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The next Historical Commission public meeting will be held on Monday, January 26 at 12:00 p.m. at the Howard Office Building, 700 President Ronald Reagan Way. You can find a full list of upcoming and previous MHC meetings on our website.
Staff Updates
New Staff Member
Please welcome the newest member of the MHC staff, Nashville City Cemetery Maintenance Worker Kaden Otte. Kaden was born in Wheeling, West Virginia and grew up in Bridgeport, Ohio. He graduated from Belmont College in Belmont County, Ohio in 2024 with a degree in Building Preservation and Restoration. There, he trained in a multitude of historical skills including carpentry, window glazing, masonry, stained glass and more. After graduation he moved to Virginia to intern as a Historic Preservationist at Stratford Hall, the family home of the Lee family built circa 1738. He later worked on the Historic Preservation Maintenance Action Team for the Student Conservation Association (SCA) at the Yorktown National Cemetery. There he helped to restore and relevel over 600 Civil War graves in just 3 months! We are excited to have Kaden on the team and look forward to having you meet him at a future City Cemetery event.
Position Posted--Executive Director
With the departure of Executive Director Tim Walker at the end of 2025, MHC is now on a nationwide search for its next director. The Executive Director of MHC is responsible for providing strategic leadership, operational management, and professional expertise to advance Nashville-Davidson County’s historic preservation mission. Reporting to the Commission, the Executive Director oversees staff, programs, and community initiatives to protect, interpret, and promote the county’s historic resources. The posting is open from January 5-February 1, 2026. Interested applicants can learn more on the Metro Nashville Career Opportunities website.
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MHC Archaeology Update
Another exciting year for archaeology!
Even though the weather has turned cooler, volunteers and students have been hard at work helping to excavate and document several units at Ft. Negley ahead of the renovations to the fort this year. No experience is required to join us in the field or laboratory.
We have also been working to locate and curate the many Davidson County collections that have been excavated over the years. Over the last two months, we have been collaborating with several Metro Parks and historic sites to find and manage these amazing collections. Currently, we are processing several amazing artifacts from eighteenth-century dishes to cannonballs from donated collections from Ft. Negley and Grassmere.
Email Dr. Adam Fracchia if you are interested in participating in any of the ongoing excavations or in our archaeology laboratory.
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Archaeology Training Program
This month we will officially launch the Archaeology Training Program (ATP). This program is designed to provide interested members of the public with guided training in archaeology methodology and research. The program includes readings, lectures, field work, lab work, and specific training. Anyone interested should contact Dr. Adam Fracchia to sign up and join the orientation session this month.
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Grants Updates
At the December regular meeting, the Metro Historical Commission approved a draft National Register of Historic Places nomination for Club Baron, the building at 2614 Jefferson Street now used as Elks Lodge #1102 and the only extant nightclub from Jefferson Street’s Golden Era (1935-1965). The nomination will be presented and voted upon at the January 23, 2026, State Review Board meeting. If approved, the nomination would proceed for review and final listing procedures under the National Park Service. A copy of the draft nomination and video of a recent presentation on the overarching grant project are now available on our Grants and Special Projects page.
Please join us on Friday, February 13, 2026, for the 45th annual Nashville Conference on African American History and Culture! Both in-person (at Tennessee State University's Avon Williams Campus) and virtual attendance options are available. Pre-registration thru January 31 is $30, and standard registration (February 1-11) is $35. Both ticket types include a catered lunch, printed materials, and attendance for the day-long event. This year’s conference includes eight thoughtful presentations and musical performances by the W. Crimm Singers and MD and Cobalt Blue.
Registration for the 2026 conference is now open! You may register online through our Eventzilla page or return a completed registration form with check. Cash will not be accepted. Important note: check payments must now be made paid to the order of the Nashville Historical Foundation, see details on registration form. No cash or checks will be accepted on the day of the conference—please plan to pay by credit card for purchases at the door. For questions or to receive e-mail updates on the conference, contact Caroline.Eller@nashville.gov.
The Metropolitan Historical Commission is now accepting nominations for the 50th 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 1976 or earlier (50 years of age). Infill projects should be no older than 2023. 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 Sunday, March 1, 2026.
The awards ceremony will take place in May 2026 in recognition of National Preservation Month. For more program details and submission instructions, please visit our Preservation Awards page!
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The Nashville City Cemetery Association needs your help! They are searching for descendants of Henry Middleton Rutledge, buried at the City Cemetery in 1844. He was the only son of Edward Rutledge--a signer of the Declaration of Independence. His wife Septima is buried by his side at the City Cemetery; she was the daughter of Arthur Middleton--also a signer of the Declaration of Independence! As the 250th anniversary of the Declaration approaches on July 4th, 2026, the NCCA is searching for descendants of Henry and Septima Rutledge to help celebrate their legacy. Please email Bryan.Gilley@nashville.gov if you have any information.
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Bells Bend Park: Join clean up crews to collect what has washed up on the wooded river shore this past season at Volunteer Day Along the River on January 10.
