Early Nashville

Photo of the historic flight crew after they returned home
Didn't attend Metro Archives opening program for their current aviation exhibit? No worries, check out the recording of the program here! The exhibit is "Nashville's Magellan of the Air: 100th Anniversary of the First Flight to Circumnavigate the World". It runs through October 7th, 2024.
Dr Bunch
Metro Archives Fall Intern Jamie Erwin processed a standout collection for her internship—the Dr. Ray C. Bunch Collection. Few, if any, medical collections in our repository are this thorough. Jamie shares Dr. Bunch’s story in her own words.
Sidney O'Berry Collection - State Capitol covered in snow in 1976
If you're dreaming of a white Christmas this year, you might get your wish. In Nashville? Yes! How common is that? Not very, according to our weather reports and news clippings. But here are the highlights from the few times it has occurred.
Book cover of hardbound volume features map of Tennessee divided by five lines.
First written in March 2018, this post explores why genealogy research spikes in late winter—something that resurfaced during quarantine. We welcome the interest! Here’s a guide to our most-used genealogy resources, research tips, and updates, including Ancestry Library Edition.
Fire Company Number 4
October is Archives' Month - a month-long celebration of archivists and archival work. And this year's theme is celebrating the 100th anniversary of Fire Prevention Week. So "We didn't Start the Fire!", but we're helping prevent future ones from happening!
Portrait of Genevieve Baird Farris
This edition of the Metro Archives' intern blog post series comes to you from summer intern, Sabrina Austin, who processed the Genevieve Baird Farris Collection for her internship project. While processing, Sabrina learned about the strong affection the Harris family had for each other, as well as how active they were in Nashville social life. Learn about them from Sabrina herself!
Nashville City Cemetery
This year marks the 200th anniversary of the founding of Nashville's oldest continuously-operated public cemetery - the Nashville City Cemetery. Nestled quaintly on the northeast side of Fort Negley and just off 4th Ave S, the cemetery might seem like only a quiet piece of Nashville's history, with only the graves of many Nashvillians. But if it could speak, it would have many interesting anecdotes to tell.
Listing for W.T. Berry & Co. in 1859
Bookstores are always popular during the holidays, especially local favorites like Parnassus and Elder's Bookstore. Curious about Nashville’s bookstore history? Intern Sapphire has you covered.
View of Archives front doors
October isn’t just about pumpkin spice and ghosts—it’s also Archives Month! We celebrate archivists and the importance of historical records. Here’s a behind-the-scenes look at Metro Archives and our staff.
Main Library under construction.
Can you believe it?! The downtown library has called Church Street home for 20 years now! Let's take a look back at the history of the downtown library, and how it came to call 615 Church Street home.
From City Beautiful Scrapbook in 1956 - Ford Green Elementary students with anti-litter signs
Keeping the streets, rivers, and neighborhoods clean in this city over the years hasn't been easy, but one of the ways was with the City Beautiful Commission, that was established in 1953. In honor of Earth Day, here's a look at the commission that helped clean up the streets.
Clipping from the Journal and Tribune from August 18th, 1920
Though the outlook in Tennessee seemed bleak before the battle began, the state surprised the nation by becoming the 36th and final state to ratify the Ratification of the Nineteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution 100 years ago. Here’s a look back at how it all unfolded…
A handwritten letter from Nashville, Tennessee, dated 1933, featuring elegant cursive script on aged, folded paper.
With extra time during a month of quarantine, it’s a good opportunity to preserve family ephemera. This blog post, contributed by my coworker Christine Irizarry, highlights the importance of family letters and offers tips on preserving family records.
Word search document with a jumble of letters and a list of words to find.
With schools closed and parents suddenly homeschooling, it can be tough to teach on short notice with limited resources. That’s where Metro Archives and the Library come in—and learning can still be fun! Here’s a word search featuring words and names tied to Nashville’s founding.
Headline from the Tennessan for Every Dark Cloud Has a Silver Lining.
Borrowing John Krasinski’s idea of sharing “Some Good News,” here are historic Nashville news clippings from past pandemics and epidemics. Rather than focusing on devastation, these highlight positive stories and moments of hope from those same difficult times.
Three men dance around police vehicles.
This year has started off rather interestingly—and by interesting, I mean not great so far. So instead of a long history post, I’m sharing photos this month. Here are some of my favorites from our collection, and I hope they bring a smile to your face.
Headshot of Dr. Dorothy Brown from a yearbook.
In honor of African American History Month and to highlight individuals featured in Metro Archives’ new display on Nashville women, this blog post is dedicated to a few notable women of Music City.
Closed for violation of National Prohibition Act by order United States District Court
2020 marks several important anniversaries, including the 19th Amendment, celebrated with a new permanent Special Collections exhibit and additional temporary displays. It also marks 100 years since Prohibition began, a milestone that had a lasting impact on the country.
Vintage poster advertising that Coal is the life blood of the struggle.
This time of year is often tied to holidays and cold weather, and keeping warm with HVAC systems. But there was a time in Nashville’s past when staying warm meant dealing with soot-filled air and far less comfortable heating methods.
Tennessean front page from 1969 about man walking on the moon.
This year marks the 50th anniversary of Apollo 11. In honor of that milestone, Metro Archives recently hosted an exhibit highlighting Nashville’s role in space exploration. Here are a few items featured in the exhibit.
