Nancy Kerlin Barnett Grave

One of the more unusual sights in Johnson County: a solitary grave sitting on a small island in the middle of a county road about 5 miles northeast of Franklin. The grave belongs to Nancy Kerlin Barnett, who died in 1831 and was buried on a hilltop at her own request. When road-builders came through in 1912, her grandson stationed himself on the grave and refused to move — so the road was built around her instead.

The grave is still there, tended and marked, reachable by pulling over on the road verge. It's the kind of quietly absurd piece of Americana that rewards a short detour.

things to do sight
A story
When the county road was widened in 1912, workers found Nancy Kerlin Barnett's grave squarely in the path of the new road. Her grandson refused to let the body be moved, sitting on the coffin to prevent it. The road was simply divided around the grave and has stayed that way ever since. Nancy Barnett, who died in 1831, reportedly asked to be buried on the hill where she had picnicked. The island grave has been there for nearly 200 years.

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