Battle of Franklin Trust proposes life‑size bronze 'Mamie the mule' at Carter Hill Park; DRC gives preliminary support

Franklin — The Design Review Committee (DRC) on Tuesday reviewed a proposal from the Battle of Franklin Trust to install a life‑size bronze statue of Mamie, a Civil War draft mule, at Carter Hill Park and provided preliminary support while asking for placement and installation details.

Laurie McPeek, representing the Battle of Franklin Trust, told the DRC the figure would depict “Mamie the mule,” described in local Civil War writings connected to the Sixth Ohio, and that the artist Janelle Mayer — who created other local works — would cast the piece in bronze. McPeek said the finished sculpture would be “anywhere from 900 to 1,200 pounds finished” and intended to be climbable for children, placed on a concrete pad to protect lawn‑maintenance equipment.

Staff context and required steps: Emily (staff member, City of Franklin) told the committee the park is a city‑owned historic property and that the proposal already received a recommendation from the Civil War Historical Commission. Emily said the statue’s approximate finished length is 9.5 feet and that the next steps are DRC review, a Historic Zoning Commission recommendation to the Board of Mayor and Aldermen (BOMA), Arts Commission review, and a final BOMA vote.

DRC questions and guidance: Committee members welcomed the concept as historically contextual and as a family‑friendly way to expand battlefield interpretation. Members asked for: - A more precise site plan (for example, a Google Earth image with the park pathway shown) to confirm exact placement and distance from the cotton gin foundation and property lines; staff said there is a triangular space behind the cotton gin where the sculpture has been proposed. - Details about the concrete pad and mounting: McPeek said Parks will determine pad structural requirements and that the pad will be mostly flush with the ground with the bronze 1–3 inches above grade so mowers won’t strike it. - Information about the base and finish, and whether bronze is appropriate for an object intended for climbing; the applicant said bronze was chosen for durability but that they would consult on climbability and safety.

Other details: McPeek said the artist will include historically informed accessories (a felt hat referenced in soldier writings) to identify the figure as Mamie rather than a generic mule. The proposal includes working with Franklin Parks on mounting and with the Arts Commission and BOMA for remaining approvals.

Next steps: The DRC asked the applicant to provide a scaled Google Earth image showing the sidewalk, the cotton gin footprint, the proposed pad location and dimensions, and further details on the pedestal/pad and material specifications for a future voting packet to the Historic Zoning Commission.

Ending: The committee expressed support for the concept pending the requested site and construction details and referred the applicant to coordinate with Parks and the Arts Commission ahead of subsequent hearings.