A brief history of Pegram, Tennessee

What started as a stagecoach station became the town of Pegram, host of their own park, fine

arts magnet school, and many other businesses and organizations.

The Cheatham County town of over 2,000 people was – over a century ago – a train depot between Charlotte and Nashville.

Today, Pegram is a bustling home for many, upholding pillars of environment, education, and family.

The town that would become Pegram and the surrounding Harpeth river area was originally

inhabited by various native American tribes, such as those of the Mound Bottom settlement.

In 1898, a stagecoach station that later became a train depot and railway was built.

Called Pegram Station after a local settler and plantation owner by the name of George Scott Pegram, the rail would become the namesake of the town. Originally, the town's full name was "Pegram Station," which was later shortened to the current town name.

The Pegram family was a large contribution to the beginnings of Pegram. The family owned various small businesses, like a general store and post office, in the early 1900s.

The old general store, which later became a post office / Pegram family album)

As time went on, more families began to move to the area, presumably because of its close proximity to the Harpeth. Of the springs and water there, an 1847 newspaper wrote they are "the most desirable fishing ground in middle Tennessee."

Along with the river and government buildings, stores and motels like the Ham's motel and cafe served as draws to the town. Aided by the Harpeth, tourism also served as a draw to Pegram; many came to participate in recreational activities like canoeing and swimming, which drew the town to the public eye.

This tourist court is said to have later become Finch's Country Store, situated near Pegram Park.

Pegram is also home to its own elementary school, which dates back to the 1890s.

Originally a one-room schoolhouse, the school has been through various incarnations and locations. The fourth Pegram elementary, originally named "The Old Belvedere School," was built on the same land as the current fine arts magnet school.

Today, Pegram is host to a thriving community of many talents. With many of its landmarks still standing and records kept, the town is one of rich history that is easily explored.

Situated at the heart of the Harpeth, Pegram is full of hidden historical gems waiting to be explored.