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MHC News
MHC staff dedicated a new historical marker honoring Betty Nixon on September 3rd beside her former home at 1607 18th Ave S. Family members, friends and former colleagues spoke at the ceremony about her legacy as a "trailblazing woman in Nashville politics, an ardent preservationist, and a relentless advocate for the city's people and neighborhoods" as detailed on the marker. Mayor Cooper's Facebook post captured several great images of those gathered at the event to remember and celebrate Ms. Nixon's contributions.
Bradley Recording Studio Hillsboro Village marker dedication ceremony. (L to R) MHC Commissioner E. Thomas Wood, staff member Jessica Reeves, Hunter Moore; Commissioners Menie Bell, Don Cusic, and Chair Lynn Maddox; CM Tom Cash and Clay Bradley.
Resolutions for two grants passed at Council's September 7th meeting--$75,000 for the Fort Negley Master Plan (RS2021-1089) and $37,042 for the Davidson County Cemetery Preservation Plan (RS2021-1118). Additionally, BL2021-864, the companion bill to BL2019-3 which created the historic property tax abatement program, passed Council upon third reading on September 22nd.
Dedicated on October 2nd, the historical marker for Bradley Recording Studio Hillsboro Village drew a crowd at the Hillsboro Village 101st birthday festival. In addition to several commissioners and District 18 Council member Tom Cash, Owen Bradley's grandson and BMI Vice President Clay Bradley also participated in the ceremony. Hillsboro Village Centennial Committee member Hunter Moore sponsored this marker, which is sited on the north wall of 1807 21st Ave N.
Thanks to Middle Tennessee State University’s Center for Historic Preservation (CHP) and its director, Dr. Carroll Van West, Valeria Eadler began work in mid-September as our newest intern. Valeria is in the Public History Ph.D. program. She'll finish her coursework this year and will start her residency next year. The CHP is covering her pay to work on the Nashville Sites project, which they have supported since its inception.
Staff continues to work on the Nashville Sites Jefferson Street and Civil Rights driving tours, with hopes to record the Jefferson St. tour in October and launch it by the end of the year. Former intern Olivia Olafsson is staying on to continue running our social media accounts, and intern Valeria Eadler will assist with grant projects, lessons plans, and additional tours, including a Germantown neighborhood tour.
MHZC News
The MHZC’s next public hearing will be held in person on Wednesday, October 20th at 2:00 p.m. at Sonny West Conference Center, Howard Office Building, 700 2nd Ave S. View the MHZC meeting schedule and application deadlines here. Access archived videos of the MHZC meetings on the Metro YouTube channel anytime!
At the August public hearing, the MHZC approved a recommendation for landmarking the Nichols-Sadler building at 435 W. Old Hickory, sponsored by Council member VanReece (District 8). The Nichols-Sadler house is significant for its association with Mr. Sadler who influenced the development of commercial Madison and as a prime example the Neoclassical revival style. Planning has postponed review until their 10/28 meeting.
Also at the August public hearing, the MHZC approved design guidelines for historic signage to be used if the legislation, sponsored by Council members Roberts, Porterfield and Styles, passes for Historic Landmark-Signage (BL2021-843). This is a new type of historic overlay that would be specific for historic signs, for a total of 6 different types. Council is expected to review the proposed signage overlay at their October 5, 2021 meeting. If passed, Council member Roberts plans to landmark the Nation’s Bar and Grill’s Googie-style sign at 705 51st Ave N.
The MHZC reviewed a request to expand the small Bowling House District Neighborhood Conservation Zoning Overlay (NCZO) in the Sylvan Park Neighborhood, which lies in Council member Murphy's district (District 24). The expansion area (BL2021-903 and 904) includes Utah and Nebraska between 42nd Avenue North and 45th Avenue North. The expansion passed at the 9/23 Planning Commission meeting, and will go before Council at the November 2nd meeting.
The MHZC will hold a special-called meeting on October 12th at 3:00 p.m. to review the proposed Specific Plan (SP) for 170-176 Second Avenue North. These are the four buildings that were analyzed by Stephen Kelley/SJK, and due to their proximity to the blast, were the buildings most damaged by the 2020 Christmas Day bombing. The SP, which is only a concept plan for the buildings, will go before the Metro Planning Commission on October 28th. The concept plan includes selective demolition for repairs, but keeps the remaining First Avenue facades. The MHZC will review the project for issuance of a permit in the coming months, once the owner has completed his detailed plans.
