Milky Way Farm
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Milky Way Farm
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Milky Way Farm Manor House, May 2014.
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| Nearest city | Pulaski, Tennessee |
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| Coordinates | 35°18′37″N 87°2′15″W / 35.31028°N 87.03750°WCoordinates: 35°18′37″N 87°2′15″W / 35.31028°N 87.03750°W |
| Area | 500 acres (200 ha) |
| Built | 1931 |
| Architect | James F. Drake |
| Architectural style | Tudor Revival |
| NRHP Reference # | 84003537 |
| Added to NRHP | September 27, 1984 |
Milky Way Farm in Giles County, Tennessee, is the former estate of Franklin C. Mars, founder of Mars Candies. The property is named for the company's Milky Way candy bar. During the Great Depression, the estate was the largest employer in the county. The estate is listed on the National Register of Historic Places as an historic district; its manor house is now a venue for special events.
Franklin Mars and his second wife, Ethel V. Mars, purchased the 2,800-acre (11 km2) property in 1930, shortly after establishing a southern office of Mars Candies in Nashville. Architect James F. Drake was hired to design the Tudor Revival manor house and farm facilities for breeding Thoroughbred horses and Hereford cattle. Construction peaked between 1931 and 1933. With 800 workers during construction, Milky Way Farm became the largest employer in Giles County. During construction, many of the workers lived on the farm with their families. Mars is reputed to have been generous to his workers, who received free candy bars, as well as small loans and other forms of assistance.
Mars died in 1934, too soon to see the success of the farming operations. He was buried in a mausoleum on Milky Way Farm. His widow, Ethel Mars, oversaw the planned livestock operations. Milky Way Farm produced prize-winning Hereford cattle and thoroughbred horses that were winners on the racetrack, beginning with the farm's first racing season in 1934. Winnings in 1936 totaled $206,450, making the Milky Way Farm stable the season's most successful owner on the U.S. thoroughbred racing circuit. In 1940, Milky Way Farm’s Gallahadion won the Kentucky Derby.
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