Nashville

The settlement of Nashborough, was named after the Revolutionary War hero General Francis Nash. Two groups of pioneer settlers, led by the founding fathers James Robertson and Colonel John Donelson, came by land and by water from Fort Patrick Henry in East Tennessee. Nashville was founded on Christmas Eve 1779.
Col. Donelson’s daughter Rachel became the wife of Andrew Jackson, the United States seventh president.

In 1862, during the US Civil War, Nashville was overtaken by the Union army. In 1865 the Confederates attempted to regain control in what is known as the Battle of Nashville, considered as the last battle of the Civil War.

In 1924 an insurance company the National Life & Accident Insurance Co. in Nashville needed to advertise its products and started a radio station at 650 AM, calling it WSM for “We Shield Millions.” A disc jockey that worked at the radio station George Hay played hillbilly music on Saturday night. It was first called Barn Dance, and later the Grand Ole Opry.
As the popularity of the radio show soared, the city became known as the country-music capital of the world. During that period recording studios were being created in Music Row.

On April 1, 1963, the city voted to consolidate the city and the county creating the first metropolitan form of government in the United States.

The city ranks with Houston, and Los Angeles, as one of the largest cities in terms of land area in the United States. Nashville is the second most populous city in Tennessee, with many colleges and universities and an economy based on music, tourism and publishing.

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Notable Events and Facts

• Andrew Jackson, the US seventh president lived in Nashville.
• There are more horses per capita in Shelby County than any other county in the United States.
• Nashville’s Grand Ole Opry is the longest continuously running live radio program in the world. It has broadcast every Friday and Saturday night since 1925.
• The United State’s oldest African-American architectural firm, McKissack and McKissack, is located in Nashville.
• The United State’s oldest African-American financial institution, Citizens Savings Bank and Trust Company, is located in Nashville.
• A replica of the Parthenon, the famous ancient Greek building in Athens, Greece, is located in Nashville’s Centennial Park.
• The Country Music Hall of Fame museum houses Elvis’ gold cadillac and piano.
• There are over 700 churches in the Nashville area, as such it is considered by many as the buckle on the Bible Belt.

Historic sites, museums and Places of Interest

Country Music Hall of Fame

Since 2001 it has been the home of Country Music, located in downtown Nashville it is an unforgettable museum experience. Visitors can enjoy historic country video clips, music, dynamic exhibits, live performances, live satellite radio broadcasts and public spaces. The museum is operated by the non-profit, educational Country Music Foundation (CMF).
In 1961 the Country Music Association (CMA) created the Country Music Hall of Fame and chose its first three inductees Hank Williams, Jimmie Rodgers and Fred Rose.
In 1963 the CMA announced plans for a Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum to be built on Music Row in Nashville.

The original Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum opened on Music Row (Sixteenth Avenue and Division Street) on April 1, 1967, and closed December 31, 2000. The new facility features the Hall of Fame Rotunda, where the bronze plaques are displayed for future generations to honor and enjoy.

Country Music Hall of Fame
222 5th Avenue South
Nashville, Tennessee, 37203

General Jackson Showboat

It’s a 300 foot paddlewheel riverboat, one of the largest showboats in the country. It contains four decks with a two-story Victorian Theater located in the center of the boat where live music shows are performed. It’s a great sightseeing cruise where guests pass natural and historical sights along the banks of the tranquil Cumberland River. The General Jackson was named after the first steamboat to operate on the Cumberland River in 1817.

The showboat offers Broadway-style entertainment, which is at its finest at night with the three-course meals. It’s more informal at lunch, where the spotlight is on one or two country acts.

Both midday and evening cruises offer a variety of entertainment options throughout the year. Holiday cruises begin mid-November each year, and special cruises includes a festive New Year’s Eve celebration.

General Jackson Showboat
2800 Opryland Drive
Nashville, TN 37214
615-458-3900

Parthenon

The concrete to-scale replica of the Greek temple marks the city’s place as a cultural and artistic Mecca which was originally built for Tennessee’s 1897 Centennial Exposition.

The plaster replicas of the Parthenon Marbles found in the Naos are direct casts of the original sculptures which adorned the pediments of the Athenian Parthenon, dating back to 438 B.C. It houses an art museum featuring classical and modern works of art. In the early 1990s, sculptor Alan LeQuire’s created a 42 foot statue of the Greek goddess Athena.

Parthenon, Nashville
Centennial Park West End
25th Ave., N
Nashville, TN 37203
615-862-8431

The Hermitage

Andrew Jackson always welcomed visitors to his home. Since The Hermitage opened as a museum in 1889 over 15 million people have passed through it. The Hermitage is located 12 miles east of downtown Nashville and is accessible from Interstate 40.

