Home Care In College Grove, TN

Most passionate basketball fans have seen the movie “Hoosiers,” the uplifting story of the Milan High School boys’ basketball team winning the 1954 Indiana state championship in Indianapolis over the mighty Muncie Central Bearcats. The school’s total enrollment was 162 students.

Williamson County has a compatible version of that movie from a state championship run by College Grove High School just 25 years earlier. The Tennessee School Secondary Athletic Association (TSSAA) was formed in 1925 by a group of school superintendents and principals during a teacher convention held in Nashville.

College Grove was a member of the organization and eligible for state athletic competitions. The school opened in 1854 as a private school called Popular Grove Male Academy. The original building was replaced in 1916 and College Grove High School ceased to exist in 1975 when Page High School opened.

The 1929 Tennessee State Boys High School Tournament was held in Jefferson Hall on the University of Tennessee campus, March 7-9. There were 16 teams across the state that qualified for the tournament. College Grove was undefeated entering the event and won its first-round game over Hornbeak, 47-25. The next day College Grove defeated Nashville Cathedral (Father Ryan), 35-18, to earn a berth in the semifinals.

The Grove needed to win two consecutive games on the final day to win the state crown, which they did over Linden (45-22) and Halls (34-24). The Knoxville News-Sentinel reported on the title game:

“Climaxing the first state basketball tournament ever held in Knoxville. The Halls high and College Grove high teams battled thru 40 furious minutes Saturday night on Jefferson Hall court before a final spurt gave the College Grove lads a 34-24 victory and the basketball crown of Tennessee high schools.

The game was one of the best ever seen here and doubtless the best of the 1929 season in Knoxville from the spectators standpoint. This, in spite of the fact there was 10 points difference in the scores of the two teams.

The margin which the College Grove quint secured to win was gained in the very late stages of the game when Halls could not muster a rally in the short time that remained. In desperation they tried to overcome a lead, which boded defeat, but the College Grove boys clung tenaciously to that lead until the pistol was sounded.

The battle waged Saturday night in the finals was not a battle of two fastest basketball teams, but also a battle between two of the best high school centers ever seen hereabouts. Adamson, captain and center of Halls, and Young, center of College Grove, outdid themselves in efforts to bring their teams victory.”

On the night in the finals, scoring for College Grove were Hubert Young (17 points), Albert Wilson (10), Hamp Thomas (3), Millard Lamb (1), Dink Scales (1) and Robert Sanford (2).

The “Review Appeal” printed this notice from the First Bank & Trust Company:

“The winning of the State Basket Ball Championship for Tennessee by The College Grove High School is an honor of which the whole County of Williamson should feel exceedingly proud. The citizens of Williamson County have every reason to feel proud of the faculty and personnel of the student body of the College Grove High School. No county enjoys a more valuable asset than does Williamson in the citizens living within the College Grove area.

This Bank wants to offer its heartiest congratulations to the Coach Haynes Brinkley and to the members of the team: Lamb, Wilson, Young, Scales, Thomas, Sanford, and others who assisted, and to College Grove and to Williamson County.”

However, the Grove’s basketball season was not over after winning the state title. In this era of high school basketball each state champion was invited to participate in the boys high school national tournament to determine a national champion. But, not all 48 states sent a representative to the event.

The Williamson County organized a fundraiser for its citizens to help defray the expenses for the team’s trip to Chicago. College Grove did win its first two games, but lost to the eventual national champion Athens, Texas in the quarterfinals. This would be College Grove’s only blemish of this remarkable season. The 1929 state championship is the only state title College Grove High School has won in any sport — boys and girls.

The College Grove High School 1929 state championship trophy is on display in the R.L. Windrow Gymnasium in the College Grove Community Center.

Two years ago, we reported about the opening of a new park in College Grove on Anita and Walter Olgivie’s property where Peacock Hill Inn, a 4-diamond Bed and Breakfast, had operated for ten years. And then there was nothing.

Not open in the fall of 2021 as projected, the park is still listed on the Williamson County Parks and Recreation website as “in development.” When an email was sent to the department asking about the development, no answer was ever received.

