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Two properties, one on Jefferson Street and another in Madison and each with a rich musical history, will soon be counted among Nashville's local Historic Landmarks. The Elks Lodge, located at 2614 Jefferson Street, is an unassuming mid-1950s building that originally housed the R&B nightclub known as "Club Baron"
as well as the Brown Pharmacy, operated by African-American druggist Jackson H. Brown.
According
to Rock and Roll GPS, legend has it that Club Baron is where Jimi Hendrix challenged Johnny Jones to a
guitar duel and lost. The Tennessean shares more of the building's story in "Efforts begin to preserve historic Jefferson Street music venue."
The musical heritage of the Smith-Carter Home at 1020 Gibson Drive in Madison begins with "Mr. Country" Carl Smith, who purchased the home just weeks prior
to his marriage to June Carter on July 9, 1952. After her divorce from Smith and a short time in New York City, June Carter lived with her next husband, local racecar driver Edwin “Rip” Nix, in the home. The property served as a gathering point for
friends and other musicians, including Elvis and Johnny Cash, who Carter married in 1968. Mother Maybelle Carter made the house her primary residence until 1978. The Center for Historic Preservation at Middle Tennessee State University is currently working to list the Smith-Carter House in the National Register of Historic Places.
The Historical Commission is delighted to report that the Jackson Park Historic District was officially listed in the National Register of Historic Places on July 26, 2016! Lindsay L. Crockett and Jaime L. Destefano of History, Inc., completed the nomination to the National Register with support from a grant to the Metropolitan Historical Commission from the Tennessee Historical Commission. The district is significant for its residential architecture and as a notable example of early to mid-20th century residential planning and development.
The district includes over 350 properties on Brush Hill Court, Brush Hill Road,
Earlene Drive, Eastdale Avenue, Gallatin Pike,
Kenwood Drive, Plymouth Avenue, Riverwood
Drive, E. Riverwood Drive, and Winding Way.
Every now and then, we receive a question about saving and protecting historic trees. Did you know that Metro Nashville Public Works has a Historic and Specimen Tree Program? Historic and Specimen Trees must meet one of the following criteria and can be a single tree or group of trees:
- The tree(s) is an exceptional size and age.
- The trees(s) is/are commonly recognized as an established and familiar feature of the community, or can be confirmed as a significant part of the community’s heritage.
- The tree(s) was/were planted by, or as a memorial to, or associated with, a nationally, regionally, or state recognized individual, group, event, or cause, and is confirmed to be more than 50 years old.
A Historic Tree must meet the following requirement: The tree(s) was/were a direct witness to a historic event or cultural movement that was significant nationally, regionally, or within the state and can be confirmed to date to that time.
Upon receipt of an application, the Metro Advisory Tree Committee reviews the application, inspects the tree and makes a recommendation if it finds the tree meets the criteria for the Historic and Specimen Tree program. Once a tree has been included in the program, the deed restriction binds current and future property owners from removing the tree without a finding that it is a hazard or that it is not economically feasible to develop the parcel without removing the tree.
For additional information, including application materials, visit the Historic and Specimen Tree Program page of Metro Nashville Public Works.
Planning to visit the Nashville City Cemetery? There's an APP for that! For best results, scan the appropriate QR code and download the app before your visit for access to a 20-stop tour featuring photos, videos, biographies, and more!
Mark your calendar for the wildly popular Living History Tour happening on Saturday, October 15th. See the past come
alive as costumed characters tell their stories. Details coming soon!
Metro Parks and Recreation is working on a comprehensive yearlong master planning process – “Plan To Play” –
with a series of community meetings and survey opportunities. They want to hear from you! Share your thoughts on all of Metro Parks and Recreation's sites and programming, including greenways and historic resources, through online surveys, social media and
public meetings. Stay up-to-date by following Plan to Play Nashville on Facebook.
Over 35 historic sites, structures, and monuments, including Fort Negley, the Hodge House, Stone Hall, and Sunnyside (our office home!), are located in Metro Nashville's 185 public parks. We encourage you to participate in the master plan process and kindly ask you to speak up for these historic places!
The master plan is being
developed by the Parks Department Planning Division and a design team led by
Hawkins Partners, Inc., a landscape architecture, urban design and master
planning firm located in Nashville, in collaboration with the Trust for Public
Land and PROS Consulting.
Park
officials expect the master plan to be finalized by early 2017. Click here to
learn more.
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If you haven't had a chance to review the materials related to the proposed Music Row Detailed Design Plan, you still have time. Visit the Planning Department's Music Row pages and learn more about the Special Policy Areas (five Special Policy Areas with guidance on height, front and rear setbacks for the building on the site, building facade, and stepbacks) and the proposed Music Row Code/Design Review Committee implementation tool that will be discussed at future Planning Commission public hearing (TBD):
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In the News:
In case you missed it, here are just a few of the historic properties making headlines:
Ewe! The Nashville Chew Crew recently spent a week at Fort Negley tackling the invasive plants that have eliminated nearly all of the site's native plants. Once the invasive plants are removed, Parks can begin the process of reintroducing and cultivating native species. Check out photos and videos of the team at work by visiting Fort Negley's Facebook page.
Once again, we say "thank you" to all of the students who worked with us this summer. Joe Henry (Hillsboro) and Serena Smithfield (Hume-Fogg) helped return our library to working order back in May, while Jenna Stout (MTSU), Ryan Jarles (SCAD), and Ava DiNella (Centre College) assisted with various survey and research projects throughout the summer.
Jenna, Ryan, and Ava with MHZC Chair Brian Tibbs.
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