |
| NRHP Reference # | 76001809 |
| Added to NRHP | December 12, 1976 |
The Lotz House is a building in Franklin, Tennessee that was built in 1858. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1976.
The land on which the house was constructed was purchased from the Carter family by German emigrants Johann Albert Lotz and Margaretha Lotz. Johann, a very talented woodworker, constructed such things as pianos and much of the house itself. Inside the home were plentiful examples of intricate details which showcased his skill. Some of these details include three fireplaces whose designs range from very simple to intricate, as well as a solid black walnut handrail that wraps around a staircase from the ground floor to the second floor of the home. Margaretha bore six children, Paul and Amelia (from a former marriage), Augustus, Matilda and twins Julius and Julia.
In 1864, the Union Army, expecting a Confederate attack, began to mobilize large amounts of soldiers in the general area of the Carter and Lotz houses. The Union soldiers cut down every tree they could to prevent Confederate sniping and poisoned much of the water supply. This would prove tragic when the Lotz twins, Julius and Julia, went out to play at a nearby stream and were killed by the poison in the water.
With the Battle of Franklin imminent, the Lotz family took refuge in the cellar of the Carter house because the Lotz house had no substantial or hidden shelter. Johann salvaged as many of his tools as he could before hiding because the tools were necessary to support his family. The battle raged on for five hours and is considered one of the bloodiest battles of the Civil War.
When the two families emerged from shelter, the area was a wasteland - piles of bodies and evidence of brutal hand-to-hand combat. The Lotz house was still standing, though damaged. The south wall had been blasted off, most likely by Confederate forces. Cannon ball holes can be seen inside the house to this day. Johann was quick to repair the house.
The house became a field hospital after the battle. To this day a visitor can see many bloodstains on the floors and walls all over the house.
Family life went on as usual after the Confederate surrender. McGavock Confederate Cemetery, not far from the house, contains the bodies of 1,481 Confederate soldiers. Johann continued woodworking and Matilda, an avid artist since young childhood, began to expand her talents and specialized in painting animals. Soon, her artwork became popular, even becoming known throughout Europe. She was also known to have an uncanny ability to attract animals to herself. Later in life, Johann Lotz was forced to flee the Lotz house with his family after constructing a piano with a controversial image carved into it: he carved an American eagle holding up an American flag with one foot and a Confederate flag with the other, which was pointing down. Confederate activists sought to destroy the piano and perhaps kill Johann. Though the house was unharmed, the piano was taken outside and burned. Lotz and his family trekked across the country to San Jose, California. Today the house is a museum where there are many interesting artifacts to be seen. Its close location to the Carter House and the Franklin Battlefield make it an ideal destination for tourists .
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