TRAITMARKER MEDIA
tell a better story
BENJAMIN FRANKLIN
America’s First Rockstar
by Pamela Lewis
America's Original Influencer
DISCOVER THE WIT, WISDOM, AND WONDER of Franklin, Tennessee through the eyes of the man who inspired its name in Benjamin Franklin: America’s First Rockstar. Created in honor of Franklin’s 320th birthday and the unveiling of his new downtown statue, this commemorative guidebook blends history, humor, walking-tour adventures, and local lore into one beautifully crafted companion.
Explore Main Street through Benjamin Franklin’s most iconic aphorisms, uncover hidden ties to Dr. Hugh Williamson—the county’s forgotten Founding Father—and learn how Enlightenment ideals still shape the culture, civics, and creativity of Williamson County today. Rich with illustrated maps, historic photos, and QR-linked “bonus stories,” this book transforms the city into an open-air museum where every block carries a spark of Franklin’s genius.
Whether you’re a visitor, a student, or a lifelong resident, you’ll see Franklin, TN with new eyes…and maybe even hear Ben’s dry humor echoing down the streets and in the quaint places. Equal parts guidebook, history lesson, and love letter to a remarkable American town, Benjamin Franklin: America’s First Rockstar is the perfect keepsake for 2026 and beyond.
Bringing the Past to the Present.
PAMELA LEWIS is living proof that one well-stewarded life can change the story of a city. Born in New York and seasoned in the worlds of media and music (from pioneering days at MTV and RCA to launching her own firm, PLA Media), she became an “artist whisperer” who helped shape the careers of Garth Brooks, Trisha Yearwood, and other defining voices of country music. Drawn to Tennessee, she eventually rooted herself at Harrison House, a 68-acre Greek Revival homestead in Franklin whose layered Revolutionary and Civil War history became the anchor for her preservation work and civic vision.
On Music Row, she quietly saved creative space by purchasing and restoring endangered buildings. In Franklin, she did the same for memory itself, reframing the city’s identity around its Revolutionary namesakes, Benjamin Franklin and Dr. Hugh Williamson. Her public service as alderman-at-large, vice mayor, and board member for numerous civic and cultural organizations helped reclaim battlefields, preserve farms and parks, and secure protections for trees, architecture, and public history.
Recognized with honors from Belmont University, the Royal Society of Arts, and international faith and unity organizations, she has consistently bridged culture, civics, and community. Her crowning achievement may be Franklin’s quiet “rebrand”: championing its Revolutionary roots and purchasing the seated Benjamin Franklin statue that now greets visitors at the county archives as a symbol of unity, wit, and forward-looking heritage.
A self-described “damn Yankee” who fell in love with Tennessee and stayed to do the work, Pamela Lewis has not only preserved Franklin’s past—she has repersonalized it, reminding the city who it was first and welcoming the next generation into that ongoing story.