Ad for Dury's business in the Tennessean, in 1978
As part 1 of a 3-part series on Nashville photography institution Dury’s—and in honor of National Photography Month—read about how one of the city’s oldest businesses got its start and has remained a beloved staple in Nashville over the years.
Newspaper clipping with the headline "Tense Throng Hears Liggett Deny Mrs. Cunningham's Charges."
It’s the month of love (the end of it), but that can also mean heartbreak. Take a look back at an unfortunate story from Nashville’s past—about 90 years ago—when a love affair went horribly wrong.
A woman in a pink dress speaks into a microphone at an event, with blurred guests sitting at tables in the background. The text "You're the singing star" is at the top of the image.
One of our most-utilized resources here in Special Collections is the Nashville Banner clippings: articles about every aspect of Nashville life from the 1950s through the 1990s. In this post, I use Banner clippings to tell you the story of two popular types of night spot entertainment: mechanical bull riding and karaoke!
Black and white photo of five men in uniform from the 30th division company e.
This Veterans Day marks 100 years since the signing of the Armistice between the Allied countries and Germany, ending fighting on the Western Front and marking the beginning of the end of World War I.
Photo of the Edward Carmack statue in front of the capitol building
Anyone who’s walked down Charlotte Ave near the Capitol may recognize the statues along its edges—Sam Davis on the southwest corner and Sgt. Alvin C. York on the southeast. But do you know who stands in the middle, overlooking it all, or why that figure is there?
newspaper clipping shows black man in suit speaking with multiple microphones. captioned now is the time.
It’s been 50 years since the death of Martin Luther King Jr., yet his teachings and legacy continue to endure. In honor of his impact, here’s a look back at how his work shaped Nashville.
Vintage sepia photo of a soldier in uniform standing with a woman in a fur coat in front of a brick house.
In honor of African American History Month (and also the month of love), I'm honoring a local Nashville citizen and veteran, Raymond Whittaker, from the small collection of his correspondence, ephemera, and photos we have here in Archives.
early twentieth century factory building has a bicycle out front next to a guardhouse entry.
Most people know Nashville as “Music City,” but have you heard its other nickname—“the Powder City of the World”? If you know the history of Old Hickory and DuPont, you probably have. If not, read on.
News clipping showing a photo of John F. Kennedy.
Though November marks the last month of his life, May of this year would have marked JFK's 100th birthday; May 29th to be exact. In honor of this milestone, here's a look back at a few of President Kennedy's visits to Nashville, as well as a few anecdotes from people that remember the day he died.
A vintage, sepia-toned photograph of a bright crescent moon against a dark sky. Handwritten text at the top reads "Phases of Eclipse - 1917."
As the country collectively experienced its first total eclipse in many years on Monday, here’s a look back at some of the eclipses Nashville has witnessed in the past.
Black and white photo of a police station from a 1904 city directory.
Nashville is a city whose past is often overlooked—or intentionally forgotten—but that doesn’t make it any less fascinating. In Brian Allison’s recently published book, Murder & Mayhem in Nashville, he explores some of the city’s more macabre and peculiar stories.
1795 survey map of Tennessee.
June 1, 1796 marked Tennessee’s birth as a state—feels like just yesterday. In honor of the years since, here’s a brief look at Tennessee’s beginnings and how the state celebrated its centennials through the years.
A vintage black-and-white photo of a woman kissing a baseball player in a "VOLS" jersey over a dugout railing.
Nashville may be known as Music City, but we also LOVE our professional sports – whether the boys have sticks, bats, or footballs, fans will turn out to cheer on our local teams.
aerial view of downtown nashville.
When people visit Metro Archives, I like to say we’re more than a repository of city records. While we preserve historic documents, it’s the photographs from across Nashville that best tell the city’s story. In honor of National Photography Month, explore some of our favorite images from the past.
Father Ryan High School, exterior.
Though its campus is visible from I-65 South near Armory Lane, Father Ryan High School hasn’t always been at its Norwood Drive location. Metro Archives holds photos of the former building, its demolition, and other materials that tell the story of the school’s history.
Early model of a passenger airplane flying low over farmland.
Airplanes crossing Nashville skies barely catch our attention today—but imagine life when flight was first being tested. Starting March 28 through May 31, Metro Archives will explore how Nashvillians experienced the early advances of aviation technology.
wide avenue in big city. A parade with flags horses and a blimp.
Though this was the first year that Metro Nashville Government closed for Veteran's Day, we've never neglected honoring the ever-important holiday. Check out some of the documents and memorabilia from Metro Archives.
1984 class photo of University School of Nashville boys' grammar school class.
The educational system in Nashville has changed quite a bit over the years, but the core subjects have always remained at the forefront of teaching. But with a few changes, would you have excelled if you had been in school about 100 years ago?
Archival photo of East Nashville after the fire.
On March 22, 1916, a fire raged through East Nashville. By the end of day, more than 600 homes and businesses were destroyed by fire over 35 city blocks.
Program for the closing exercises at the Nashville College for Young Ladies in 1882.
I transferred to the Archives a month ago and have been diving into the collections ever since. One of the coolest I’ve discovered is the small collection on the Nashville College for Young Ladies. In honor of Women’s History Month, what better topic to explore than women’s education?