Friends of the Stones River Battlefield are not exactly happy about a brand-new distribution center moving into the battlefield area in Murfreesboro. The property in question is at 2150 Northwest Broad Street.

O'Reilly's, an auto parts store that has more than 5,000 stores in 47 states and 8 stores in Rutherford County, has already bought the property that sits on a battle site. The company plans to use the land to build a new distribution center for Middle Tennessee customers. The center would create about 400 new jobs.

Mike Liles, President of The Friends of the Stones River National Battlefield said they are trying to buy the acreage from O'Reilly's...

Friends of the Stones River Battlefield invite the public to learn more about the land and future plans for the site during an upcoming meeting this Monday, March 12, 2018. The meeting will be at 5:30 in the evening at New Vision Baptist Church at 1750 North Thompson Lane. The meeting is open to the public.

Hear everything that Liles had to say:



More Information:

O'Reilly's is an American owned company serves both the professional service providers and do-it-yourself customers'. The company was founded by Charles Francis O'Reilly and his son Charles H. O'Reilly in 1957. By 1961, the company had a sales volume of $1.3 million. In 1975, they grew to 9 stores with a sales volume of $7 million. In 1993, the company became so large they moved to be publicly traded (ORLY on NASDAQ).

With the growth continuing, O'Reilly's aims to open a distribution center in Murfreesboro at the former location of General Electric. Reports indicate the distribution center will employ about 400 people.

The land that the company plans to build on is a site in which the Battle of Stones River took place. The property has been vacant ever since the old GE plant was torn down and it sits on Northwest Broad Street. The GE plant shut down in 2006 and was later torn down in 2013. See photo to the right from 2013 demolition.

The property backs up to the Artillery Monument and McFadden's Ford in the preserved battlefield area. The site was central in both days of fighting during the Battle of Stones River.

The Battle of Stones River, also known as the Second Battle of Murfreesboro, was fought from December 31, 1862, to January 2, 1863.

Friends of the Stones River Battlefield invite the public to learn more about the land and future plans for the site during an upcoming meeting on Monday, March 12, 2018. The meeting will be at 5:30 in the evening at New Vision Baptist Church at 1750 North Thompson Lane. The meeting is open to the public.

Below: Photo from the Stones River Battlefield