Nashville is a tourist city with enough attractions to keep you busy for years. But if you take a moment to look beyond the neon lights and street musicians, you might find a few surprises. Here are a few Nashville sights you may have overlooked.
1. Fort Negley
Nashville played a big role in Civil War history. You can’t travel far in Nashville without finding a sign or memorial attributed to an important battle. But there is one site that is often overlooked, and it’s quite a bit larger than your average roadside sign.
In Feb. 1862, Confederate commanders abandoned Nashville to Union forces, who occupied the city and rapidly began building fortifications for its defense. Fort Negley, was the largest of these fortifications— a star-shaped structure constructed of limestone and located on a hill south of downtown.
2. The Tennessee State Museum
Speaking of rich history, the Tennessee State Museum holds the mother lode. It’s tucked safely in the bottom floor of the Tennessee Performing Arts Center and features everything from mastodon remains to original artifacts dating back to the Civil War.
3. The Night Market
We all love a sunny stroll through the Nashville Farmers’ Market, but did you know you can attend under the stars each month too? Every third Thursday the Nashville Famers’ Market hosts a Night Market with live music!
4. Demonbreun’s Cave
(Photo Credit: atlasobscura.com)
Have you noticed that big hole in the rock of the Cumberland River? That was once the home of Timothy Demonbreun, the “first citizen” of Nashville. He left his wealthy Canadian family to become a fur trader right here in Tennessee. He found that the Cumberland River attracted a great deal of game, so he shacked up in a cave on its banks while he built a home in what is now Nashville.
There are countless reasons to love Nashville, and now you have four more. These places are amazing, and better yet—they’re free! Spend some time getting to know more about the great city we live in.