Robert Hicks

Robert Hicks was a force in Franklin’s historic preservation, a captivating storyteller, and a man whose presence left a lasting impression. Originally from Palm Beach, Florida, Robert moved to Tennessee in his twenties and found success in music publishing, working with artists like Amy Grant and Vince Gill, and even partnering with B.B. King on his blues clubs, earning the title "Curator of Vibe." Yet, it was his deep connection to the history of the Battle of Franklin and Carnton that defined his legacy.

Robert’s fascination with the 1864 Battle of Franklin led him to spearhead the restoration of Carnton, eventually expanding his efforts to the creation of Franklin’s Charge, an initiative to preserve the largest remaining fragment of the battlefield. This work, called “the largest battlefield reclamation in North American history,” has made Franklin a destination for heritage tourism, with over 125,000 visitors annually.

His New York Times best-selling novel, The Widow of the South, set at Carnton, further solidified Franklin’s place in history and tourism. Robert’s life was filled with gratitude, wisdom, and the desire to preserve the past for future generations. Even as he battled cancer, he remained grateful, writing just days before his death, "The glass of life is overflowing." He is buried at Carnton, not far from his muse, Carrie McGavock, on whom he based The Widow of the South.