MHC News
The next Historical Commission public meeting will be held on Monday, July 15 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.
The final National Register of Historic Places nominations for Clark Memorial Methodist Church Complex, First Community Church, and the associated historical context document, The Civil Rights Movement in Nashville, Tennessee, 1942–1969, were presented at the May State Review Board (SRB) meeting at the Tennessee Historical Commission. All three documents were unanimously approved by the SRB. State staff will now submit the final versions to the NPS for final review and listing/acceptance. Barring any requested edits, we expect to receive notification of formal listing sometime this fall.
Our teams have completed nearly all of the Phase III cemetery survey, which has been focused on Bellevue, West Nashville, and Bordeaux/Whites Creek. The consultants will spend the remaining time on this contract (end date 9/30) quality controlling the survey forms and GPS data and compiling a Phase III report. At the end of the contract period, New South Associates (NSA) will present findings on Phase III at one of the regular commission meetings. We'll post more details about the meeting when they are available.
Recent metal detection by Dr. Adam Fracchia in front of the Sunnyside mansion in the exposed roadbed revealed several interesting artifacts. These artifacts included a musket tool, cannon ball fragments, bullets, and possible tent equipment. Finding these items preserved under the roadbed demonstrates that significant evidence of the Battle of Nashville remains preserved in Sevier Park. These items will be further analyzed and conserved. An MTSU graduate student class in public history presented their preliminary Indigenous archaeology tour to a group of retired archeologists at Sunnyside. The students will incorporate the feedback of these professionals into their tours. Several of these professionals had excavated these sites. They were also given a tour of the renovations at Sunnyside.
We had a great turnout on a very hot Friday afternoon for the Warehouse 28 marker ceremony. Thank you to John Bridges, Nashville CARES, and the Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee for putting together the great event. News Channel 5 also covered the unveiling.
We are also excited to report that the Peter Bashaw historical marker has been installed on Skyline Ridge Dr. across from The 808 at Skyline Ridge Apartments. A ceremony was held at the end of June for the apartment complex, where the new historical marker and other improvements at Bashaw Cemetery that were overseen by the MHC and MHCF were noted. A big thank you to MHC Vice-Chair Laura Rost for representing us at that ceremony. Stop by and visit the marker soon!
Join us on July 13 at 10:00 am as we celebrate the unveiling of the Russ McCown "Sir Cecil Creape" historical marker in the Richland-West End neighborhood. Follow us on social media for more details.
|
MHZC News
The MHZC’s next public hearing will be held on Wednesday, July 17 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 Citizen Historic Preservation Academy application process is now open for the 2024 course. Sessions begin on September 23 and will end on November 13, with a social event hosted by the Preservation Society of Nashville. The Citizen’s Historic Preservation Academy is an opportunity for Nashville residents to learn how they can participate in local preservation and the related benefits and resources. The Academy will meet at historic Metro sites and the last session will be a social hosted by the Preservation Society of Nashville. Class size is limited to 12, and the selection process is competitive. Participants must submit a letter of recommendation from their Council Member or neighborhood/merchant association.
At the May MHZC meeting, the commission approved revised design guidelines for Richland-West End. The neighborhood is now a part of the ‘consolidated design guidelines,’ along with 25 other neighborhood conservation zoning overlays. (Two neighborhood conservation zoning overlays do not use the consolidated design guidelines.)
McKenzie Stephenson completes her internship with historic zoning at the end of July. Among other projects, Stephenson managed the application for the Hubbard House historic landmark by processing mailed notices, writing the staff report and presenting the application to the MHZC. She assisted with the development of the draft guidelines for the Elliston Place Rock Block, including research, writing and editing. She plans on beginning a certificate program in Historic Preservation with Boston Architectural College this fall. Best of luck McKenzie!
 |
|
On Saturday, June 29, Metro Historical Commission executive director Tim Walker, MHC chair Linda T. Wynn, Metro Parks and Recreation director Monique Odom, Mayor Freddie O'Connell, Council Member Tom Cash (18) and Council Member Terry Vo (17) celebrated the long-awaited ribbon cutting ceremony at Sunnyside in Sevier Park. Following a restoration and renovation that started in 2018, Sunnyside now has more office space, meeting space, and library space to further the mission of the MHC of documenting history, saving and reusing buildings, and making the public more aware of the necessity and advantages of preservation. |
Around 200 people attended the ceremony and toured the office during the open house. Many thanks to Friends of Sevier Park and the 12 South Neighborhood Association for providing refreshments from the reconstructed 19th century carriage house. We were also thankful to have Council Member Tonya Hancock (9), Council Member Jacob Kupin (19), Vice Mayor Angie Henderson, and former Mayor Bill Purcell join us on Saturday. |
|
 |
 |
|
In addition to touring the new office spaces, visitors also had the chance to talk to MHC archaeologist Dr. Adam Fracchia about his work on the site and view artifacts from various archaeological digs on the property. They could also talk to team members from the Vanderbilt Institute for Spatial Research (VISR), who conducted ground-penetrating radar (GPR) research on the property and who developed 3-D augmented reality (AR) models of the house and landscape at various points in history. These models can be seen by scanning the QR codes on the new interpretive panels on the gravel path around the house. |
An incredible amount of work was completed over the last few weeks leading up to the ribbon cutting, and the offices at Sunnyside will re-open to the public on Monday, July 8. Work at the site is winding down, with only final punch list items and landscaping remaining. The full project should be completed by mid-August. The parking lot has been paved and striped, and there is public parking available (some of the spaces have been reserved for MHC employees and visitors). The circular path around the house has been completed and all 6 of the new interpretive panels have been installed, as have the cabin view windows by the main entrance. Stop in the office to pick up a brochure with a map of all the interpretive pieces on site, and scan any of the panel QR codes to begin taking a self-guided tour of the site.