Centennial Park and the Parthenon: Guided architecture and museum tours are available each month! Once again the Parthenon has partnered with the Tennessee Art Education for the 18th Annual Middle Tennessee Regional Student Art Exhibit. Attend a special evening celebrating the talented student artists from the Middle Tennessee region with an artist reception on January 22. The exhibition will run from January 23-February 28. Hear the Tennessee State University Meistersingers & Kyshona perform on January 25 as part of the ECHO Chamber Music Series.
Fort Negley: Join a Metro Parks Naturalist for a leisurely stroll around Fort Negley Park and learn about the flora and fauna in the area on the January 22 Nature Stroll. On January 27, the Fort Donelson Camp No. 62, Sons of Union Veterans will hold their regular meeting with a scholarly presentation.
Shelby Bottoms: Shelby Bottoms Nature Center and the Nashville Public Library Seed Exchange present a Seed Swap and Share on January 24 at the Shelby Bottoms Nature Center.
Warner Park: Experience winter in an undisturbed forest on the Hill Forest Hike on January 17.
The Main Library will remain closed following the fire in the adjacent parking garage.
On January 14, attend the third program in the Beyond The Divide series presented by Millions of Conversations (MoC) and hosted by Nashville Public Library Special Collections. A Tree of Life is a deeply personal portrait of a community trying to heal after a mass shooting at a Pittsburgh Synagogue. Screening followed by guided conversation led by trained MoC facilitators. The event will be held at the Bordeaux Branch Library.
On January 21, join the next program in this year's Then and Now series, as Vanderbilt University and Nashville Public Library Special Collections continue their three-part journey to learn more about our communities living with disabilities. This month's program at Martin Luther King Jr. Magnet High School will focus on those living with blindness or visual impairments.
Since 2009, Historic Nashville, Inc. (HNI) has published the Nashville Nine, an annual list of historic local properties that are endangered or threatened by development, neglect, or demolition. The Nashville Nine seeks to draw the community’s attention to residential and commercial properties, along with building landscapes that are important from an architectural, historic or cultural standpoint. The goal is to spur a community debate on preserving what makes 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,” said Ellen Dement Hurd, HNI president. “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.”
Historically, nominees for the Nashville Nine have included buildings, neighborhoods, or historic landscapes in danger of being lost to demolition, redevelopment, or neglect. View the entire list on the HNI website.
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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 Historical Commission, the State Historic Preservation Office, is accepting Federal Historic Preservation Fund Grant applications from January 19, 2026 through February 28, 2026. The grant program reimburses 60 percent of the project costs, with a 40 percent match of project funds from the grantee.
This previous grant cycle awarded 21 matching grants totaling over $1.1 million from the Federal Historic Preservation Fund allocated to non-profits, municipalities, universities, and civic organizations across the state to support the preservation of historic and archaeological resources. Grants for FY26 will be awarded based on federal funding availability.
“Our Federal Historic Preservation Fund grant program is one of the many ways the Tennessee Historical Commission can document and restore our state’s historic places,” said Miranda Montgomery, State Historic Preservation Officer and Interim Executive Director of the Tennessee Historical Commission.
The selection process prioritizes projects that provide public benefit. Grant applications will fall into one of two categories: survey and planning or restoration. The former includes projects to document historic resources through survey, National Register of Historic Places nominations, or assist local communities to develop design guidelines or preservation plans. Restoration projects include preservation projects or plans that restore an important feature of a building listed in the National Register. Additional priorities include those that meet the goals and objectives of the Tennessee Historical Commission’s plan for historic preservation.
Applications are submitted through the TDEC Grant Management System (GMS). Visit the website for additional information and access to GMS.
Andrew Jackson's Hermitage--Battle of New Orleans Celebration Day--January 8
Cheekwood Estate & Gardens--Antiques & Garden Show of Nashville--January 9-11
Frist Art Museum--Through the Lens and Into the Music: Lynn Goldsmith and Ann Powers in Conversation--January 10
TN State Museum--Tennessee Voices, American Stories--opens January 13
National Museum of African American Music--NMAAM’s 5th Anniversary Celebration (MLK Day Community Day)--January 19
National Museum of African American Music--Bridge to Broadway: Black Music Heritage Edition--January 20
Frist Art Museum--Film Screening and Artist Conversation: Made in the West--January 22
Belle Meade Historic Site--Carriage House Family Movie Night: The Wizard of Oz--January 24
National Museum of African American Music--In The Pocket: Micki Free’s True Hollywood Stories--January 24
TN State Library and Archives--Current Research in Tennessee Archaeology conference--January 24
Frist Art Museum--Artists’ Conversation: The Foremothers--January 29
Historic Nashville Inc.--Annual Membership Meeting--January 29
Andrew Jackson's Hermitage--Heroes of the Underground Railroad--January 30
Cheekwood Estate & Gardens--Common Ground: The Hainsworth Collection in Conversation with Cheekwood’s Permanent Collection--opens January 31
Nashville Zoo at Grassmere--Zoolumination--through February 8
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 historicalcommission@nashville.gov
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