From “Big Holly” to Gallagher: A Piece of Murfreesboro History Lives On

If you are from Murfreesboro, Tennessee, there is a good chance you know the Historic Maney Home, located in the 700 block of Maney Avenue. Built in 1866, the beautiful home has stood as an important part of Murfreesboro’s history for more than 150 years and has a story as rich as the community surrounding it.

Today, the home is owned by Gordon and Sara Bell, who have continued to care for and preserve this remarkable piece of Murfreesboro history.

But the Maney Home was home to more than just a historic house.

For generations, one of the property’s most recognizable features has been a magnificent American Holly tree believed to be approximately 200 years old. Affectionately known as “Big Holly,” the majestic tree has become a beloved landmark in its own right and a living connection to Murfreesboro’s past.

Recently, a powerful storm with strong winds caused a portion of the historic Holly to fracture and fall. Thankfully, the entire tree was not lost, and “Big Holly” remains standing. Even so, the loss of a portion of a nearly 200-year-old tree was understandably difficult.

Because of the tree’s historic significance, Mr. Bell contacted an arborist with the hope of finding someone who could responsibly repurpose the fallen wood rather than allowing it to simply be discarded.

We were incredibly honored to be approached about the possibility of giving some of that wood a new life.

Through that effort, Gallagher Guitar Co. was able to obtain a limited amount of the historic Holly wood.

And we knew exactly what we wanted to do with it.

At Gallagher, we believe that a great guitar is about more than wood, craftsmanship and sound. It is also about the stories contained within the materials we use. Every piece of wood has a history, and sometimes that history is deeply connected to the place we call home.

After allowing the Holly to properly dry, we began the process of transforming it into guitar binding.

It may be a relatively small piece of wood from a much larger tree, but its significance is anything but small.

Some of this historic Holly will soon become part of handcrafted Gallagher guitars, made right here in Murfreesboro, Tennessee. In that way, a piece of “Big Holly” will continue to live on, carrying with it a connection to a tree that has watched over this community for generations.

There is something especially meaningful about that.