With the longer days, the City Cemetery gate is now set to open at 5:30 a.m. and close at 7:50 p.m. Work to remove and store broken markers throughout the cemetery is ongoing. Stephen Hutchins of Hutchins Stonework has completed work repairing 18 broken gravestones in the cemetery. Site Manager Bryan Gilley recently led a group of 14 volunteers from Hands On Nashville in cleaning markers at the cemetery. Thanks to all the volunteers for their help! Bryan also spoke to the DAR at their annual wreath laying ceremony at William Driver’s grave for Flag Day.
|
Ben Wilkinson, the sponsor of the Bettie Page historical marker placed on her birthday last year, has uncovered new information about her birthplace and its proximity to the historical marker! After reading in her biography Bettie Page: Life of a Pin-Up Legend that Page was born at home, Wilkinson searched for her birth certificate which shows the address as 114 7th Ave N. Looking at the 1914 Sanborn fire insurance map, you can see that the historical marker is just down the street from the site of the apartment building, which was probably razed to build the James Robertson Hotel next door in 1929. While the site at Hume-Fogg was chosen for its connection to Bettie Page's education, we are excited to report that it is also close to her early home and birthplace. Thanks for continuing to work on this history, Ben, and thank you for sharing it with us!
|
New schedules for the Parthenon Architecture Tours (July), Parthenon Museum Tours (July), and Centennial Park History Tours: 1897 Exposition (July) are now available.
You have through July 14 to visit Repatriation and Its Impact Exhibition at Centennial Park and the Parthenon.
Summer tours at Two Rivers Mansion run through July 26!
Fort Negley will host a guided walking tour on July 11, as well as Fossil Finders on July 13, the Nashville Civil War Roundtable on July 16, and Sons of Union Veterans meeting on July 23.
It’s time for a family field trip to the Parthenon! All MNPS families are invited to MNPS STEAM Night- Nature Explorers on July 9.
Teachers can attend an Archaeology Workshop at Bells Bend Outdoor Center on July 10, where MHC's archaeologist Dr. Adam Fracchia will be presenting.
Enjoy an exciting discussion of the political and social impact of Irish American immigrants in Tennessee, accompanied by live Irish music, at Historic Stone Hall on July 28.
Join naturalist Hazel Miller on July 30 to see the plants and animals of Centennial Park on a Nature Walk.
Congratulations to NPL on the opening of the new Donelson branch!
Metro Archives (3rd floor Main Library) opened a new exhibit on April 1, "Nashville’s Magellan of the Air: 100th Anniversary of the First Flight to Circumnavigate the World." This exhibit tells the story of the groundbreaking first flight to circumnavigate the Earth, and the Nashville connection to this journey.
Stop by the North branch library every Monday-Thursday this month for Summer Lunch with Second Harvest Food Bank. Free shelf stable meals will be provided from 11:00 am-12:00pm each day.
Ready to celebrate Halloween despite the summer temps? Then don't miss Dance Party: Summerween at the Green Hills branch on July 2.
Try your hand a new instrument at the Country Music Hall of Fame Musical Petting Zoo at the East branch on July 2.
Parnassus Books and Nashville Public Library Foundation will resent an evening with Daniel Silva, as he discusses his new book, A Death in Cornwall at the Main branch on July 17.
Want to change the world? Join Sam Daley-Harris to discuss the revised and updated 2024 edition of his book Reclaiming Our Democracy" Every Citizen's Guide to Transformational Advocacy on July 21.
Nashville Public Library Foundation and Parnassus Books will present Rainbow Rowell, author of Slow Dance in conversation with Jeff Zetner on July 25. Tickets are required and include a signed copy of Slow Dance.
Let Freedom Sing! Music City July 4th
Andrew Jackson's The Hermitage--The Hermitage After Dark--July 11
Frist Art Museum--Po'boys and Poets Open Mic Night--July 11
Tennessee State Museum--TN Writers | TN Stories: Betsy T. Phillips, "Dynamite Nashville" (Third Man Books) in conversation with Dr. Learotha Williams--July 13
Frist Art Museum--Teens Take the Frist! Opening Celebration--July 13
Andrew Jackson's The Hermitage--Electorally Un/Elected: Jackson & Hayes Virtual Program--July 18
Frist Art Museum--Frist Arts Fest--July 21
Frist Art Museum--Frist After Five Film: Psycho (35mm)--July 25
Cheekwood Estate and Gardens--Wonder Women: Women Printmakers of the 1970s--opens July 27
Belmont Mansion--Blue Star Museum free admission through September 2
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 Friday and Saturday at 2:00 pm
Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum--Night Train to Nashville: Music City Rhythm & Blues--online exhibit
upcoming--The Nashville Fair--September 6-15
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
|
