Historic Farm Venue for The Summer Party

MURFREESBORO, DNJ — From the second-floor picture window of the historic Tarpley home in Walter Hill, Bev MacSherry looked out toward West Jefferson Pike and said, "Can't you just see those Civil War soldiers,  battered and weary, trudging that path?"

Indeed, it isn't hard to imagine.  The view is authentic, considering the house was built in 1830.  MacSherry, an interior designer, lives in the Greek  Revival home at the owners' behest and has overseen painstaking renovation of several structures on the property as well as landscape improvements.

At 455 West Jefferson Pike, The Tarpley Farm is the venue on June 18, 2011 for The Summer Party benefiting Main Street Murfreesboro/Rutherford County.  Known for years as Taste of Rutherford, the annual party is the  primary fundraiser for the nonprofit organization that champions downtown Murfreesboro.  Think of it as tastes, tunes and toddies for a well-loved
cause.  This year's evening event is dubbed "Main Street and Magnolias," capitalizing on Main Street's reputation and the profusion of verdant magnolia trees scattered around the Tarpley lawn.

Considering 2011 is the 150th anniversary of the Civil War, The Tarpley Farm (officially known as the Searcy-Matthews-Tarpley Farm) is a fitting locale for an event designed to raise money for the maintenance, enhancement and promotion of the historic downtown area.  Because 2011 also marks the 100th anniversary of Middle Tennessee State University and the 200th anniversary of Murfreesboro, a community acknowledgment of Rutherford County's rich history is certainly in order, said Sean Gilliland, former Main Street chairman of the board and The Summer Party co-chair with his wife, Anne.  "We have even more reason to celebrate," Gilliland continued, "because The Tarpley Farm was just nominated to the National Register of Historic Places."

The nomination by the Tennessee State
National Register Review Board occurred in
May, and final approval is expected from
the U.S. Department of Interior by
September.

More than 1,500 invitations to The Summer Party will  be in the mail in early June, yet everyone is encouraged to attend.  If you don't receive an invitation, just call the Main
Street office at 615-895-1887.  The event is from 7 to 10PM June 18.  Party-goers will park in the paved lot of Walter Hill
Elementary School, at the intersection of US Highway 231 and Jefferson Pike; then, they will be shuttled right down the road
and conveniently dropped off at the front of the house.  The cost of the party is $50 per person, which includes dinner, drinks
and music.

"That's quite a deal, considering some of our community's best chefs will be preparing their top dishes," said Bill Shacklett,  this year's Main Street board chair.  "You just walk through the line and help yourself to delicious food, and it's all to support our beautiful downtown."

Shacklett added that the party is an opportunity to "visit with our like-minded neighbors who believe that a vibrant and busy downtown is a recipe for community success."

Some of the restaurants participating in the sumptuous Taste of Rutherford include:

B. McNeel's, Blue Porch Catering, Fanatics Sports Bar & Grill, Ganache Desserts, Goodness Gracious Catering and Cafe,
Maple Street Grill, Marina's, Mike's Catfish, Mimi's Cafe, Old Chicago, Puelo's, Slick Pig and The Chef Place.

This year's corporate sponsors for The Summer Party include:

Gold Level — First National Bank of McMinnville, Murfreesboro Branch; Maple Street Grill; Murfreesboro Magazine; Reeves-Sain; State Farm

Silver Level — Bell Jewelers; Middle Tennessee Medical Center; Brent Pewitt; Wilson Bank & Trust

Bronze Level — City Tile & Floor Covering; Huddleston-Steele Engineering; Kious, Rodgers, Barger, Holder & Kious; Nashville
Motor Cars; Ole South Properties; Pinnacle Financial Partners; SunTrust; Trendy Pieces/Bella's Boutique; Tri Star Title &
Escrow; Woodfin Funeral Chapels

The Main Street Program is affiliated with the National Trust for Historic Preservation's National Main Street Center and follows the tenets of that program.  Main Street capitalizes on the unique character of the Courthouse Square and the surrounding business district with the goal of transforming it into the cultural, social, professional and retail center of Rutherford County ... in essence, the hub of community life.