Metro Nashville Archives

Metro Nashville Archives A division of Nashville Public Library, Metro Archives houses and preserves the history of Nashville.
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https://library.nashville.org/about/policies/social-media-and-blog-guidelines The Metropolitan Government Archives, a division of the Nashville Public Library, collects and preserves the historically valuable records of Metropolitan Nashville and Davidson County, as well as other records of historical or documentary significance reflecting the history of our city. The Archives has ongoing programs

to maintain and develop its collections, and welcomes researchers to come explore its treasures. The Archives has over 5 million records dating from the 1780s to the present.

Happy Berfday, Tennessee! 🎉 You don’t look a day over 200 (even if you are 230 today). 🎂🎊It's Statehood Day in Tennessee...
06/01/2026

Happy Berfday, Tennessee! 🎉 You don’t look a day over 200 (even if you are 230 today). 🎂🎊

It's Statehood Day in Tennessee, marking the anniversary of the Volunteer State joining the Union on June 1, 1796, as the 16th state in the young United States.

Today's featured map may not have originally come from the Metro Archives collections—it was likely copied from the Tennessee State Library & Archives—but it's still worth sharing. Created by J.H. Colton & Company in 1856, it shows Tennessee at the youthful age of 60, highlighting counties, cities, roads, and railroads across Tennessee and Kentucky.

You can also view another version of this map through the Tennessee Virtual Archive:
https://teva.contentdm.oclc.org/digital/collection/p15138coll23/id/323

📸: Unknown Source/Collection, credit: State Library & Archives

T-U-R-N-B-A-C-K Titans! 🏈In the blink of an eye, this moment was nearly 30 years ago 🫣— back when Nashville was still ge...
05/29/2026

T-U-R-N-B-A-C-K Titans! 🏈

In the blink of an eye, this moment was nearly 30 years ago 🫣— back when Nashville was still getting acquainted with its brand-new pro football team and getting its first look at the uniforms to match. So, who wore it better: the players… or the young Titans fans? 😄

Bonus points if you can identify the players in the second photo!

📸: Jersey reveal event for the Tennessee Titans, date: May, 1998; Metro Photographer Collection, photographer: Gary Layda.

We’ve been deep in property research lately… which means it’s time for more 🐿️ You know — when we search a random term...
05/26/2026

We’ve been deep in property research lately… which means it’s time for more 🐿️ You know — when we search a random term in our photo drive like “2nd Ave” or “aerial” and uncover something amazing 🤩

Today’s search term 👉 “Madison”
Result 👉 5th & Madison in Germantown

📸: The corner of 5th and Madison in Germantown, date: 1953; City Photographer Collection.

In honor of all who have served and made the ultimate sacrifice, we will be closed Monday, May 25th, in observance of Me...
05/24/2026

In honor of all who have served and made the ultimate sacrifice, we will be closed Monday, May 25th, in observance of Memorial Day. We wish everyone a safe and meaningful holiday weekend! 🇺🇸💐

📸: Memorial Services Parade in downtown Nashville (on Capitol Blvd); date: unknown; Banner Negatives Collection (courtesy of Nashville Public Library - Special Collections). Nashville Public Library- Special Collections Center .specialcollections

05/22/2026

Roll that beautiful AVHC Footage! 🎥🎞✨

Today’s throwback clip for takes us back to the 1984 Summer Lights Festival — when War Memorial Plaza and Deaderick Street transformed into a vibrant runway of art, music, and fun for Nashvillians to enjoy. Who remembers Summer Lights?

📹: Summer Lights Festival Footage, 1984; AVHC - James Kilgore Collection

Nashville hosting the 2030 Super Bowl means football will probably look a little different around here. 🏈🎶Less tackling....
05/21/2026

Nashville hosting the 2030 Super Bowl means football will probably look a little different around here. 🏈🎶

Less tackling. More harmonizing.
And every touchdown comes with an encore. 😂

Happy Thursday, everyone! 🙃

📸: WSM/National Life staff in a football pose, unknown date; Robinson-Craig Collection.

🏪 A one-stop shop for food and building supplies, Batson’s Grocery & Hardware once stood near a busy intersection — es...
05/20/2026



🏪 A one-stop shop for food and building supplies, Batson’s Grocery & Hardware once stood near a busy intersection — especially today — on Nashville’s south side.

Who can guess its location? 👀📍

📸: MDHA Slide Collection, unknown date.

Where we're going, we definitely need roads - especially Gallatin Pike, one of Nashville's well-traveled arteries runn...
05/19/2026



Where we're going, we definitely need roads - especially Gallatin Pike, one of Nashville's well-traveled arteries running through the city's earliest suburbs (Edgefield and East Nashville). 🚂🛣️

While I’m no railroad or roadway expert, I can share a little history about this bridge and the L&N system 🤓:

◾️This railroad bridge is located in today’s 3200 block of Gallatin Pike in the South Inglewood neighborhood.
◾️It was once part of the L&N (Louisville & Nashville) Railroad system, chartered in 1850. Today, it is a part of CSX.
◾️I’m unsure exactly when the bridge was built, but it has witnessed at least a century of Nashville history passing through the neighborhood.
◾️To learn more about Gallatin Pike and its history, check out Ridley Wills "Nashville Pikes" Volume 6 book!

Have more info to share about Gallatin Pike, the railroad bridge, or the neighborhood’s history? Drop it in the comments below! 👇

📸: Gallatin Pike railroad overpass, date: 1958; Banner Negatives Collection, courtesy of Nashville Public Library - Special Collections.
📸: Modern view of the Gallatin Pike railroad overpass, date: March, 2025; Google Maps.

.specialcollections Nashville Public Library- Special Collections Center

Surf’s up, dude! 🌊😎This week 46 years ago, Metro Parks’ “all-new, all-splashy” Wave Pool opened to Nashvillians — just i...
05/15/2026

Surf’s up, dude! 🌊😎

This week 46 years ago, Metro Parks’ “all-new, all-splashy” Wave Pool opened to Nashvillians — just in time for school to let out! The official opening day was Saturday, May 17, at noon. The four-foot waves were created with the help of computers and hidden blowers (and maybe still are — I don't know🧐).

Original admission prices were $3 for adults, $2 for children under 12, and free for kids younger than 4!

📸: Wave Country grand opening event with Mayor Fulton, date: May 17, 1980; Metro Parks & Recreation Collection.
📰Info source: Tennessean clipping from May 16th, 1980.

Sulphur Dell from the “upper deck” 👀⚾✈️This bird’s-eye view north of the Capitol captures a whole lot of Nashville histo...
05/14/2026

Sulphur Dell from the “upper deck” 👀⚾✈️

This bird’s-eye view north of the Capitol captures a whole lot of Nashville history packed into one frame — the old Sulphur Dell park, rail lines, warehouses, river industry, and the old Jefferson St. Bridge.

Who can guess what year this is?

📸: Aerial view of the area just north of the State Capitol building; MDHA Collection.

Address

615 Church Street
Nashville, TN
37219

Opening Hours

Monday 9am - 6pm
Tuesday 9am - 6pm
Wednesday 9am - 6pm
Thursday 9am - 6pm
Friday 9am - 6pm
Saturday 9am - 12pm
1pm - 5pm
Sunday 2pm - 5pm

Telephone

+16158625880

Website

https://nashvillepl.libanswers.com/form?queue_id=2531

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