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The next Historical Commission public meeting will be held on Monday, October 20 at 12:00 p.m. at the Sonny West Conference Room in the Howard Office Building, 700 President Ronald Reagan Way. You can find a full list of upcoming and previous MHC meetings on our website.
The public presentation of findings for the Underrepresented Communities Grant will be provided at the October commission meeting. MHC will receive the deliverables, including the draft National Register countywide context and draft district nomination for Haynes Heights, within the next few weeks. Those nominations will be submitted to the Tennessee Historical Commission with a goal of having them voted upon at the January State Review Board (SRB) meeting.
Dr. Adam Fracchia continues to need volunteers to assist with excavations and artifact processing from archaeological sites across the city. Many thanks to News Channel 5 for their recent story on Dr. Fracchia's work, and the thousands of years of history uncovered at Sunnyside. Those interested in volunteering can email adam.fracchia@nashville.gov.
Staff are working with the General Services Department Division of Sustainability to plan a series of Sunnyside tours for the MetroConnect tour series, which opens Metro office buildings and sites for tours to other Metro employees. These tours are scheduled throughout October and November, and we look forward to showcasing the recent renovations and work to uncover the site's history.
If you stop by Sunnyside in Sevier Park any time soon, you'll notice a few more changes! Many thanks to James Dunn of Vintage Millwork for his work on the Summer House, which is now about two-thirds complete. They should be finished in the next couple of weeks, and we hope to have a new interpretive panel explaining the structure in place later this fall. We also have an updated Sunnyside brochure available at the front desk of the office, showcasing the history of the site and all of the interpretive signage.
We also have a work day with the Master Gardeners of Nashville planned for this weekend. They've done a great job with all of the landscaping and continue to work hard on maintaining the native plant beds. Many thanks also to the Davidson County Sheriff's Office for their assistance in clearing out excess materials from the basement this past week.
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Interest in new historical markers continues to roll in each month, but we also continue to receive news of damaged or missing markers throughout the county. We replace these markers as funds allow. In late August we re-installed the Battle of Nashville USCT marker on Polk Avenue after it was damaged last year. We also dedicated the Mills Bookstore/Zibart's Books and Records marker on Church Street and had a crowd of 50+ in attendance for the ceremony on Saturday, September 6 despite the rainy morning.
Mark you calendars! On Saturday, October 4 at 1:00 pm, we'll welcome an international delegation of elected officials and scholars to join us in celebrating the unveiling of the Primo Bartolini historical marker on the 500 block of Rep. John Lewis Way South. Learn more about Primo Bartolini's life on the online exhibit from the "A Darker Shade of Whiteness" project.
Congratulations to MHC Commissioner Dr. Don Cusic for his recent award of the Colonel-Aide-de-Camp certificate of recognition from the State of Tennessee! Commissioner Cusic has written or edited over 30 books and hundreds of articles on country music and musicians. His latest book, co-written with Dr. Mary Ellen Pethel, Howdy: The Minnie Pearl Story was published in 2025 by University of Tennessee Press. Dr. Cusic is the Curb Professor of Music Industry History and a Professor of Music Business Belmont University.
Congratulations to Dr. Bill McKee and Dr. Jane Landers on their recent reappointments to the MHC by Metro Council. Additionally, Gary Burke was also appointed to the MHC to fill the position vacated by Menie Bell. Gary is a USCT reenactor and former Friends of Fort Negley board member. The MHC recognized Gary with its Fletch Coke Award in 2023. Metro Council also recently appointed Betsy Phillips to fill a vacant seat on the MHC. Ms. Phillips is a trades acquisition editor for the Vanderbilt University Press. She also writes for the Nashville Scene and recently published a book, Dynamite Nashville, about the unsolved bombing of Z. Alexander's Looby's house in 1960.
