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Welcome to Fayette County Tennessee Historical Society
The Fayette County Historical Society was organized in 1975
to generate interest in local history. Believing that our past
defines our future, the Historical Society strives to preserve that
which has gone before.
Today, the goal of the society is to assist people seeking connections
to their roots by compiling and maintaining an extensive collection
of historical and genealogical material at the Somerville-Fayette
County Library.
Creation of this website will advance this mission by providing an
easily accessible tool to document Fayette County's history through
photographs.
Membership
Membership in Fayette County Historical Society is open to anyone
interested in the history of this county. The annual meeting held in
April is the major event of the organization. The program at this
gathering includes a talk on a place or personality of local interest and
a brief business meeting with the election of board members. A luncheon
is served following the meeting. The annual meeting concludes with a
tour of a local landmark. There are several other meetings throughout
the year with talks or discussions on topics pertaining to Fayette County.
The FCHS stages a quilt show in October at Ames Plantation during the
Heritage Festival. Old and new quilts are exhibited as well as vintage
coverlets. This is a labor intensive, herculean effort requiring numerous
volunteers.
Dues in the FCHS are $10.00 payable at the annual meeting. Dues and
monetary gifts to the society are used to assist the Somerville-Fayette
County Library in purchasing books, microfilm, equipment, or shelving
for the History and Genealogy Room. The expense of printing and
binding materials compiled by local historians or genealogists to make
them shelf-ready for researchers is covered by the society. Approximately
half of the genealogical material in the library has been transcribed,
compiled, or written by dedicated members of FCHS. Materials used to
construct the frames for displaying the quilts exhibited by FCHS at the Ames
Plantation Heritage Festival were paid for with money from dues. The
labor of constructing these frames was provided free by dedicated board
members and Ames Plantation staff. Creation of this website was also
made possible by dues.