MHC News
The next Historical Commission public meeting will be held on Monday, December 16 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.
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Congratulations to the Robert E. Lillard and Cornelius Ridley families, as we dedicated markers honoring both of these men this past month. The Robert E. Lillard marker is located at 1062 2nd Ave S, in front of the house where Lillard lived and worked as a civil rights attorney for many years. He was also a city council member and former judge. |
The Cornelius Ridley marker is located in front of the Gupton-Ridley Gymnasium at MLK Magnet High School (formerly Pearl High School). Ridley coached 15 district, 8 region and 5 state championships at three Nashville schools from 1960-91, as well as the first integrated basketball game in Nashville (1965) and the 1966 Pearl undefeated season and state title. |
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The Davidson County Cemetery Survey grant project’s Phase III final report and presentation are now available on our new Grants and Special Projects page. Staff members Caroline Eller and Russell LeStourgeon continue to work with the Friends of Hubbard House on their Phase 1 rehabilitation project, funded by a $100,000 grant from the National Trust for Historic Preservation’s African American Cultural Heritage Action Fund. Work will focus on exterior stabilization, including repairs to the masonry, wood windows, and trim while a new porch railing will help make the property more accessible. The Friends have recently received their first installment from the grant and are starting the process of seeking formal bids from contractors. Work will likely begin in earnest in spring 2025.
We have officially gotten our project consultant, Richard Grubb and Associates, onboard and are working with them on planning for the Underrepresented Communities grant project. MHC staff recently conducted field surveys in Haynes Meade and Fisk Park, in addition to Enchanted Hills, Gardner’s Gold Coast, and Clintondale which were visited earlier this fall. We are working with elected officials and other Metro departments to identify opportunities for project promotion and community engagement at upcoming events. If you have historical information on a mid-20th century Nashville neighborhood that was built for African Americans, we want to hear from you! Please contact the grant project manager at Caroline.Eller@nashville.gov and see our grant projects page for more details about this initiative.
MHC was recently contacted to provide preservation assistance for the former Penuel MB Church located at 1208 Litton Avenue. This church building encompasses a former residence and has served three Black congregations since the 1960s: Penuel Missionary Baptist (reportedly an offshoot of Spruce Street Baptist), Gethsemane Baptist, and now Faith Church. In early November, staff met onsite with Faith Church’s pastor to document the property and discuss its history. We have since provided technical guidance and information on options for designation, grant funding, and historical markers and will further assist the church once they determine their preservation goals.
MHZC News
The MHZC’s next public hearing will be held on Wednesday, December 18 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!
A small portion of Green Hills has hosted multiple small community meetings to introduce the idea of neighborhood conservation zoning. A full neighborhood meeting may take place after the first of the year. The potential district could include N and S Observatory Drives, Observatory Court, Burton Avenue, Green Hills Drive, Eden Avenue, and Bonner Avenue.
The Metropolitan Historical Commission is now accepting nominations for the 49th Annual Preservation Awards program, honoring Nashville's best preservation projects. Anyone may nominate buildings or structures that have been restored, rehabilitated, or carefully maintained over time. The awards also recognize well-designed new construction that harmonizes with a historic environment. To be considered, nominated properties must be in Davidson County and have an original construction date of 1975 or earlier (50 years of age). Infill projects should be no older than 2022. All projects must have been completed within the past three years. Previous winners may be eligible if the work is significantly different.
Nominations are due Monday, March 3, 2025.
The awards ceremony will take place in May 2025 in recognition of National Preservation Month. For more program details and submission instructions, please visit our Preservation Awards page!
Please mark your calendars for the 44th annual Nashville Conference on African American History and Culture, to be held Friday, February 14, 2025 from 8:30am-3:30pm at Tennessee State University’s Avon Williams campus. This year’s conference theme is “Prismatic Revelations: African American Stories of Resilience.”
Dr. Edward J. Robinson, assistant professor of history and Bible at Abilene Christian University, will lead a discussion about one of Nashville’s most significant African American leaders, Preston Taylor. Next, we’ll hear from author and award-winning songwriter Alice Randall, as she explores how Black artists have shaped country music. Author and North Carolina State University history professor Tammy Gordon will challenge us to consider the Black visitor perspective at sites of enslavement. DaShawn Lewis, a native of Nashville’s Edgehill neighborhood, will approach our theme with a more artistic perspective through Tennessee Life photography. We welcome back Soul Fire, TSU’s poetry and spoken word organization, whose performance “Voting, Love, and Black History” is sure to evoke inspiration. Author and journalist Betsy Phillips will examine the events and injustices surrounding the bombing of civil rights attorney Z. Alexander Looby’s home. Vanderbilt professor and distinguished author Dr. Dennis Dickerson will detail the architecture of the Civil Rights Movement. Our second performance, presented by Elliott Robinson with the Nashville Public Library’s Special Collections Division, will highlight the Nashville Student Movement and leadership in the Selma campaign. Our final presentation from Dr. Learotha Williams, Jr., TSU professor and founder of the North Nashville Heritage Project, will shine a light on Nashville’s marginalized voices. Additional remarks will be provided by conference co-chairs Linda T. Wynn and Dr. Lea Williams, Jr., MHC Executive Director Tim Walker, and TSU’s College of Liberal Arts Dean, Dr. Samantha Morgan-Curtis. Registration opens in early December—watch our conference page and social media for updates!
