MHC News
The next Historical Commission public meeting will be held on Monday, March 18 at 12:00 p.m. at the Sonny West Conference Room, Howard Office Building, 700 President Ronald Reagan Way. You can find a full list of upcoming and previous MHC meetings on our website.
Thanks to all those who attended the 43rd annual Nashville Conference on African American History & Culture, which was held February 9th at Tennessee State University's Avon Williams campus. We had over 225 in attendance! We look forward to seeing you next February for the 44th conference.
We've had a number of historical markers damaged in the last few months, and are happy to report that two were repaired and re-installed last week (Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church and Christ Church Cathedral). We'll also have more information next month on an exciting new community program for our markers! Interested in a historical marker in your neighborhood? Check out the guidelines on our website and reach out to Jessica.Reeves@nashville.gov with any questions.
Phase III of the county cemetery survey project is underway, as Council approved award acceptance in late January. We mailed out owner notification letters earlier this month and started survey work the last week in February. This phase focuses on Bordeaux, West Nashville, and Bellevue. As with previous phases, we plan to hold a community meeting this spring which will allow property owners and others to learn more about our cemetery survey program and notify us about unsurveyed sites. You can email Caroline Eller if you have questions about the grant.
Last month, we were awarded a $6,420.00 grant from the Tennessee Wars Commission for our submittal titled “Documenting the Battle of Nashville: Community Archaeology in Sevier Park.” This grant funding will allow us to purchase metal detectors for an archaeological survey, curation supplies, and supplies to support public archaeology days. Many thanks to Dr. Adam Fracchia for his work on this grant and continued archaeological work at Sunnyside as we move through our renovation.
At Sunnyside, exterior painting is approximately 75% complete and follows the 1852 historic paint scheme identified in the paint analysis conducted by Tim Finch. The rear ell and the two outbuildings, carriage house, and tool shed, will be distinguished by a simplified and complimentary paint scheme. Work is underway on the replacement of the green asphalt shingle mansion roof. The new roof will be a darker brown shingle, in line with the historic exterior paint scheme.
MHZC News
The MHZC’s next public hearing will be held on Wednesday, March 20 at 2:00 p.m. at the Sonny West Conference Center, Howard Office Building, 700 President Ronald Regan Way. View the MHZC meeting schedule and application deadlines on our website. Access archived videos of the MHZC meetings on the Metro YouTube channel anytime!
The latest economic incentive for rehabilitation, the Historic Tax Exemption program, just got easier to use. On February 21, the Metro Historic Zoning Commission revised the program to allow for a monthly deadline rather than the previous annual deadline. This will allows more projects to qualify.
The Marlin Meadows neighborhood in Madison is exploring the possibility of a contextual overlay (planning tool) or a neighborhood conservation zoning overlay. At this time there are no specific boundaries and no schedule for filing legislation. For more information about schedule and community meetings contact Councilmember Tonya Hancock at tonya.hancock@nashville.gov. To discuss design guidelines, contact robin.zeigler@nashville.gov.
The Lockeland Springs-East End neighborhoods and the Richland West End neighborhood are considering revisions to their design guidelines. See our website for more information.
Pierre Howell is temporarily working with the Historic Zoning Commission as a part-time inspector while the department works towards filling the position full-time. Howell has more than 30 years of experience, serving as zoning examiner with Metro from 2013-2016 and a building inspector from 1992-2013. From 1985-1992 he enforced the correction of substandard housing violations and environmental issues with the Metro’s Property Standard’s division. Mr. Howell has personally renovated more than a dozen homes in which he and his family lived, some of which were more than 80 years of age. From 2016 to present he has been a Site Project Manager for a development firm, a private residential consultant, Plans Reviewer/ Inspector in Montgomery, AL. and a Certified Combination Inspector in Gallatin, TN. A graduate of Nashville State Technical Institute, he holds multiple national and international certifications.
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Bryan continues to stay busy at the cemetery as he works to make improvements to the site. The Tradesman Group completed repairs to the perimeter stone wall in section 14 (photo to the right). They also assessed the condition of the entire perimeter stone wall and provided a quote so that MHC would better understand the extent of needed repairs. Repairs to the 14 broken markers that were selected in January are set to start this week. |
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Metro Parks had an automatic gate opener fitted to the historic gate at the entrance to the cemetery. The gate will be set to open at 7:00 am, and close at 5:00 pm. Bryan will adjust the timer as the seasons change. Any car still inside the gate at closing will be able to exit, but not reenter.
Electric work to restore the remainder of the street lighting at the cemetery is due to continue this week and will require trenching along some roadways in order to return power to the lights.
Sessions Paving has been contracted to stripe the parking lots in the cemetery. There will be a total of two ADA parking spaces and seven standard spaces between the two parking areas. If all spaces are occupied, patrons can parallel park on south side of Oak Street.
And don't forget to check the Nashville City Cemetery Association’s website for upcoming events!
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Save the Date! Mark your calendar for Monday, May 6, 2024, and make plans to join us for the 48th annual Preservation Awards. The awards ceremony starts at 4:30 p.m. at the Nashville Public Library, 615 Church Street. Look for more details in the April newsletter and our social media. Have questions? Contact Scarlett Miles.
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The Nashville Music Lecture Series with Dr. Don Cusic continues through the spring before taking a summer break. These entertaining, informal talks feature interesting stories and plenty of great music. Several music industry insiders often attend, sparking fascinating conversation among the group. Whether you’re new to Nashville’s music history or you’re well-versed in all the hits, you’re certain to hear something new. Toe-tapping is highly encouraged!