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On Saturday, October 25, join the Tennessee Historical Commission (THC) and MHC for a cemetery workshop at the General Thomas Overton Cemetery, 1207 Donelson Ave., Old Hickory from 9:00am-3:00pm. This event is free and open to the public. Cemetery conservator Terry Minton of Minton Monument Cleaning & Preservation (Clarksville) and Graham Perry, THC Cemetery Specialist, will demonstrate proper cleaning, repair, and re-setting techniques on damaged historic headstones of the Overton family. Attendees will have the opportunity to practice these methods as well. Cultural resources firm New South Associates will also be on site to provide information on the countywide cemetery survey project. No registration is required, but you may sign up for updates about the event here. Parking is first come, first serve on nearby public streets—Bryan Street and Veterans Memorial Park are recommended areas. Participants are strongly encouraged to wear closed-toe shoes and bring water, snacks, and gloves. Drop-ins are welcome!
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Nashville Sites Live
The rescheduled Nashville Sites Live: McKissack and Black Architecture panel will take place at 4:00 pm on Thursday, October 9, at the North Branch Library, 1001 Monroe St. in Nashville.
Register here for an exploration of Black architecture with emphasis on the McKissack family, who founded the nation’s first Black-owned architecture firm, and other influential Black architects. Brian Tibbs and Dr. Learotha Williams, Jr will share their knowledge; Mary Ellen Pethel will moderate the discussion.
The complimentary event, open to the public, is presented by the Preservation Society of Nashville in partnership with Nashville Sites, the signature project of the Nashville Historical Foundation, working alongside the Metro Historical Commission.
We are also excited to celebrate the 6th anniversary of Nashville Sites on November 15, 2025! Please join the Metro Historical Commission, Nashville Historical Foundation, Preservation Society of Nashville, and Nashville Sites to celebrate this milestone accomplishment. On November 15 at Sunnyside from 3:00-4:30 pm. There is no charge but there is limited capacity so please register beforehand. The event will include light bites and and refreshments, highlights from the past 6 years, and a look at the new Summer House in Sevier Park.
Modernism in Nashville
Later in the month, and back by popular demand, NHF will host a series of three lectures on the topic of modernism and how it manifested in Nashville. NHF is partnering with AIA of MIddle Tennessee on the Mid Century Lecture Series. AIA will be offering Continuing Education credits to its members who attend the series.
David Paine will talk about the Development of Modernism in America on Thursday, October 23, Kem Hinton will discuss Mid-Century Modernist Architects Practicing in Nashville on Thursday, October 30, and Sandra Shelton will provide examples of Nashville Modernism in Photographs on Thursday, November 6. Check here for details and sign-up information.
New articles on the NHF website
Celebrating Two Great Ladies: Two Rivers and Ann Roberts – A link to remarks made during this NHF fundraiser will make you feel as though you were there.
Happy Birthday to the Hermitage Hotel – This piece gives a feel of the first days of this 115 year old timeless icon.
New entries are posted at least once a month and can be found in the Archives section. You can also follow NHF on Instagram @nashvillehistoricalfoundation.
The Nashville City Cemetery Association will host their annual guided, lantern tours this October with multiple times and themes available each Saturday evening. Guests will be able to choose either a General History tour or a Murder & Mystery tour at either 5:00 pm or 6:00 pm on Saturday, October 4, 11, 18, or 25. Tickets can be purchased on Eventbrite. Sign up early before they are sold out!
Not interested in a lantern tour of the cemetery? You can still have fun sipping mocktails & creating art in a truly unforgettable setting at the Nashville City Cemetery's FUNdraiser on October 5! All materials provided. Register today to secure your space.
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Join Metro Parks' Community Centers at the Unity Day Celebration on October 25 at the Southeast Community Center Park. Metro Parks stands up against bullying and invite you to join us hand in hand.