American Baptist College (founder as American Baptist Theological Seminary) will celebrate its 97th anniversary on the lawn of Griggs Hall on Thursday, October 7th at 6:00 p.m. Featured speakers include MHC Commissioner Linda Wynn, Assistant Director of State Programs at the Tennessee Historical Commission, and the college's president, Dr. Forrest E. Harris. Rev. Dr. Julius Scruggs, former Chair of the college's Board of Trustees and former Chair of the National Baptist Convention, U.S.A. will also speak and be honored at the ceremony for his significant donations toward renovations for original campus building Griggs Hall.
Founded by Drs. Sutton E. Griggs, E.Y. Mullins, O.L. Haley, L.K. Williams, and J.R. Bailey, American Baptist Theological Seminary held its first session on September 14, 1924. Some of Nashville's most significant civil rights leaders attended the seminary, including former Rep. John R. Lewis and Rev. C.T. Vivian. In the 1960s, Griggs Hall served as a location for nonviolence training by student civil rights activists who shared lessons learned at local churches' training sessions led by Rev. James Lawson and others. Renovations on Griggs Hall, made possible through a combination of federal funds and individual donations, lasted from 2013 to 2015. During his time at the college, John R. Lewis stayed in one of Griggs Hall's dormitory rooms, a space which the school is working to preserve and interpret.
American Baptist Theological Seminary students in front of Griggs Hall. Rep. John Lewis at back left. Source: 1961 ABTS yearbook.
In late September, the Nashville Department of Transportation & Multimodal Infrastructure (formerly Metro Public Works) installed the newest MHC historical marker (#225) for the Berger Building and WDAD Radio Station. The marker, which stands in front of 164 Rosa L. Parks Blvd., tells the history of this 20th-century commercial building and its namesake, Hungarian immigrant and prominent merchant Samuel W. Berger. A second section of text on the back covers the history of Nashville’s first commercial radio station, WDAD, which launched in 1925 and whose fiddle contests inspired WSM’s Grand Ole Opry.
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General Services Administration funded this marker as part of mitigation for the new Fred D. Thompson Federal Building and US courthouse which are sited adjacent to the Berger Building. Also included in the mitigation is an exhibit for the main branch of the Nashville Public Library, which opened September 25th. The exhibit, “The New US Courthouse Site: Untold Stories of Urban Life in Nashville,” explores themes of Sanitation, Archeology, Civil Rights, Urban Slavery, Immigration, Music Industry, and Commerce associated with the site from the 1850s through present day. Local firm New South Associates, Inc. completed historical and archaeological site investigations as part of these projects.
Panels from "Untold Stories of Urban Life in Nashville." Credit: GSA/New South Associates.
Two grants totaling nearly $200,000 from the National Endowment for the Humanities Digital Advancement and the National Park Service American Battlefield Protection Planning grant programs have awarded funds toward the creation of a Black Nashville Civil War digital database. This database will be developed over two years through work under Dr. Angela Sutton, Assistant Dean for Graduate Education and Strategic Initiatives in the College of Arts & Sciences of Vanderbilt University. According to a Vanderbilt news story, "funding from these grants will support the creation of a database of more than 16,000 enslaved and free Black laborers and soldiers who built and defended Nashville’s fortifications during the Civil War."
During the project's first year, Dr. Sutton and a research assistant will be going through archival records at the Tennessee State Library and Archives, transcribing names, identifying information, and entering data into a Spatial Historian platform. In year two, the team will bring on a developer to help create a website that makes the information searchable. The team plans to present their findings to the MHC during the project's second year.
A new book by Jefferson Street Sound Museum curator Lorenzo Washington details his memories of growing up in Northeast Nashville, through the mid-20th century musical renaissance on Jefferson Street, and the development of his current role at the museum as a nationally-known successful entrepreneur. Rising Above: The Lorenzo Washington Story also shares Lorenzo's experiences from working as a producer on Music Row and with many of Nashville's most well-known Black musicians from legends Marion James and Jackie Shane to local performer Lucius "Spoonman" Talley. For more stories about his career and the JSS Museum, watch Lorenzo's riveting video interview created for the 2021 Nashville Conference on African American History and Culture.
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After months of work, Friends of Two Rivers Mansion (FORTRM) recently launched a brand new website. FOTRM Board member Tony Barrow led the project. In addition to a sleek new design, the website features a narrated virtual mansion tour, beautiful new photos of the property, and tons of information on the architecture and site history of Two Rivers Mansion and the 1802 House. Be sure to check out their events page for happenings this fall, including the Hip Donelson Farmers' Market and Spirit Legends Tours.
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