Clement Railroad Hotel Museum Receives $25,000 America 250 Grant, Plans Expanded Programs for Students and Visitors

Dickson, TN — As the nation prepares to mark its 250th birthday, one of Dickson County’s most recognizable historic landmarks is getting help to tell its story.

The Clement Railroad Hotel Museum — also known as the Hotel Halbrook State Historic Site — has been awarded a $25,000 America 250 grant from the Tennessee Commission for the United States Semiquincentennial. The funding will support new educational outreach and exhibit development ahead of the country’s 2026 celebration.

Museum leaders say the grant will allow them to significantly expand programming over the next year, with a particular focus on local students.

Beginning soon, every fifth-grade class in Dickson County Schools is expected to participate in field trips to the museum as part of the initiative. The site will also debut a temporary exhibit exploring the life of ironmaster Montgomery Bell, the Middle Tennessee iron industry, and the origins of Montgomery Bell State Park.

Organizers say several free public programs will also be offered during the commemorative period.

The America 250 initiative is a statewide effort to help communities interpret and share their local role in the nation’s founding story and development. For Dickson County, the Clement Railroad Hotel Museum plays a central part in that history — once serving as a vital stop along the railroad and later becoming a preserved landmark tied closely to the area’s early industry and growth.

Museum officials say the goal is not only to prepare for the anniversary year, but to strengthen long-term historical education for the community.

By connecting students and visitors to regional stories — from iron production to transportation networks that shaped Middle Tennessee — the museum hopes to make the national milestone feel local.

More details about upcoming programs and exhibit dates are expected to be announced as planning continues throughout the year.