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Since 2009, Historic Nashville, Inc. has published the Nashville Nine, an annual list of historic local properties that are endangered or threatened by development, neglect, or demolition. The 2024 list highlights a range of property types, from churches to cemeteries to music venues, across the city that represent the diverse experiences of people who have called Nashville home.
This year, we are also highlighting fifteen success stories from previous Nashville Nine lists. These irreplaceable resources were saved through the advocacy work of dedicated Nashville citizens and the impressive investments made by property owners. We applaud their commitment to saving the places that keep Nashville unique.
The Nashville Nine serves as Historic Nashville Inc.’s strongest advocacy tool for the preservation of Nashville’s unique history and sense of place. This includes buildings, neighborhoods, or historic landscapes in danger of being lost to demolition, redevelopment, or neglect. Through our work with property owners, elected officials, government agencies, neighborhood leaders, and the public, we educate, evaluate, and create informed solutions for preserving the places that matter most to Nashville. Click here to view the full list!
December 15-16, 2024 marks the 160th anniversary on the Battle of Nashville. December 13-16 will be full of activities across the city, from walking tours and symposiums to marker unveilings and living history exhibits. See below for a partial list of activities, and follow MHC, Fort Negley, Belmont Mansion, Travellers Rest, and the Battle of Nashville Trust on social media for updates on other events!
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Join Nashville City Cemetery Association president Oliver Arney on Sunday December 15 at 1:00pm to honor the 160th Anniversary of the Battle of Nashville. This FREE TOUR will feature the newest marker to be placed in the cemetery for USCT veteran Abraham McGavock. More information available on the NCC website and Facebook page soon. |
Commemorate the 160th anniversary of the Battle of Nashville with living history events at Fort Negley!
Battle of Nashville 160th Anniversary Living History will take place December 13, 14, and 15, 10:00 - 3:00 p.m. Events include:
- Artillery Demonstrations: Hear the thunder of cannon
- Soldiers Drilling: Experience soldiers march and small arms demonstrations
- Signal Corps Demonstrations: See how the Army communicated over long distances
- Soldiers Encampment: Walk through their camp and talk with soldiers around the campfire
- President Lincoln: Meet and take a selfie with our 16th President
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160th Anniversary Battle of Nashville: Carriage House Conversation
Learn about this crucial moment in history including Belle Meade’s role in the battle. The guest lecturer for the afternoon is acclaimed Civil War historian Sean Michael Chick, author of “They Came Only to Die: The Battle of Nashville, December 15-16, 1864”. Presentation with Chick is at 2:00 pm, and the entry ticket can be combined with the Battle at Belle Meade tour at 11:15 or 3:15.
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Saturday, Dec. 14: All day: Shy’s Hill living history encampment by the 1st Tennessee (Capt. Mike Hoover) on the front slope of Shy’s Hill. Access off of Benton Smith Rd. Weather permitting, General Ulysses S. Grant will visit his troops and talk with the Confederate prisoners
5:00 – 6:00 pm reception, 6:00 pm remarks by Gen. U.S. Grant Presentation and reception at The Barn event center at Travellers Rest, hors d’oeuvres, wine and beer with entertainment by violinist Audrey G. Swank playing period music. At 6:00 pm, the nationally known and recognized featured speaker, Dr. Curt Fields, playing his role as Gen. U. S. Grant, will speak on the urgency and frustration he had with Gen. George Thomas’s failure to move fast enough in engaging Gen. John Bell Hood and the Army of Tennessee.
Author Kevin B. McCray will be present with his newly-published book, “Without Bugle Or Drum,” a detailed, deep-dive into a pair of little known but vicious battles in the spring of 1863 at Vaught’s Hill and Snow Hill in Tennessee. The book will be available for purchase and signing by the author. NOTE: BECAUSE OF FOOD AND DRINK AVAILABILTY, PLEASE RSVP TO ELEANOR WILLIAMS at ewilliams@kaygriffin.com.
Sunday, Dec. 15: 2:00 pm, Wreath laying at Redoubt No. 1. The flags will be replaced with the yellow flag denoting that it was a casualty collection point after the fall of the redoubt on Dec. 15, 1864.
Monday, Dec. 16: 3:00 pm, formal wreath ceremony at the summit of Shy’s Hill. Audrey Swank will be in attendance to play period tunes, with remarks by BONT President Bobby Whitson.
