Country music stars with guitar-shaped pools, cowboy hats and big old Cadillacs are just a few of the stereotypes that come to mind when you think of Nashville. While it's true that Nashville is (a) home to the Grand Ole Opry; (b) country music star Webb Pierce once owned a guitar-shaped pool; and (c) Cadillacs appear in countless country music songs, there is still a lot more to Nashville's history than these typecasts.
James Robertson founded Fort Nashborough in 1779 with an establishment along the Cumberland River. This small fort would grow increasingly large over the next few decades. Several more groups of settlers would later arrive. The importance of the fort was based largely on its location in middle America's trade industry. The fort soon grew into what would later become Nashville.
Soon after Nashville was established as a city, cotton became a major industry and the city further developed trade around this crop. It later became a major railroad hub with the development of several railroad shops as well as other diverse manufacturing plants including glass, wood, steel and rubber products.
Contrary to popular belief, country music was not always king in Nashville. However, it evolved into the music's epicenter over time. Nashville's location - smack in the middle of the country - and its history of blue-collar American labor provided natural catalysts for the city's often down-on-your-luck country musical stylings.
Fun Facts about Nashville
- Nashville is sometimes referred to as the "Athens of the South," due to its numerous buildings constructed with classical design. There is even a replica of the Parthenon.
- Nashville was officially founded on Christmas Eve in 1799.
- Nashville is home to several large publishing houses which produce everything from religious materials to telephone directories.
- Andrew Jackson's famous homestead - The Hermitage - has a driveway shaped like a guitar.
- The area between 16th and 17th Avenue South is known as Music Row.
- Country music stars Jimmy Dean and George Jones left music to go into the sausage business.
- After drinking a cup of coffee produced in Nashville, American President Theodore Roosevelt coined the phrase "Good to the last drop!"
- Nashville's Fire Department celebrated its 200th anniversary in 2007.
Sights and Sounds of Nashville
- Grand Ole Opry - It originally began as a live music show called the "WSM Barn Dance," produced by radio announcer George D. Hay in 1925. The location has changed a few times over the years, but the Grand Ole Opry continues to be the longest-running live radio program in the world. It also has more than 10 million visitors every year.
- Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum - It was founded in 1961. The inaugural inductees were Jimmie Rodgers, Fred Rose and Hank Williams. The Hall of Fame was originally housed in a building on Music Row, and in 2001 the hall moved to downtown Nashville to an expansive new complex.
- Parthenon - You do not need to leave the country to appreciate Ancient Greek architecture. Nashville is home to the only full-size replica of the Parthenon, constructed there in 1897.
- The Hermitage - This famous home to Andrew Jackson opened as a museum in 1889. Currently, it houses events ranging from historical exhibits to activity days such as the celebration of Andrew Jackson's birthday and even Easter egg decorating.
- Belle Meade Plantation - This site is located just six miles outside of Nashville. The 30-acre historic tract of land once encompassed 5,400 acres and was one of the largest private estates in Nashville. Famous for its industrious horse breeding, the site has been home to such recent big-time winners as Funny Cide and Barbaro, and even legends such as Secretariat and Seabiscuit can trace their blood lines here. Preserved and maintained by the Association for the Preservation of Tennessee's Antiquities, this beautiful piece of land makes for a great day trip of horse-racing history or just for the lovely scenery.
Sources:
http://www.nashville.com/facts.html
http://education.yahoo.com/reference/encyclopedia/entry/Nashvill
http://www.americaslibrary.gov/cgi-bin/page.cgi/es/tn/opry_1
http://www.thehermitage.com/
http://www.bellemeadeplantation.com/
http://www.nashville.gov/flashpgs/flashhome.htm