Peacock Hill was donated to Williamson County Parks and Recreation in 2018 to ensure that it remained in its natural state. The 255 acres of land will feature up to eight miles of hiking trails, a visitor’s center, multiple ponds and many incredible overlook views according to visitfranklin.com.

When the family was trying to sell the property, land.com described it as having a rich history. The home that was used as the foundation of the bed and breakfast pre-dates the Civil War.

Previous to the county receiving the land, the Land Trust became involved. “The Land Trust … became the intermediary between the landowners and Williamson County, according to their website. While the county has a lot of ‘active’ parks – those with picnic areas, ball fields, and recreation centers – it does not have a lot of natural (or ‘passive’) parks, those with a focus on hiking trails and experiencing nature. After seeing the need for such space and being ultimately inspired by Garden of the Gods in Colorado Springs, Colo., the [Olgivies] decided to donate their family land to Williamson County to create a park.”

“The land is quite steep in some areas and has opportunities for hiking at all levels and may possibly offer fishing,” says the Land Trust website. “The landowners and the county are aligned in their vision to see the property remain as natural as possible, similar to the Warner Parks or Radnor Lake in Nashville. The family had previously completed six miles of trails, which were for guests of the bed-and-breakfast when it was in operation.”

“A lot of people may ask, ‘Why would a park need a conservation easement?’”, said Emily Parish, Land Trust’s Vice President of Conservation. “We help permanently protect parkland to ensure that future governments keep it as parkland.”

The Land Trust currently protects 30 parks and open spaces totaling over 13,000 acres with conservation easements and has assisted with adding 30,000 acres to Tennessee State Parks, Wildlife Management Areas, Natural Areas, and local park systems.

In 2021, we reported that Phase I of the park, expected to cost about $1.3 million, will include more than five miles of hiking trails, a visitor’s center and parking area, an ADA accessible trail, a covered bridge, trail areas with covered benches, picnic tables and an overlook area. The draw will be the vistas located way out in the woods that overlook a significant part of the southeast corner of the county. Eventually, a tower will be built to provide visitors with a wider view.

The Inn will not be part of the park, it was sold to the Rockvale Writer’s Colony, which serves as a retreat for writers from all over the country. However, the visitor’s center will be a renovation of another building on the property, which contains part of an old log cabin. This building once served as an addition to the bed and breakfast.

Much needed for the growing community, the park will also be accessible to visitors from other counties. It will only take about 35 minutes to arrive from downtown Franklin, and an hour from Nashville, and it is very close to Eagleville in Rutherford County. It will be located at 6900 Giles Hill Road.

Two years ago, we reported about the opening of a new park in College Grove on Anita and Walter Olgivie’s property where Peacock Hill Inn, a 4-diamond Bed and Breakfast, had operated for ten years. And then there was nothing.

Not open in the fall of 2021 as projected, the park is still listed on the Williamson County Parks and Recreation website as “in development.” When an email was sent to the department asking about the development, no answer was ever received.

Peacock Hill was donated to Williamson County Parks and Recreation in 2018 to ensure that it remained in its natural state. The 255 acres of land will feature up to eight miles of hiking trails, a visitor’s center, multiple ponds and many incredible overlook views according to visitfranklin.com.

When the family was trying to sell the property, land.com described it as having a rich history. The home that was used as the foundation of the bed and breakfast pre-dates the Civil War.

Previous to the county receiving the land, the Land Trust became involved. “The Land Trust … became the intermediary between the landowners and Williamson County, according to their website. While the county has a lot of ‘active’ parks – those with picnic areas, ball fields, and recreation centers – it does not have a lot of natural (or ‘passive’) parks, those with a focus on hiking trails and experiencing nature. After seeing the need for such space and being ultimately inspired by Garden of the Gods in Colorado Springs, Colo., the [Olgivies] decided to donate their family land to Williamson County to create a park.”

“The land is quite steep in some areas and has opportunities for hiking at all levels and may possibly offer fishing,” says the Land Trust website. “The landowners and the county are aligned in their vision to see the property remain as natural as possible, similar to the Warner Parks or Radnor Lake in Nashville. The family had previously completed six miles of trails, which were for guests of the bed-and-breakfast when it was in operation.”

