From a primarily farming and hunting land, Nashville has grown into a large city with diversified thriving businesses and a population of more than half a million people living in Nashville, enjoying the stronger economy and job opportunities. Tennessee ranks 17th in population count of the states.
Adequate transportation is an important aspect of any community flourishing. From flatboats, steamboats to modern river travel, the Nashville's waterways were the first major shipping method. The first bridge across the Cumberland River was built in 1822. Streetcars operated on Nashville streets from 1889 until 1941.
The Nashville and Chattanooga "N&C" railroad line was the first railroad completed in Tennessee in 1854. The Louisville and Nashville (L&N) line was finished in 1859. A recently opened museum is the Central Railway Museum, dedicated to train enthusiasts.
Union Station, designed by Richard Montfort, was officially opened on October 9, 1900 for both Louisville and Nashville (L&N) Railroad and the Nashville, Chattanooga and St. Louis (NC&StL) Railroad. In the busy train station, concrete pools with live alligators entertained weary travelers, but these reptiles have long since vanished. Mae West, President Franklin D. Roosevelt and U.S. Senator Huey Long have all walked across the beautiful marble floors, as did Al Capone on his way to prison. The massive Romanesque gray limestone building is 5 feet thick in some areas. The spacious lobby features mirrors and angel sculptures trimmed in gold, Tiffany stained glass ceiling, oak-accented doors and walls. A digital clock tower guarded by a copper statue of the winged god, Mercury (later replaced with a smaller steel replica) soars to 239 feet. During the 1998 tornado, Mercury was blown down sideways, but was restored to it's appropriate vertical stance with the aid of a crane. After many years of being home to flocks of pigeons, Union Station Wyndham Hotel (1001 Broadway) was renovated with much of the original beauty into an upscale public hotel with 124 unique guest rooms and suits. The elegant Arthur's Restaurant is in the lobby area.
On June 22, 1910, the first night airplane took off from Cumberland Park. In 1988, our continually expanding airport became the Nashville International Airport with sixteen carriers, 47 air carrier gates and a new parallel runway.
Some of Nashville's early businesses were successful, and are still thriving today. In 1850, Nashville Gas Light Company produced gas from coal for the city. The first street lamp was lighted on February 13, 1851 at Second Ave. and the Public Square. Nashville Gas Company is the oldest corporation in Nashville.
Dating back to 1881, Rudy’s Farm sold sausage on Lebanon Road. An innovative H.G. Hill opened a Nashville-based grocery store in 1896 with a new concept of "cash and carry" using the local newspaper to advertise specials and savings. Genesco, formerly Jarman Shoe Co., specialized in men's shoes.
As an aftereffect of the Great Depression of 1929, Roosevelt's New Deal program changed Tennessee forever with the TVA Act. Tennessee Valley Authority built multipurpose dams, reservoirs and extended navigation channels to harness the power of the flood-prone Tennessee River. In addition, TVA aided in land conservation, tree planting, malaria control, fish, wildlife and mineral preservation, and recreational facilities. Educational programs in the form of tent "electric" shows were held in one rural area after another to show farmers just what electricity could do for them. Nashville benefited with inexpensive electricity rates. Industry was attracted by the available power. Many corporations moved their headquarters to our state. In 1959, Congress authorized the TVA to issue bonds and notes to become self-financed. After paying back approximately one billion dollars to the U.S. government, TVA is now a private enterprise.
Tennessee is the largest mineral-producing state in the south with the biggest income from mining coal. Our state ranks first in the production of marble, zinc, ball clay and pyrite. Iron and copper deposits are also significant. Tennessee marble is famous all over the United States. As anyone attempting landscaping or gardening can tell you, Nashville is built primarily on limestone, rock and red clay.
Nashville is known as the U.S. hardwood flooring center. Our city is a financial and insurance center in the mid-south. First American Bank, NationsBank, SouthTrust, Union Planters, SunTrust and First Union are some of the many available banks. Nashville is an industrial leader in printing, lumbering, chemical and textile manufacturing. There are factories that manufacture glass, rubber items, shoes, boats, aircraft parts, fertilizer and steel.
Columbia/HCA Healthcare Corporation, one of the largest healthcare companies in the nation, resides in Nashville. Major medical facilities and services are provided by widely acclaimed Vanderbilt Hospital and St. Thomas Hospital. Other local medical centers include Baptist Hospital, Summit Medical Center, Centennial Medical Center, Skyline Medical Center (which replaced Memorial Hospital), Meharry Hubbard Hospital, Metropolitan General Hospital and Southern Hills Medical Center.
Among companies based in Nashville are Cracker Barrel, Shoney's, Bridgestone Firestone, Aladdin, Service Merchandise, Magnetek, AeroStructure (formerly Avco), Dupont, Northern Telecom, Ingram, Dollar General, Central Parking Corp., O'Charley's and J.C. Bradford. Still growing in commerce, Nissan (domain name dispute), Saturn, and DELL COMPUTER have all set up manufacturing operations in the Nashville area.
There is also an abundance of service industries like repair shops, restaurants, entertainment and tourism with ample hotels available.
Agriculture is still important aspect of our commerce with farmers harvesting the land and raising livestock. Tobacco, while not getting good press these days, has been a big cash crop in our area. Because of the threat of Federal regulation and lawsuits, many farmers are turning to soybeans and corn.
Museum of Tobacco Art & History presents a history of tobacco merchandising and consumption from the pioneer days to modern times with art and antiques. Sponsored by a Tobacco Company that manufactures Skoal dip, the museum features ornate Meerschaum pipes, Cigar Store Indians, Delft tobacco jars, early advertising, Indian pipes, snuffboxes, and cigar accessories. 800 Harrison St.
Nashville's Oscar Farris Agricultural Museum, a two story barn, houses the Tennessee Agriculture Hall of Fame along with an extensive collection of home and farm artifacts from the 1800s and early 1900s. A blacksmith shop and five log cabins reconstruct a visual of early farm life. A nature trail leads to an iris garden, pond, gazebo and trees of some 80 species. May features the Rural Life Festival, while October is the time for the Music and Molasses Festival. Admission is free. Hogan Road at Marchant
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