Nashville's City Hall as it appeared on Public Square in the late 1800's

Upon first seeing Nashville, a person probably wouldn't catch sight of the old buildings on Market Street or by the river front. Most likely they wouldn't see the old factories and warehouses that line the railroads and dominate the city limits. However, they would mark the American General Center, Dominion Bank, and the Stouffer Hotel. Also, in the background are other noticeable buildings, The Life and Casualty Tower (the L&C), the Andrew Jackson Government office building, Volunteer Plaza and still other various federal, bank, and insurance buildings. These skyscrapers grab your attention because of their great size and the fact that you can see them from such a large distance from the city. They show that Nashville is a modern bustling metropolis making it is hard to imagine that two hundred years ago Nashville was a tiny frontier town. In Nashville at that time fur traders and pioneers were the main tourists rather than country music lovers looking for Randy Travis and Elvis Presley memorabilia. Unfortunately, the main reason why no one ever notices Nashville's most historic buildings is because they are no longer standing. After many years of growth and transition it seems that Nashville has forgotten all but the most prominent of it's architectural and historical treasures. In Nashville, country music lovers go downtown to see Ryman Auditorium which is the old historic building where Grand Ole' Oprey shows were once performed, now they play at Opreyland in a fancy new auditorium. You would expect that Nashville would take great care to preserve its heritage at least for the tourist's sake. However, this is not the case. Much of the loss of Nashville's historic structures was due to the normal development and growth of any city. Yet much was a lack of regard for the city's past. It is very essential that a person have a sense of Nashville's past in order to appreciate the true importance of its historic landmarks.

The first person to settle the Davidson County area was Timothy Demonbreun who in 1776 was an Indian trader in search of a better market. When he discovered a cave on the banks of the Cumberland river he settled there (McRaven 5). It was only five years earlier in 1771 that the original settlers of Tennessee came from North Carolina to settle the Watauga Valley (McRaven 7). Later explorers from this group discovered Demonbreun's trading post deeper into the frontier. The reports of fertile soil and rich game in the Cumberland area brought several families to the present site of Nashville on Christmas 1779. In honor of Francis Nash, a Revolutionary soldier and a friend to one of the settlers, the fort was called Fort Nashborough (McRaven 8). On October 6, 1783, the county court of Davidson County was established and among the first of its functions was to change the name of the town from Nashborough to Nashville on April 19, 1784 (McRaven 15).

With the name of the city changed, the city's future was energetically planned. Two hundred one acre lots were set out for the new city along with over six hundred and forty acres as public land. Each person who purchased a lot was required to build a house of a certain size (McRaven 15). Nashville, which was frequented by many traders and pioneers soon deemed it necessary to build the Nashville Inn to accommodate its visitors. The wood frame hotel was built in 1783 on the corner of Public Square which was the center of town then and still is today. The inn served as a meeting place for all the important travelers and residents of Nashville (McRaven 17). Traders discussed their markets and pioneers discussed their adventures. Local businessmen also stopped by drink in the Hotel's saloon.

Among the several stores on Public Square was the stone Methodist Church that had been built before 1783. This church served as a courthouse, jail, stocks, and public meeting place until 1803 which was when the first county courthouse was built (McRaven 25). At the same time the courthouse was contracted to be built, the prison was to be built as well. Both were to be constructed of hewn logs and the contract was given to whomever would do the job for cheapest (Wooldridge 88). The prison stood until on Church Street until after years of growth it was decided to be too close to the Capitol. The new prison was built several miles north of the city. Today all that remains of the old one is the administration building which serves as a storehouse for a local tire distributor. The courthouse was constructed so cheaply that by 1825 it needed to be replaced, thus the second Davidson County Courthouse. This courthouse had burned in 1856 along with the Nashville Inn and various businesses and residences on Public Square (McRaven 262). The third courthouse was designed by Francis Strickland, the son of William Strickland who had designed the Capitol Building (Acklen 272). Indeed, the architecture of the two buildings, the 3rd Courthouse and the Capitol, are strikingly similar. Today's Davidson County Courthouse, called the Metro Courthouse, was dedicated in 1937.

At various times the Tennessee State Capitol had been in Knoxville, Kingston, Murfreesboro, and Nashville. Tennessee's legislature was deciding upon a permanent location for the Capitol. Nashville, being confident that they would be chosen, purchased Campbell's Hill from Judge G. W. Campbell for $30,000 as the site for the Capitol building. Having already set aside a place for the Capitol, the Legislature declared Nashville the permanent state capitol. The ground clearing for the Capitol began on January 1, 1845 and by July 4, 1845, the foundation was nearly finished and the cornerstone was laid (Clarke 195). The Capitol had been built by slaves and inmates of the nearby state prison out of Tennessee limestone. Years later, however, much of the limestone, mainly the columns, was replaced by concrete. By 1853 the State Legislature had moved into the new capitol building.

