The Carousel of Dreams Opens Saturday at The Factory

The Factory at Franklin’s newest attraction, the Carousel of Dreams, opens on Saturday, following a ribbon cutting ceremony on Friday.

More than 100 community, government and business leaders gathered at the rear of The Factory on Friday morning

The carousel features 32 animal figures from horses to dragons, as well as two wheelchair-accessible chariots, and is the work of master carver, painter and mechanical engineer Ken Means.

Means has spent decades hand-crafting carousel figures after carving his first piece, a wooden rocking horse, as a Christmas present for his children in 1979.

In 2019, Means and his wife Betty moved to Franklin from Oregon and began working in a rented space inside the Factory, which is now the permanent home for his art.

The three decade-long project only took four days to assemble earlier this month, and is now bringing new life and laughter to the Factory.

“I've been working on this for over 30 years, and this end result, I visualized in my own mind, but to actually have it happen is like a miracle,” Ken Means told the Williamson Scene between rides on the carousel.

Proceeds from the carousel’s operations will benefit The Circle of Giving nonprofit, launched by Factory developer Holladay Properties, and led by City of Franklin Alderman Brandy Blanton as the nonprofit's president and CEO.

“Every time you ride, and it's $5 for those of you who want to know, at the end of the year, the net proceeds, we will give back not only to nonprofits in Williamson County, but nonprofits in Williamson County specifically,” Blanton said.

In its inaugural year, the carousel will help fund four local nonprofits: FrankTown Open Hearts, Friends of Franklin Parks, Hard Bargain Association and Nook (Needs Of Our Kids).

“The fact that you've got this amazing partnership with the private sector, with the different elected officials, with the community coming together to support something like this. It really matters when it comes to where companies decide to invest and where families decide to move and stay,” Williamson Inc. CEO and President Matt Largen said.

Largen also noted that the event was the chamber's 33rd ribbon cutting of the year, and called the carousel “a reflection of Franklin's soul.”

“We just hope that everyone enjoys [it] and it makes them happy,” an emotional Betty Means said prior to the ribbon cutting.

Minutes later, dozens of attendees, including many children, did just that, climbing atop the handcrafted animals — horses, lions, zebras, tigers and giraffes and more.

“It's an honor to be what I call your boots on the ground, and I can't thank you enough for the gift you've given this community,” Blanton told the Means family.

“It's one thing to have a great attraction, it's another thing that it fuels the spirit of this community,” Franklin Alderman and The Circle of Giving Chairman Matt Brown said.

Holladay Properties Chief Development Officer Allen Arender called the attraction a “piece of art.”

“It's timeless,” Arender said. “It sparks wonder.”