Art Gallery

Shacklett Bio/Family Legacy

Bill Shacklett is a Murfreesboro photographer, civic leader, and steward of one of Rutherford County’s most significant visual history collections. As part of the family legacy behind Shacklett’s Photography, Bill has helped preserve and share generations of historic images documenting the people, places, architecture, and civic life of Murfreesboro and Rutherford County. The Shacklett family’s photography roots date back to the 1930s, when Richard Claude (“Dick”) Shacklett began documenting local life as a young photographer, ultimately creating an extraordinary archive of community history.

Family Collection & Historical Context

Founded in the 1930s, Shacklett’s Photography has become both a working photography studio and an important community archive. Dick Shacklett’s images captured decades of Murfreesboro’s evolution—from courthouse square life and local businesses to civic events, schools, rural life, and everyday community milestones. His work earned national recognition, including publication in National Geographic, while his enduring commitment to documenting local history became the mission carried forward by his children, Bill Shacklett and Gloria Christy. Today, the Shacklett family continues preserving and sharing this visual record of Rutherford County’s heritage, with thousands of historic images serving as an invaluable cultural resource for researchers, preservationists, and the public.