Nashville is one of my favorite cities in the US because there is so much to do and see there and the people are so friendly. I visited Nashville in 2008 and walked the streets, explored the state capitol, and admired the history and architecture of downtown.

It is sad to note that earlier this year, Nashville suffered a devastating flood. The Cumberland River and other tributaries rose high above their banks, inundating lower Broadway and the Grand Ole Opry and other sites with more than 10 feet of water. 17 people lost their lives in Tennessee during this disaster.

However, the “Volunteer” Spirit took over and people helped their neighbors they didn’t even know with home cooked meals, rebuilding supplies, labor and laundry services. I have no doubt that in a few years you won’t even realize there was a flood because the people of Nashville and the great state of Tennessee will have rebuilt their proud Capitol City.

Nashville is known as “Music City USA” because it is the undisputed country music capital of the world. I’ve also been to Austin, TX, but there’s just no comparison in my book… Nashville wins hands down.

Nashville was established on January 1, 1780 during the height of the Revolution when James Robertson led his group of pioneers from North Carolina across the frozen Cumberland River and built Fort “Nashborough”. This old log fort that still stands in Riverfront Park in downtown Nashville was used to ward off Indian attacks that finally ended in 1792. If you visit Nashville, put the old fort on your list as it is very interesting. walk the grounds. and see how those early pioneers lived.

Speaking of history, on my visit I walked up to the imposing State Capitol which was built by architect William Strickland who was very famous at the time for the many Greek Revival public buildings he had designed in Philadelphia, namely the Second Bank. from United States. William poured his heart and soul into the Tennessee State Capitol, which would end up being his final project and his neoclassical masterpiece.

He worked on this building until his death and his last wish was to be buried in the structure, so when he died his body was placed on the cornerstone of the building at the top of the steps leading from the capitol mall to the West. The Capitol building itself is amazing and unique. The distinctive tower is modeled after the monument of Lysicrates in Athens, Greece.

It was completed just before the Civil War began and during the war it was converted into a fort for the Union called Fort Andrew Johnson. It is interesting to walk through the halls of the building and see old photos of the Capitol during the War of 1862, where cannons were placed at the top of the stairs around the building. I walked to the green park perched on a ledge on the east grounds of the Capitol and discovered that President James Knox Polk and his wife Sarah are buried in a tomb designed by William Strickland.

I also noticed an impressive statue of Andrew Jackson riding a rearing horse. There was also a statue of President Andrew Johnson, but what I found most interesting was the bronze effigy of a World War I “mass boy” standing, aiming his rifle. Upon closer inspection, I realized it was a statue of Medal of Honor recipient Sergeant Alvin York who led an attack on a German machine gun nest killing 28 German soldiers, capturing 32 machine guns and taking prisoners. to 132 German soldiers.

This American hero stands forever ready staring at the skyscrapers of downtown from the East Green of the Capitol. During my visit, I stayed at the Renaissance Hotel, which is a magnificent skyscraper just around the corner from lower Broadway, where on any given night you can bar and listen to the best rising stars in country music anywhere. .

My favorite place though is the “Wild Horse Saloon” just around the corner from Broadway on 2nd Avenue. This site is absolutely amazing! I felt like I walked into a movie with its huge dance floor, mezzanine and hardwood stage. I was lucky enough to see an acoustic set by the band “Telluride” on my visit.

My favorite place for lunch was a true southern steakhouse on Broadway called “Jack’s BBQ” where they stacked Texas beef brisket and Tennessee pork tenderloin on a Styrofoam plate with all the fixings. As I sat devouring my food at a table covered in a red and white checkered tablecloth, a gentleman in a cowboy hat approached me and asked if he was enjoying my meal.

I realized from the photo on the wall that he was the owner Jack himself. I talked to him for a bit and told him about Utah and he gave me a Jack’s BBQ gold “Pig” coin which I have as a prized member of my collection to this day. When I walked out of Jack’s quite full, I saw “Ernest Tubb Records” right across the street.

I’m a huge fan of classic country music and the signs said they had the largest selection of classic country music in the world so I had to keep going. The publicity was spot on as I saw row after row after row of shelves filled with Class County records. I couldn’t leave Music City USA without some records, so I bought Don Williams’ “Gold” collection and Waylon Jennings’ “Greatest Hits.”

Talking to the woman who worked there, I found out that this was where the “Midnight Jamboree” was first broadcast from and continues to do so in front of the Grand Ole Opry on WSM 650 AM Nashville. The Jamboree is the second-longest-running radio broadcast in the country with over 3,700 broadcasts and continues its mission to bring country music fans the music they love for free every weekend after the Opry. Mel Tillis, Steve Warnier and Daryle Singletary are just a few of the acts scheduled for this July on the telecast.

I walked downtown through the impressive War Memorial Plaza and saw the gleaming US Bank Building and the incredible AT&T building known locally as the “Batman” building due to its two unique points. This 33-story, 617-foot-tall building is the tallest building in the state of Tennessee and is a beautiful tower of sparkling glass.

Visitors to Nashville can catch all the biggest acts within 10 miles of downtown at the Grand Ole Opry. Some of the upcoming acts are Kellie Pickler, Wynonna Judd, Dierks Bently, and Charlie Daniels, just to name a few. History buffs should go to Andrew Jackson’s “Hermitage” estate, which is an architectural gem of the plantation style. The NFL’s Tennessee Titans play at Adelphia Stadium, across the river from downtown. At Riverfront Park you can visit historic Fort Nashborough and stroll along the banks of the Cumberland.

A short drive east on Opryland Drive will take you to the “General Jackson” which is a 300 foot long paddlewheel riverboat featuring 4 decks and a Victorian theater with live entertainment. A dinner cruise on this magnificent ship with the glittering lights of the city center in the background is an experience not to be missed. Nashville is full of fun and interesting things to do.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *