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The next Metro Historical Commission public meeting will be held on Monday, May 18 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.
May is National Preservation Month! We hope you will support the preservation of Nashville's history and historical places in any way you can. As we near the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, the National Trust for Historic Preservation is calling for preservation supporters across the country to help tell the full story behind our historical places under the 2026 Preservation Month theme, "all people are created equal." They also have a free digital marketing kit and GIF stickers to help spread this message in your community.
This May, we are also marking the 60th anniversary since the founding of our department. The ordinance establishing the Metropolitan Historical Commission was officially signed on May 23, 1966 by then-mayor Beverly Briley.
Announcing the 50th Annual Preservation Awards, celebrating the best in Nashville’s historic preservation! Join us as we honor Zada Law, Phil Claiborne, the Jefferson Street Historical Society, and this year’s Architectural Preservation award winners.
The milestone event takes place on Tuesday, May 12th, 4:30 p.m., at the Grand Lodge of Tennessee, Free & Accepted Masons, 100 7th Avenue North.
Following the ceremony, the Nashville Historical Foundation and Preserve Nashville will co-host a reception honoring fifty years of this beloved program and welcoming our new Executive Director, Caroline Eller.
Nashville First Baptist Church (108 7th Avenue South) has generously offered complimentary parking for event guests in the church's parking lots on 7th Avenue South during the awards ceremony and reception.
We hope to see you there!
Since 1973, over 400 awards have gone to a broad range of historic structures – dwellings, churches, commercial and industrial buildings, schools, even to bridges and new developments. Nominated by the public, they are honored for their sensitivity to the original architecture and the surrounding environment, creativity in adaptation for contemporary use, architectural merit and/or historic interest, long-term maintenance, adherence to the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for Rehabilitation, and pioneering spirit. The public awards ceremony coincides with National Preservation Month, which is celebrated every year in May. The theme for Preservation Month 2026 is "All People are Created Equal" to mark the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence.
For questions about accessibility or other program details, please email historicalcommission@nashville.gov.
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Historic Edgefield Neighbors will host Jane's Walk 2026 on Saturday, May 2nd. Jane's Walk is a global, community-led walking festival that is celebrated on the first Saturday of May. It is inspired by Jane Jacobs (1916-2006), a writer, urbanist and activist who championed a community-based approach to city-building.
Local historian and long-time East Nashville resident Jim Hoobler will lead an engaging walk along Fatherland Street to share the history of this amazing neighborhood and its many architectural treasures.
Meet at Fatherland and 6th streets at 10:00 a.m. to walk, talk, and learn from one of our commissioners! Wear comfortable shoes for this 90-minute tour. All neighbors are welcome!
Please mark your calendar and make plans to join Meharry Medical College and the Metropolitan Historical Commission for the unveiling of the Dr. Lloyd C. Elam historical marker on Thursday, May 14.
Attendees will gather on the Elam Mental Health Center Lawn at Meharry Medical College Campus, 2000 Albion Street.
The program begins at 3:00 p.m., with a public reception to follow at the S.S. Kresge Learning Resource Center, 2001 Albion Street.
Check out Dr. Elam's biography on The History Makers, including several interviews and images in their digital archive and digital library records, to learn more about his legacy as former president at Meharry Medical College and founder of MMC's psychiatry department.
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April was another exciting month for our public archaeology program! We continued excavating at Fort Negley and Sevier Park. At the fort, volunteers helped to document Civil War-era features prior to the improvements in the interior of the fort. Excavations have also begun in the front yard of the Sunnyside Mansion. The goal of these limited excavations is to explore the anomalies identified with the ground penetrating radar (GPR) prior to future GPR surveys of the park this summer.
Volunteers continue to sort through several legacy collections from decades old excavations done throughout Metro. These collections contain a wide range of artifacts and need to be cataloged and curated. While this is tedious work, the chance to tell the history of these sites through the artifacts is truly exciting. Volunteers are always welcome to come learn how to take care of a collection and tell these stories.
We also began the Evenings with an Archaeologist series welcoming retired Alaska State Archaeologist Dave McMahan, who spoke on the archaeology of the Colonial Russian Alaska. This July, we are excited to welcome retired Tennessee State Archaeologist Nick Fielder to the series. Stay tuned!
With all of these exciting opportunities, we need your help! Volunteers and students have been essential in helping with excavation and laboratory work. No experience is required to join us in the field or laboratory. Email Dr. Adam Fracchia if you are interested in participating in any of the ongoing excavations or in our archaeology laboratory.
Volunteer Carolyn Newman-Thompson completed her first profile map at Ft. Negley, preserving the record of the excavated soil layers.
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On Sunday, April 19th, Nashville Sites launched its City Hall and Public Square Tour with a special event at the Historic Courthouse and City Hall commemorating Z. Alexander Looby, Diane Nash, and the April 19, 1960 Civil Rights March.
The event featured Mayor O'Connell, Vice Mayor Henderson, Davidson County Historian Dr. Learotha Williams, Jr., MHC Chair Linda T. Wynn, and Nashville Sites Executive Director Dr. Mary Ellen Pethel. The free, self-guided tour explores the history and civics behind one of Nashville's most important buildings — take the tour here!
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The Nashville Historical Foundation (NHF) is delighted to invite you to the Ann Roberts Lecture Series, a three-part exploration celebrating Nashville women on screen, in art, and in print. This engaging series brings together distinguished speakers to highlight the stories, representations, and impact of women across media and history.
Join NHF for one lecture or attend all three as we honor the diverse ways women’s stories have been told, preserved, and shared. Each session offers a unique lens into Nashville’s cultural and historical landscape. We hope to see you there for this inspiring series.
Lecture Lineup:
Part 1: May 14 – Women on Screen - Demetria Kalodimos
Part 2: May 21 – Women in Art - James Hoobler
Part 3: May 28 – Women in Print - Sandra Shelton
Location: Second Presbyterian Church, 3511 Belmont Blvd, Nashville.
All lectures will be held from 4:30-5:30 PM.
Tickets: $20 per lecture - register using links above. Proceeds support the Nashville Historical Foundation.
September 17, 2026 6:00-8:00 PM
Mark your calendars for the Nashville Historical Foundation’s annual fundraiser, Sip Thru History — Echoes of the Ben West Library, on September 17 from 6:00–8:00 pm at Hastings Architecture, the beautifully preserved former Ben West Library. Join us for an evening celebrating Nashville’s history in the very space where generations once gathered to read and learn. Special guests from The Wishing Chair—the beloved puppets created by Tom Tichenor that once performed in this very library and still delight audiences at Nashville’s Main Library—will make a special appearance. Guests will also have the opportunity to bid on a framed Michael McBride print in our silent auction. More details to come—we hope you’ll save the date and join us for this special night celebrating Nashville’s past.
Help the Nashville City Cemetery look its finest for Memorial Day by volunteering for a Tombstone Cleaning Event with the Nashville City Cemetery Association (NCCA) on Saturday, May 9th, from 10:00 am to noon.
This is a hands-on experience where volunteers will help clean cemetery markers, literally uncovering stories from Nashville’s past and playing a role in preservation. Bring your curiosity, your community spirit, and a little elbow grease to 1001 4th Ave S. There is no charge for this event, but registration helps with event planning. Visit the Tombstone Cleaning Eventbrite page to learn more.
Free parking is available. The City Cemetery is a Metro Nashville Public Park, open dawn to dusk, and handicap accessible. Donations appreciated. 100% of funds support the all-volunteer Nashville City Cemetery Association mission to beautify and preserve the site.
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On Sunday, May 17th, join the NCCA from 10:00 a.m. to noon for "Paint and Sip for the Nashville City Cemetery." Sip mocktails & create art in a truly unforgettable setting at the Nashville City Cemetery's FUNdraiser! All materials provided. Learn more and purchase tickets through Eventbrite.
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The 26th annual Memorial Day Dash will be a virtual event held on Monday, May 25th. Proceeds from the Dash benefit the NCCA's educational and preservation efforts. You can still visit us at the cemetery between 9:00 and 11:30 a.m. for refreshments and a Memorial Day ceremony.
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Fort Negley Park is actively under construction as Phase 1 of its master plan gets underway, and visitors should plan accordingly. Beginning May 18th, access to historic Fort Negley will be closed, and starting May 20th, parking will be reduced as work on the expanded lot begins. The park remains open during construction, with partial closures expected through mid-2027. Check FortNegley.org/events for any unscheduled changes to programming.
The Nashville History Club continues to meet every Tuesday from 1:00–2:30 p.m. at the Fort Negley Visitors Center, with authors and historians presenting on a wide range of Nashville history topics. This month's lineup includes talks on the Belle Meade Theater, Nashville musician-songwriters, and Two Rivers Mansion and the McGavock Family. Missed a session? Past programs are available on YouTube at Youtube.com/@FortNegley.
Join Friends of Two Rivers for their 15th Annual Community Open House & Art Exhibit on Sunday, May 3rd from 1:00–4:00 p.m. at Two Rivers Mansion (3130 McGavock Pike). This free event — named in honor of founder and President Emeritus Phil Claiborne — features Robert MacDonald's exhibit Timeless Passages, a collection of large-scale paintings capturing Two Rivers Mansion through changing seasons, atmosphere, and time. The exhibit also includes a curated selection of Robert's abstract, impressionist, realist, and pop art works, all available for purchase. Admission is free and all are welcome! Learn more here.