“A lot of people may ask, ‘Why would a park need a conservation easement?’”, said Emily Parish, Land Trust’s Vice President of Conservation. “We help permanently protect parkland to ensure that future governments keep it as parkland.”

The Land Trust currently protects 30 parks and open spaces totaling over 13,000 acres with conservation easements and has assisted with adding 30,000 acres to Tennessee State Parks, Wildlife Management Areas, Natural Areas, and local park systems.

In 2021, we reported that Phase I of the park, expected to cost about $1.3 million, will include more than five miles of hiking trails, a visitor’s center and parking area, an ADA accessible trail, a covered bridge, trail areas with covered benches, picnic tables and an overlook area. The draw will be the vistas located way out in the woods that overlook a significant part of the southeast corner of the county. Eventually, a tower will be built to provide visitors with a wider view.

The Inn will not be part of the park, it was sold to the Rockvale Writer’s Colony, which serves as a retreat for writers from all over the country. However, the visitor’s center will be a renovation of another building on the property, which contains part of an old log cabin. This building once served as an addition to the bed and breakfast.

Much needed for the growing community, the park will also be accessible to visitors from other counties. It will only take about 35 minutes to arrive from downtown Franklin, and an hour from Nashville, and it is very close to Eagleville in Rutherford County. It will be located at 6900 Giles Hill Road.

COLLEGE GROVE, Tenn. - Middle Tennessee Golf has added a state-of-the-art practice facility to one of the area's premier golf courses. The Blue Raiders cut the ribbon on their new building, built in partnership with and located at The Grove Club, Tuesday.

"Today, this celebration allows us to recognize the generous supporters who have made all of this possible," MTSU President Sidney McPhee said. "The completion of this project represents a strong commitment to our teams and a substantial investment in our golf program."

After breaking ground on August 15, 2020 the Middle Tennessee Men's and Women's Golf programs officially took residence of the $1.1 million facility, funded entirely through private donations, on Tuesday.

"[Our donors] have done a great, great thing," Director of Athletics Chris Massaro said. "And now our golf teams have even better opportunities to compete on a national scale. We expect to have more trophies and fill up these walls with more accolades."

The Blue Raiders' new digs feature three indoor hitting bays and an indoor putting green with multiple slope changes that will help the Blue Raiders perfect their game even in unfavorable weather conditions.

Two of the indoor hitting bays include TrackMan simulator studios that will provide players with real-time feedback on the distance, speed, and rotation of their shots and can simulate play on more than 90 courses. Just steps away are a players' lounge, locker rooms, training facilities and a study area.

"We are very excited to open this facility at The Grove," head men's golf coach Mark McEntire said. "The Grove is one of the premier golf courses in Tennessee and being able to call The Grove home will change the way we recruit, raise money and develop our players.

"The Grove hosts events like the [Korn Ferry Tour] Simmons Bank Open and the Tennessee Junior Cup [hosted by PGA Tour member Scott Stallings]. It attracts the best players in professional and junior golf. This is very exciting for us, and we're thankful we can join the family."

"We are beyond grateful to all of the great supporters we have in our golf programs and to all of the great players and coaches we have had who have helped make this possible," head women's golf coach Chris Adams said. "To have an amazing building like this with all the amenities on a championship golf course with great practice facilities sets our program apart from others from a recruiting standpoint."

"The building is big enough that it gives us the ability to use the TrackMan technology indoors while also getting to putt on a green that offers different breaks and not just your typical flat putt. I know the players are very thankful and excited to get to use the facility."

The facility was made possible by the efforts of Mark and Cindy Enderle, Mike Green, Brent and Vicky Clements, John and Gina Floyd, and others. The synthetic turf in all practice areas was installed by Goat Turf, located in Murfreesboro and owned by Blue Raider Baseball alumnus Tyler Burnett, while construction was completed by Shane McFarland Construction.