Andrew Jackson purchased the 420 acre farm in 1804, by 1820 the farm expanded to 1,000 acres. The Hermitage mansion has been meticulously restored to its 1837 appearance and today looks much as it did when Andrew Jackson returned to it after finishing his second term as President. After the home was damaged by fire in 1834, Jackson had it remodeled in the Greek Revival style.

The area of Davidson County surrounding the Hermitage is known as Hermitage, Tennessee.

Ticket Office, The Hermitage, Nashville
Home of President Andrew Jackson
4580 Rachel’s Lane
Nashville, TN 37076
615-889-2941, ext. 220

Tennessee State Museum

The Tennessee State Museum began as a museum opened on the Nashville public square in 1817 by artist Ralph E.W. Earl. A young boy who visited that museum in 1823 wrote home that he had seen a life-size painting of then General Andrew Jackson. That same painting hangs today in the State Museum, now located at the corner of Fifth and Deaderick streets.

In 1937 the General Assembly created a state museum to house World War I mementoes and other collections from the state, the Tennessee Historical Society and other groups. The Tennessee State Museum currently occupies three floors, covering approximately 120,000 square feet with more than 60,000 square feet devoted to exhibits. It is one of the largest state museums in the United States.

Tennessee State Museum, Nashville
505 Deaderick Street
Nashville, TN 37243-1120

Music Row, Music Square

The area round Music Square, in southwestern downtown Nashville, is the heart of the music industry. Located in sections of 16th and 17th Avenues in Nashville serves as the headquarters of America’s country music industry. There are hundreds of businesses supporting the vital music industry. Music Row began its development in the 1950s as Nashville was becoming one of the major music centers in the United States. Music companies and supporting businesses quickly established here. David Cobb, a radio announcer referred to Nashville as, Music City USA and Nashville became the home for country music as well as for rock and roll.

Elvis recorded his first series of songs for RCA on what’s now known as Music Row. The Everly Brothers, Brenda Lee, Roy Orbison, Dolly Parton, Willie Nelson and hundreds of other artists have made their recording debut using the recording studios located on in Music Row. Even the famed rock and roll band Kings of Leon has made Nashville their home.

Restaurants, nightclubs, shops and hotels can be found in and around Music Row.

16th/17th Ave. South – Division Street and Music Square, Nashville, TN

Shopping

Hillsboro Village

Commonly known as “The Village,” is one of Nashville’s few remaining collections of neighborhood merchants with an eclectic mix of retail shops and residential living.
Some of the best restaurants in town and the historic Belcourt Theatre make Hillsboro Village a great destination point in Nashville.

21st Ave S (Blakemore Avenue)
Nashville, TN 37212

8th Avenue Antique District

Close to downtown, antique stores line both sides of Eighth Avenue South, the area is a premier antiques shopping destination. A local auction house in the center of the district at Douglas Corner has a one night a month auction.

Zanies Comedy Night Club is located at Douglas Corner. Notable appearances include Jay Leno, Jerry Seinfeld and many others.

The District

The District is alive with live music, good restaurants and a vibrant club scene. Around the clock, the District is bustling with activity.
Many of the stop lights in and around downtown have speakers attached and have been set up to play music. They were originally installed as part of a tornado warning system.

Great performance venues include the historic Ryman Auditorium, Gaylord Entertainment Center and the Tennessee Performing Arts Center.

Nightlife

Broadway Brewhouse

It is a Nashville favorite with 4 locations in Nashville, the downtown location boasts a choice of 72 beers on tap and a 60ft bar.

317 Broadway
Nashville, TN 37201-2005
615-271-2838

The Show

Voted as Nasville’s number 1 dinner and show. It’s a celebration of Country Music from both past and present, from Hank Williams Sr. and Patsy Cline, to the superstars of today like Sara Evans and Toby Keith. There are always guest appearances from today’s stars.
Please visit

2620 Music Valley Drive
Nashville, TN 37214
800-308-5779

Bailey’s Pub & Grille

In Bailey’s Pub & Grille the cracking sounds of billiards balls and raucous sports fans is typical. It features a spacious open-air deck upstairs ideal for people watching while drinking brews. Simple and effective food menu.

408 Broadway
Nashville, TN 37203
615- 254-5452

Geo

Latitude: 36.1658333 N
Longitude-86.7844444 W
Elevation is 597 ft (182 m)
Average High Temperature (July): 89.5 ° F (32 °C)
Average Low Temperature (January): 26.5 ° F (-3 °C)

Bio

Nashville‘s population according to the Census bureau estimate for 2008 is 596,462 and it is ranked as the 26th largest city in the United States.