Description

Aaittafama' is located at the intersection of Hillsboro Road and Old Hickory Boulevard on the border between Davidson and Williamson Counties. At one time the site was called Kellytown, after the Kelly family who were long-time owners of the property. Aaittafama was the site of a 15th century fortified Mississippian village. In 1972, the site was recorded by the Tennessee Division of Archaeology (TDOA) after the discovery of possible Indigenous graves. In 1999, part of the site was excavated by TDOA and Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT) archaeologists ahead of construction on Hillsboro Road, which revealed an extensive prehistoric village surrounded by a palisade. In 2014, the Metro Nashville Parks Department acquired seven acres at the north end of the site with the intention of turning it into an archaeological park. As of 2025, the site has not yet been developed.

Title Aaittafama' Archaeological Park

Creator Nashville Historical Foundation

Author Kelsey Fritz, MTSU graduate student and Adam Fracchia, NHF Archaeologist, 2026

Date 15th century; 1972; 1999

Address 6410 Hillsboro Pike

Type Former Site of Building

Coverage Area 3

Source Metropolitan Board of Parks and Recreation

Contributor Mississippian Culture; Friends of Aaittafama'; City of Forest Hills; Tennessee Department of Archaeology; Tennessee Department of Transportation

Subject Early Settlement; Native Americans

Keywords Mississippian, Archaeology, Aaittafama' Archaeological Park

Rights CC BY-NC 4.0