From 1813-1817 The Tennessee State Legislature was located on the present site of the Hume-Fogg High School which then was considered to be too far from the center of the city (McRaven 90). The predecessor of the Hume-Fogg School was the Hume School which was built on February 26, 1855. The school had the distinction of being the first public school in any southern city. It had three stories and contained primary, intermediate, and grammar departments. The Fogg School was built in 1874. The two schools were consolidated into Hume-Fogg School which was built on July 20, 1911 (McRaven 124). This current building is still standing today. The other two school buildings were eventually destroyed.

By 1829 Nashville was "considered wealthy, aristocratic and refined." The city has gotten it's name "Athens of the South" because it resembled ancient Athens as far as being cultured and enlightened. Indeed, Nashville was and still is the home to some of the best colleges in the South such as Fisk University, Peabody College, and Vanderbilt University. Nashville contained many theaters, libraries, and many fashionable hotels such as the Maxwell House, the Duncan Hotel, and the Talbot hotel. The Maxwell House was once called the most luxurious hotel in the nation. Notable guests included seven presidents, Buffalo Bill Cody, Annie Oakley, Henry Ford, Thomas Edison, and Cornelius Vanderbilt. The Maxwell House was internationally known for its excellent coffee which was "Good to the last drop" envtually spawning a coffee company of the same name which we all know today as "Maxwell House Coffee." Regretfully, none of these hotels exist today. The Duncan was razed to make a parking lot and the Maxwell house burned on Christmas 1961. Although a new Maxwell House hotel was built near Metro Center on the city west side, it does not compare to the architecture of the original.

With all of Nashville's intellectual and cultural attractions the population of Nashville jumped from 6,000 in 1829, to 15,000 in 1866 (McRaven 263). The increased population dictated that the state and federal government begin construction of the Customs House on Broadway. The cornerstone for the building was laid on September 19, 1877 by President Rutherford B. Hayes. The edifice contained the U.S. courts, the post office, various federal offices, and of course the custom-house. There were several items encased in the cornerstone. Such items included U.S. coinage and postage stamps, several reports and messages from prominent political figures and a brief history of Nashville from the Tennessee Historical Society (McRaven 201). Eventually the Post office and Courts were transferred to their own buildings on Broadway right next to the Custom House (Beasley A13). The Custom House itself was renovated and now contains only Government offices.

Also with the increased population came a need for mass transit of people and goods. Ground was broken for a new depot for the Louisville and Nashville Railroad Company (the L&N) on August 1, 1898 (Walker 269). The depot, called Union Station, was formally opened on October 9, 1900 (Walker 268). Although, the station officially closed in October of 1979, it was bought by the Federal Government for the price of one dollar with the intention of renovating the station to house government offices. Despite a Senate appropriation of $7,152,000, the station remained vacant for several more years. It was eventually sold to private business and currently the station is a hotel (Johnson 1-2).

Nashville's steady growth had only been hindered by fires which had caused much devastation but little loss of life. Countless buildings and homes burned on Market street and Public Square from 1783 and 1900. The first recorded fire destroyed a store owned by Captain Williams and Black where many important public and private papers were kept. A fire in a bake shop in 1807 lead to a meeting in the Talbot Hotel for the organization of Nashville's first fire department. Despite this, major fires became even more frequent after this date. In 1813 a fire destroyed all but four or five houses on Public Square and the first city hotel at the same location was destroyed in 1830. 1856 saw three separate fires; one destroyed the Davidson County Courthouse and the Nashville Inn, the second destroyed 13 homes, the third destroying another eight buildings and the Masonic Hall. A federal warehouse was lost to fire in 1865 becoming one of the most costly losses in Nashville history. On two separate incidents in 1872 there was a fire on Market street and Public Square and another fire broke out on the square in 1873. Fires occurred in the State Prison in 1890 and another in the State Asylum the next year. Other fires struck all over the city but most were on Market street and Public Square. This was due to the fact that this had always been the center of town and thus the chances of fires in that area were greater. In spite of these fires, natural disasters like the flood of 1927, and Union occupation, Nashville has withstood the years and continued to grow rapidly in the twentieth century.

Certainly most of Nashville's historic buildings are gone merely because they were very old, ordinary or victim to the Nashville fires. Also, most buildings wouldn't be considered to be historic until years after their destruction. However, other buildings like the Duncan Hotel were wasted to allow parking space for Nashville's ever increasing commuter population. There are other less historic buildings crumbling today which would have been more suitable for this purpose. Nashville must remember its lost treasures in order to appreciate its remaining ones. It must learn from its mistakes before it becomes a ghost town without a history.