War Memorial Auditorium and Plaza

You’re now standing in the War Memorial Plaza. Completed in 1925, the War Memorial Building, which stands at the center, honors the soldiers from the state of Tennessee who died in World War I. It was the first major building project for the state government since the Tennessee State Capitol’s completion in 1859. The building was Nashville’s first multipurpose structure and features offices, the Tennessee Military Museum, and a large auditorium—once home to the Grand Ole Opry and the Nashville Symphony.

The building was designed in 1922 by local architect Edward E. Dougherty in association with the New York City firm of McKim, Mead & White. Designed in the Neoclassical style, the building is lined on three sides with fluted Doric columns – both functional and engaged – and a triangular pediment on its east side. Behind the colonnade is an open atrium with a bronze statue representing Victory at War, which was sculpted by Nashville-native Belle Kinney. Kinney also sculpted a statue dedicated to the women of the Civil War that is on the southwest corner of the plaza. Interior materials include oak, marble, and terrazzo. There are also other smaller memorials built in the plaza, including a Korean War monument and the Vietnam Veterans Park.

The building was renovated by R. Bruce Draper and Associates in 1973. The blueprints for the original plan as well as the renovation are available in the Tennessee State Library and Archives. The building is on the National Register of Historic Places, and it won a gold medal from the American Institute of Architects in 1925 for its unique blend of modern technology with Classical architecture.

Fun Facts: Dougherty studied architecture at the Ecole de Beaux Arts in Paris and practiced architecture in Atlanta before partnering with Thomas W. Gardner. The two designed many impressive churches throughout the South. The firm McKim, Mead & White remains famous for its neoclassical designs, which include the Boston Public Library, Columbia University Library, New York’s Penn Station, the Rhode Island State House, and the National Museum of American History.

Walk across the plaza, away from the Capitol, and cross Union street at the crosswalk. Turn LEFT on Union Street and cross Anne Dallas Dudley Boulevard. Pass the “Votes for Women” historical marker. Turn RIGHT on Sixth Avenue North until you reach the entrance to the Hermitage Hotel.