The c. 1840 Grizzard Family Cemetery in Goodlettsville, listed on the Tennessee Historic Cemetery Register through the efforts of descendant Jason Dority, continues to see active preservation work. Current efforts through the Friends of Grizzard Family Cemetery — with continued support from the Francis Nash Chapter, National Society Daughters of the American Revolution (Madison, Tennessee) — have focused on storm cleanup, improved visibility, and general site stabilization.
A volunteer cleanup day is scheduled for Saturday, May 2nd from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. — all are welcome to join! Follow the group's Facebook page or contact Jason Dority for more information.
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Join Belmont Mansion on May 30th at 3:30pm as Staci Catron, the Senior Director of the Cherokee Garden Library at the Atlanta History Center, will be speaking from her book, Seeking Eden, an exploration of Georgia’s rich garden heritage from the mid-eighteenth to the early twentieth centuries. These public and private gardens include nineteenth-century parterres, Colonial Revival gardens, Country Place–era landscapes, rock gardens, and historic town squares. The book is widely regarded as a model for documenting gardens and regional landscapes.
The event begins in Belmont University's Leu Center for the Visual Arts where Ms. Catron will be speaking. Afterwards the Director of Gardens at Belmont University will guide guests on a tour of the Belmont gardens. The afternoon concludes with a reception and book signing in Belmont Mansion’s Grand Salon.
Ms. Catron is a nationally recognized historic preservation scholar and the past president and honorary director of the Southern Garden History Society. In 2023, she was awarded the Historic Preservation Medal by the Garden Club of America. For tickets and more information, visit the Belmont Mansion website.
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If you attended the 45th annual Nashville Conference on African American History & Culture on Friday, February 13th, you may remember Dr. Renatto V. Carr's presentation "Somerville, Tennessee Negro Slain." We are pleased to report that Dr. Carr's work, which formed the basis for his presentation, was recently published in the Journal of African American History. Dr. Carr has graciously shared with us "Come as You Are, Hoods Not Required: The 1942 Lynching of James Edward Person," and we're honored to make it available to our subscribers. In case you missed the conference this year, or would like to rewatch Dr. Carr's talk, Metro Nashville Network recorded the full video and has made it available on the Metro Nashville YouTube channel.
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Looking for a way to celebrate America 250 this year? In Dialogue with America is a year-long public humanities project created for the 250th anniversary of the United States in 2026. The project invites adults to engage the American story through sustained reading, reflection, and dialogue rather than debate or commentary. Curated by educator and cultural facilitator Michelle René Hill, the project brings together literature, historical scholarship, and visual art to explore how American identity has been shaped through story, memory, power, and cultural imagination. Rather than advancing a single argument or viewpoint, In Dialogue with America creates structure and space for inquiry, interpretation, and shared meaning making-over time.
Over twelve months, participants explore a series of thematic inquiries into the American story. Each month centers on a single theme and approaches it through three complementary lenses (participants choose to either read the fiction or nonfiction selection):
• Fiction, to explore lived experience and narrative
• Nonfiction, to provide historical and cultural context
• Visual art, to engage imagination and symbolic meaning
Themes include national origin stories, American exceptionalism, race and representation, capitalism and culture, land and belonging, and the ongoing question of who gets to tell the American story. Participants may engage independently or in groups, and the project is designed to work equally well for individuals, book clubs, libraries, and community organizations.
Visit www.indialoguewithamerica.com to learn more about the program and how to join!
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50th Annual Metropolitan Historical Commission Preservation Awards--May 12 at 4:30 p.m.
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
Nashville Public Library, Main--Music City Before The Opry 1851- 1925 --through June 8; 25 Years on Church Street--through July 31
Andrew Jackson's Hermitage--Path of Glory--Dedication Ceremony, Friday, May 22, 2-3pm, flags on display through July 15
TN State Museum--TN Writers | TN Stories: Townmania: Marcus Winchester and the Making of Memphis--May 9, 10:30 am; Lunch and Learn: Interpreting the American Revolution from Native Country: The View from Trans-Appalachia, 1763-1783--May 21, 12:00 pm; Statehood Day Celebration--May 30/June 1; Storytime in the Children's Gallery--Tuesday-Friday at 10:30 am; Museum Highlight Tours--Friday and Saturday at 2:00 p.m.
Belle Meade Historic Site--Summer Fest 2026--Sunday, May 31, 2:00-7:00 p.m.
Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum--From Where I Stand: The Black Experience in Country Music-online exhibit; Music Row: Nashville's Creative Crossroads--online exhibit; 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 historicalcommission@nashville.gov
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