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A ceremony for the new historical marker dedicated to the brave contributions of USCT soldiers at Peach Orchard Hill during the Battle of Nashville will be unveiled on Monday, December 16. Follow the MHC on Facebook and Instagram for more information! |
Staff have been working to coordinate a ground penetrating radar (GPR) survey at the historically African American Calhoun Cemetery on Nolensville Pike. With funding assistance from the Preservation Society of Nashville (PSN) and the Metro Historical Commission Foundation, Vanderbilt University’s VISR team is completing GPR and mapping the likely locations for dozens of unmarked graves across the site. This project came about after the site sustained damage earlier this year from a grading contractor conducting work for the adjacent parcel. While repairs were made after that damage, research and conversations with descendants indicated that the site contained nearly 100 burials, though only a fraction of those were marked and/or documented during MHC’s cemetery surveys. VISR will create a map and report of findings, collect GPS points for suspected burials, and will mark suspected burials with wood stakes so that descendants and caretakers can plan for and maintain the burial ground accordingly. VISR will make a public presentation of findings at an MHC meeting in early 2025.
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MHC continues to be involved in several exciting archaeological projects. Through a grant from the Tennessee Wars Commission, the Metro Historical Commission was able to conduct a public archaeology day a Sunnyside. Students from Vanderbilt University, Middle Tennessee State University, Lipscomb University, and Cumberland University as well as volunteers and middle school and high school students helped to survey a portion of the northwest corner of Sevier Park. The goal of the project was to learn about archaeology and to locate evidence of the Battle of Nashville which raged in front of Sunnyside on December 15, 1864.
Photo: Students excavate an object during the archaeological survey in Sevier Park.
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Centennial Park and the Parthenon:
Parthenon Architecture tours and Museum tours are available weekly at Centennial Park. Stop by the "Role of a Replica" exhibit before it closes on December 31! The Christy Lee Rogers exhibit "The Muses" opens on December 13. The Centennial Park Conservancy ECHO Chamber Music Series has two performances this month; Nashville in Harmony on December 8 and SONUS: All Is Calm on December 15.
Fort Negley Park:
The Nashville History Club meets each Tuesday of the month for a different presentation. On December 3, Bob Buchanan will present "The Buchanan Family," and on December 10, Dr. Angela Sutton will present "Above Fort Negley." Events commemorating the 160th anniversary of the Battle of Nashville will also take place on December 13, 14, and 15 from 10:00 am- 3:00 pm. See below for more details about events taking place that weekend.
Join Fort Negley Park staff for a Guided Walking Tour on December 4, December 5, December 6 and December 7.
The Afro-American Historical and Genealogical Society- Nashville Chapter will meet on December 7 for a virtual meeting entitled "Show and Tell: Family Research Breakthroughs and Highlights."
The Main Branch is open again! However, the Civil Rights Room is still closed for ongoing renovations. Reach out to Special Collections staff if you need access to materials from that collection.
The Then and Now Series continues on December 11 with The History of Communities from the Levant Region of Southwest Asia: Turks, Kurds, Syrians, Lebanese, Jordanians, Israelis, and Palestinians. Join community leaders for this important and thought-provoking discussion!
The Buchanan Log House Holiday Market will be open on Saturday, December 21. There will be local vendors, bake sale treats, and photos with Santa!
NMAAM--An Evening of Musical Gifts--December 3
Andrew Jackson's Hermitage--A Jacksonian Christmas--December 6
Annual Metro Nashville Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony--December 6
Andrew Jackson's Hermitage--Digging In: Christmas Wreath Workshop--December 7
TN State Museum--Carols, Cookies, and Crafts--December 7
NMAAM--heARTBEAT Saturdays hosted by DJ Smoke--December 7, 14, 21
Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum--String City: Nashville's Tradition of Music and Puppetry--December 7
Andrew Jackson's Hermitage--Holiday Spirits at the Hermitage Lantern Tour--December 7-8, 13-15
Cheekwood Estate & Garden--Daytime Visits with Santa (and Dog Visits!)--December 8, 9, 14, 15, 21, 22
TN State Museum--Lunch and Learn: The TN State Capitol: Historic Images of the People’s House--December 12
Andrew Jackson's Hermitage--Homeschool Days: Christmas at the Hermitage--December 13
Frist Art Museum--Frist Films: Godzilla vs. Destoroyah--December 14
Gordon Jewish Community Center--Hanukkah Fest 2024--December 15
Belle Meade Historic Site--The Art of Belle Meade--December 17
Belmont Mansion--David Alford's Southern Christmas Sampler--December 18
Historic Travellers Rest--Toddlers at TR: Imaging History through Artistic Fun--December 21
Cheekwood Estate & Gardens--10th Annual Holiday LIGHTS--through January 5
Cheekwood Estate & Gardens--Holidays at the White House with the First Ladies: Jacqueline Kennedy to Michelle Obama--through January 5
National Museum of African American Music--Nissan Free Wednesday--free admission on the first Wednesday of each month courtesy of Nissan
Tennessee State Museum--Museum Highlight Tours--each Friday and Saturday at 2:00 pm
Frist Art Museum--Architecture Tours--each Saturday from 3:30-4:30 pm
Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum--From Where I Stand: The Black Experience in Country Music-online exhibit
Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum--Music Row: Nashville's Creative Crossroads--online exhibit
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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