Centennial Park and the Parthenon: Guided architecture, history, and museum tours are available each month! October 4 is Celebrate Nashville, one of Nashville's favorite and most vibrant festivals. The annual Fall Tennessee Craft Fair will take place October 10-12. On Saturday October 11, Walk the Talk honors the lives and help tell the stories of children in Davidson County who have lost their lives to violence. They hope to raise awareness of and help people connect with the Children’s Memory Garden in Centennial Park, Voices from the Garden, and You Have The Power. Celebrate International Archaeology Day on October 18 with family-friendly activities that highlight science and archaeology. Creative Parks Nashville will host their Annual Starry Nights Fundraiser in the Centennial Arts Center on October 25.
Fort Negley: Guided walking tours are available weekly, including multiple times on Saturdays! Enjoy a perfect outdoor day at Fort Negley Park during the Views and Brews event series! From 3 p.m. until dark on Saturdays, October 11, 18, 25, and November 1, enjoy scenic views, live music, and rich local history. The Nashville History Club will meet at 1:00 pm on October 7, October 14, October 21, and October 28. The Nashville Civil War Roundtable will also meet on October 21 at 7:00 pm.
Two Rivers Mansion: The Tennessee Beer, Wine, and Shine Festival will be held on October 18. Daytime and evening Spirit Legends tours will be available Mondays, Tuesdays, and Wednesdays this month, with special evening tours available on October 17, 18, and 19. A special two-part tour, Stories and Stones: The McGavocks of Mt. Olivet, will take place on October 26. The tour will be split between Mt. Olivet Cemetery and the the Two Rivers Mansion and 1802 House.
Bells Bend: The Friends of Bells Bend Park is proud to present Farm Day 2025 on October 11 from 9:00 am-3:00 pm. This year's festivities will include many of our past traditions: farm animals, hayrides, tractors and machinery, demonstrations, work-shops, music, and local vendors.
Shelby Bottoms/ Cornelia Fort: Fridays by the River are back for the fall! Enjoy the beautiful weather, great food, and live music at the Riverview Pavilion in Shelby Park
Friends of Shelby is hosting this free movie event on Saturday, October 4 outdoors at the Cornelia Fort Airpark in Shelby Bottoms. The film tells the amazing story of the Nashville native who died young while transporting planes for the US military during World War II and who is the namesake for the Airpark. The filmmaker Judy Miller will be with us to introduce the film and have a Q&A following. Several members of the Fort family will be in attendance as well!
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WE Fest, the annual event celebrating the artistic legacy of groundbreaking sculptor William Edmondson, the first African American to receive a solo exhibit at New York's Museum of Modern Art in 1937, is back again this year on Saturday, October 25 from 10:00 am-4:00 pm.
This free celebration of art and culture inspired by Nashville legend William Edmondson will feature live music, art installations, food trucks, and family activities at Edmondson Homesite Park in Edgehill.
Get more details on the WE Fest website: WE Fest — William Edmondson Homesite Park & Gardens.
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The Main Library will remain closed following the fire in the adjacent parking garage.
Author Rickey Hampton will read from his upcoming book: Cumberland Rising: The Extraordinary Story of Ted Rhodes Golf Course, Black Golf Mecca, at the Hadley Park branch library on October 4.
John Lomax III will present American Folk Music: History and Preservation, including musical performances, on October 25 at the Richland Park branch library.
The Tennessee Commission for the United States Semiquincentennial offers two grant opportunities for organizations and communities centered around Tennessee’s unique stories. The total combined allocation for these two grant opportunities is $3,500,000. The two grant opportunities are:
Project Support Grants (up to $20,000)
Community Support Grants (up to $25,000)
Grants are facilitated by the Tennessee State Museum and will be reviewed until funding is exhausted. Successful grant applicants will propose projects that support the mission of the Tennessee Semiquincentennial Commission, which is to promote an inclusive statewide celebration and educational commemoration of America’s 250th by interpreting and preserving Tennessee’s unique stories, objects, landmarks, and places across our diverse state that defined who we are as Tennesseans and Americans. The Commission has a statewide focus on Tennesseans and Tennessee events that have shaped American democracy from the Revolutionary era to the present.