With a state-of-the-art practice facility located at the highly-rated Grove Club, Middle Tennessee Golf will now stand on par with some of the top programs not only in the state of Tennessee, but all of Division I golf in what it offers collegiate players to give them the ability to become top-ranked players.

The 18-hole, par 72 Greg Norman Signature course at The Grove offers fairways kept at tour heights, greens rolling at U.S. Open speeds and bunkers identical to those at the Tour Championship, providing a golf experience that is unparalleled in Nashville and Middle Tennessee.

Special to Nashville Tennessean / USA TODAY NETWORK — TENNESSEE

The Nashville region’s hottest spot for luxury homes is nestled in the quiet countryside, but thanks to a location along the Interstate 65/840 growth corridor, it’s only minutes away from Franklin, Cool Springs or Murfreesboro.

College Grove, the rural southern Williamson County community that is home to The Grove gated country club community and the upscale Falls Grove neighborhood, is getting another luxury neighborhood. Developers are launching sales in Vineyard Valley, a boutique subdivision with just 68 home sites.

The surrounding area along 840 and Arno Road offers advantages that would be hard to match, said Randall Smith, president of Celebration Homes.

They include a “rural feel in the hills of Williamson County yet minutes to the city, less congestion, incredible views, quiet, open spaces, a … smaller community lifestyle,” he said.

Home prices in Vineyard Valley will range from the upper $500,000s to the $700,000s. The neighborhood is being developed by Celebration and Willow Branch Partners.

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College Grove a desirable location

In nearby Falls Grove, Ryan Homes is building from the $400,000s. Homes by The Jones Co. are priced from around $539,000.

Homes in The Grove are priced from $1 million to around $3 million. The 1,100-acre community offers a Greg Norman Signature Golf Course and amenities including a full-service spa, fitness facilities, tennis, pickleball, trails, parks, equestrian activities and a restaurant.

The Grove hosted this year’s James Hardie Parade of Homes. Five builders — Stonegate Homes, Legend Homes, Hatcliff Construction, Luna Custom Homes and Trace Construction — presented custom luxury houses during the event. They ranged from 6,400 to more than 8,700 square feet.

“College Grove has the all the beauty of rural Williamson County in a location that’s 15 minutes from Cool Springs. We recently wrapped a successful Parade of Homes in The Grove where you get the best of all worlds with rolling hills combined with world class golf and amenities,” said Andy Ferguson, vice president of Legend Homes.

The Grove’s success proves that College Grove is a desirable location, said Smith.

“Nearby Arrington Vineyards also offers a nice amenity for the residents of Vineyard Valley to enjoy. Additionally the exceptional educational opportunities of Williamson County schools are always a value added,” he said.

The area is in the sought-after Page Middle and Page High School zone, which attracts young families. And, land prices are lower than in Franklin, Nolensville and other places in Williamson County, said Jen Lucy, director of sales for The Jones Co.

“Just minutes from Franklin but with a very secluded feel, College Grove has become Williamson County’s best kept secret until now,” she said.

Vineyard Valley has a 'quieter personality'

Falls Grove is a master-planned neighborhood with a multi-million-dollar amenity center that includes an oversized pool, a kids’ splash zone with automated soaking buckets and fountains, a fitness center, a putting green and tennis courts. The neighborhood has playgrounds and several miles of sidewalks. Home sites are also larger than in many other neighborhoods, said Lucy.

Vineyard Valley has a quieter personality. The neighborhood has nature trails, a stocked fishing pond and 50 acres of common space. Home sites are a quarter-acre to one-third of an acre, and all back up to the common area.

“Vineyard Valley is truly a peaceful community without the added expense of other communities,” said Bucky Ingram, president of Willow Branch.

Homes in Vineyard Valley will be customizable. Features include large covered porches, carriage garages and drive-through carports. Homes have balconies with views, spa baths, open rooms, gourmet kitchens with luxury appliances, tile, quartz and plank floor finishes, said Smith.

Ingram expects to see continued growth in College Grove.

“With the expansion of so much retail and commercial within 15 minutes of Vineyard Valley, it has provided people the ability to enjoy the quiet lifestyle of an exclusive boutique community … with the close convenience of shopping and work,” he said.