Mark your calendars for “Cowboys and Country Music” on Wednesday, March 20, and “Women and Country Music” on Wednesday, April 17. Both sessions will take place at 6:30 p.m. at Historic RCA Studio B, 1611 Roy Acuff Place, with free parking on site. The $10 per session registration fee supports the Metro Historical Commission Foundation and the work of the Metro Historical Commission. Register for both talks today!
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Don't forget about the Centennial Park weekly History Tours and monthly Architecture Tours.
The 16th Annual Middle Tennessee Regional Student Art Exhibition, presented by Tennessee Art Education Association, Centennial Park Conservancy, and Metro Nashville Parks & Recreation, runs through March 2.
Attend the monthly AAHGS meeting on March 2 at Fort Negley with speaker Gary Burke. You can also register to attend virtually. This month's topic: Claiming U.S. Civil War History for Ourselves.
Join MHC Archaeologist Dr. Adam Fracchia for an Archaeology Adventure at Warner Park on March 12.
Enjoy a Picnic at Proctor Barn in Beaman Park on March 13.
Visit the "Duncan McDaniel: Fountain" exhibit at The Parthenon through March 31 and attend a free Artist Talk with Duncan McDaniel on March 19.
Come to the Centennial Art Center where Metro Parks Visual Arts invites you to enjoy a full day of demonstrations, artist talks, and hands-on clay activities celebrating the thriving clay community in Middle Tennessee on April 6 for Community Clay Day.
Stop by the Courtyard Gallery at the Main Library to see "Monumental: Photographs of Vanderbilt Women's Basketball from the Nashville Banner Archives".
Discover the fascinating story ofNashville’s Irish societies of the 19th and early 20th Centuries and their activities during St. Patrick’s Day of times past on March 2 at the Main Library.
Celebrate Women's History Month with author and illustrator duo Carole and Jeffrey Boston Weatherford on March 20 in the Main Library Auditorium.
Kickstart the eclipse excitement by joining the Fisk-Vanderbilt Astronomy Roadshow Planetarium for a fun, informative astronomical journey inside their inflatable planetarium at the Southeast Branch on March 21!
Metro Archives (on the 3rd floor of the Main Library) presents The Kurdish Home Movie Preservation Project, a project by the Audiovisual Heritage Center that offered free digitization of home movies for Kurdish families in Nashville. The project was part of the 2021 Archives Artist in Residence (AIR) Program, and the 2021 AIR was artist Beizar Aradiani.
Don't miss the new documentary SixTripleEight showing on March 16 at the Main Library. In February 1945, the U.S. Army sent 855 black women from the Women’s Army Corps (WACs) to England and France to clear the backlog of mail in the European Theater of Operations. The 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion, known as the SixTripleEight, was the only all-black female battalion to serve in Europe during WWII. Confronted with racism and sexism from their own leadership and troops, they served with honor and distinction completing their mission in six months. Rated PG-13. Watch the trailer here.
For an at-home movie experience, watch The Dream Whisperer on PBS or PBS.org. This movie, available through March 31, tells the story of the all-Black Tennessee A&I Tigers who, in the midst of segregation, made history by winning three straight national championships. Captain Dick Barnett fought for years to secure recognition for his team. In 2019, their induction into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame marked the victory of his persistence. Read more about their triumph over adversity and Barnett's relentless effort to preserve their legacy in a recent New York Times article.
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You are invited to join members and guests of Bellevue Harpeth Historic Association for a visit to the Lane Automobile Museum. The museum has more than 100 cars; some are old and some are rare, and all are interesting. Admission is $15 (18 - 64), $10 (65+), $3 (6 - 17) free for under five. For those interested in lunch after touring the Museum, we can eat at the semi-historic Bar-B-Cutie restaurant at 5221 Nolensville Road. Call Jim Knight (615-812-0159) with your intention to join BHHA for the Lane Automobile Museum tour, or with questions.
In honor of Women's History Month, the General Francis Nash Daughters of the American Revolution Chapter invites everyone to join them on March 9 at the Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee for a special presentation including a sampling of songs from the new musical A Vote of Her Own presented by songwriters Candace Corrigan and Janne Henshaw.
Travellers Rest--World of the Overtons Homeschool Day--March 8
Frist Art Museum--Family Movie Matinee: The Princess and the Frog--March 10
TN State Museum--Lunch and Learn: Tennessee Homefront--March 14
Andrew Jackson's The Hermitage--The Scottish Chiefs: Andrew Jackson and William Wallace--March 14
Frist Art Museum--Gallery Talk: Southern Relationships to Land in Southern/Modern--March 14
Andrew Jackson's The Hermitage--Andrew Jackson's 257th Birthday Celebration--March 15
TN State University--We the People: The 2024 State of Black Design Conference--March 15-16
TN State Museum--TN Writers | TN Stories: "Who Is James K. Polk? The Presidential Election of 1844"--March 16
TN State Museum--Nashville Opera on Tour: Three Little Pigs--March 16
Frist Art Museum--Jazz on the Move: Nancy Wilson--March 17
Vanderbilt University--Book Talk with Andrew Maraniss: Inaugural Ballers: The True Story of the First US Women's Olympic Basketball Team--March 26
Frist Art Museum--Music in the Café: Tim Gartland--March 28
Andrew Jackson's The Hermitage--Easter Rat Scavenger Hunt--March 29-31
National Museum of African American Music--Nissan Free Wednesday--free admission on the first Wednesday of each month courtesy of Nissan
Frist Art Museum--Architecture Tours--each Saturday from 3:30-4:30 pm
Tennessee State Museum--Museum Highlight Tours--each Saturday at 2:00 pm
Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum--Night Train to Nashville: Music City Rhythm & Blues--online exhibit
Check out our online newsletter archives!
Have a preservation-related event that you want us to include? Send a message to Jessica.Reeves@nashville.gov
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