Both Project Support and Community Support Grant applications will be accepted until January 20, 2026 (11:59 p.m. CST). Applicants for the September deadline will be notified of acceptance or rejection by October 30, 2025. Applicants for the January deadline will be notified of acceptance or rejection by February 26, 2026. Additional deadlines may be added at a later date if funding is available. Grants will be made until funding is exhausted.
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The Tennessee Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution hosted their annual Constitution Week Bell Ringing at the Tennessee State Capitol on September 21. The program featured performances by Stacy Ries Snyder, remarks from Honorary Regent, Chief John Ross chapter Linda Moss Mines, and a proclamation from Governor Bill Lee.
Do you have a local historical event you'd like to highlight? Email jessica.fitzpatrick@nashville.gov to include it in a future issue of the MHC newsletter!
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Find out how the fascinating stories of two significant twentieth-century student uprisings are told today at the landscapes in which they took place. This session will explore how events at two American universities led to fundamental changes in leadership and how these events are interpreted online and on-site today. Register today to join this virtual meeting on October 29 at 11:00 CDT.
Student protests at Fisk University in Nashville, TN (1924-25) not only ousted the president, but paved the way (slightly more than a generation later) for the appointment of the university’s first African American president. Decades later, in 1988, students at Gallaudet in Washington, D.C. protested the appointment of a hearing president with little knowledge of sign language. The “Deaf President Now” movement resulted in the appointment of a Gallaudet alumnus, I. King Jordan, as the institution’s president.
Moderated by Maura Rockcastle, Principal and Co-Founder of the landscape architecture firm TEN x TEN and member of The Cultural Landscape Foundation’s (TCLF) Board of Directors, the free webinar will also make visible the efforts of Louise B. Miller, who led the fight for educational justice for African American deaf children during the era of segregation.
Rockcastle will be joined by:
Evon J. Black - Associate Director of Gallaudet University’s Center for Black Deaf Studies
Dr. Crystal A. DeGregory - Associate professor of history and founding director of the Mary McLeod Bethune Institute at Bethune-Cookman University
Robbie D. Jones - Principal senior architectural historian and Tennessee branch manager for cultural resources consulting firm, Richard Grubb and Associates, Inc.
This program is associated with TCLF's report and digital exhibition Landslide: Demonstration Grounds about public protest sites that shaped American attitudes and ideals.
Vanderbilt University Presents: The Southern Festival of Books, a program of Humanities Tennessee--October 18-19
Afro-American Historical & Genealogical Society--Reconstruction in the American South (virtual)--October 4
Andrew Jackson's Hermitage--Dogs & Donuts at the Hermitage--October 4
Bellevue Harpeth Historic Association--Bellevue History Day at Red Caboose Park--October 4
TN State Library and Archives--Family History Day--October 11
Nashville Zoo at Grassmere--BOOze at the Zoo--October 16
Nashville Zoo at Grassmere--Boo at the Zoo--October 17-November 1
Andrew Jackson's Hermitage--7th President 7K--October 18
Belmont Mansion--Midnight Masquerade at Belmont Mansion--October 23
Travellers Rest--Twisted Tennessee--October 24
Belle Meade Historic Site--Between Two Worlds: Spiritualism in the Victorian Era--October 24
Andrew Jackson's Hermitage--The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, living history series--October 24-25
TN State Museum--Haunted Museum Storytelling Festival 2025--October 25
Belle Meade Historic Site--Trick or Treat 2025--October 26
Frist Art Museum--Frist Films: Scream--October 30
Cheekwood Estate & Gardens--Cheekwood Harvest--through October 30
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
Frist Art Museum--Architecture Tours--each Saturday and Sunday at 3:30 pm
National Museum of African American Music--Nissan Free Wednesday--free admission on the first Wednesday of each month courtesy of Nissan
TN State Museum--Hands -On History--Tuesday-Friday at 10:30 am
TN State Museum--Museum Highlight Tours--Tuesday-Saturday at 2:00 pm
Check out our online newsletter archives!
Have a preservation-related event that you want us to include? Send a message to Jessica.Fitzpatrick@nashville.gov
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