In the waning days of the 110th General Assembly (and likely state Sen. Bill Ketron's last days in the Senate), the man who wants to be Rutherford County's next mayor is pushing forward a measure that would use state dollars to purchase the historic Johns-King house in Smyrna.

The legislative effort is being championed by Ketron, R-Murfreesboro, in the state Senate and Rep. Mike Sparks, R-Smyrna, in the state House.

The house on Old Jefferson Pike, which was witness to the Trail of Tears and the Civil War, was placed on the Tennessee Preservation Trust's endangered sites list, "Ten in Tenn.," in 2015.

This is the closest the state has come to buying the house.Ketron sponsored similar legislation in 2016 but it failed to pass. That same year Friends of the Johns-King House also unsuccessfully petitioned the Rutherford County Commission to fund the purchase of the house.

The current legislation directs the Tennessee Historical Commission to buy the house for the bargain price of $150,000.

According to the Fiscal Memorandum (PDF) for the purchase, the $150,000 would come from the State Lands Acquisition Fund. The money will be transferred the next fiscal year to the (and this is no joke) War Between the States Site Preservation Fund, which is more commonly called the Tennessee Civil War Preservation Fund.

The state will only fund the purchase of the house and surrounding property and then transfer ownership to "a nonprofit historical association," which will be responsible for restoring and maintaining the home.

"After the purchase ..., we will raise additional money to renovate this gem. This home is a Civil War treasure," Harber said in her social media post, calling the home "the second most important historical home (next to Sam Davis Home) in Smyrna."

"This has been a longstanding effort of six years...meetings/negotiations/intense communications and heavy community involvement," Susan Harber from Friends of the Johns-King House said in a Facebook post.

But it's not a done deal yet.

On April 3, the Senate bill unanimously passed the Finance, Ways and Means Committee and will be voted on by the full Senate on April 19.

The House bill awaits a vote in the House's Finance, Ways & Means Subcommittee of Finance, Ways & Means Committee.

To become law, both caption bills must pass both chambers and be signed by the governor. While it's not official yet, it's still the closest the state has come to purchasing the historic home.

According to the Tennessee Preservation Trust, the Johns-King House was built in 1807. It is one of a few structures left in the state still standing that are associated with the Trail of Tears. It was also occupied by Union soldiers from 1862 until the end of the Civil War and is associated with the Battle of Stones River.

"Since 1998, the home has suffered years of neglect and the owner has been unsuccessful in selling the property to a preservation-sensitive buyer," according to the trust in 2015.

Michelle Willard is a freelance journalist who fills her days with social media marketing, politics, true crime, and taking complaints. You can complain to her on Twitter @MichWillard or by email michelle(at)murfreesborovoice.com.