Constructed in 1913, the historic Hotel Halbrook opened its doors as a "railroad hotel" in April 1914. This hotel was central for both travelers and locals in the first half of the 1900s. The Halbrook operated until 1954 when passenger rail began to decline.
On June 2, 1920, Frank G. Clement, the 41st Governor of Tennessee, was born at this site. During his 10 years in office, Clement became a proponent for the modernization of Tennessee. Under his leadership the state saw extensive reforms in education, infrastructure, the state prison system, and the end of Jim Crow segregation. Clement made history by creating the state's first Department of Mental Health, creating the South's first community college, and in 1955 becoming the first southern governor in U.S. history to veto a segregation bill as well as integrate the first southern high school.
Today, the Clement Railroad Hotel Museum is a state historic site which offers 11 permanent exhibits focusing on the history of Dickson County, Tennessee, the American Civil War, the railroad, the Civil Rights Movement, and the life and legacy of Governor Frank G. Clement. The museum demonstrates some of the momentous changes of the 19th & 20th centuries, providing insight into how the past connects with our present.
