Like the Franklin Stripe and Franklin Border, with which it was found, the Franklin Frieze is from the historic Meeting of the Waters house in Franklin, Tennessee. Built by Thomas Hardin Perkins in 1810, near the confluence of the Harpeth and West Harpeth Rivers, this fine Federal style house remained in the hands of Perkins' descendents until 2007. During restoration, heavily damaged and faded fragments of the sidewall, frieze and border were uncovered, but the true colors were revealed in the protected overlap areas and by microscopic analysis of the paint pigments.

The exceptional color palette and refined pattern of the Franklin Frieze and its accompanying patterns suggest that the ensemble is most likely of French origin.