Legislative Branch, Second Floor

Hello, I’m Vice Mayor Angie Emery Henderson. Welcome to the second floor of Nashville’s Historic Courthouse and City Hall. This is the Legislative Floor, where local laws are introduced, debated, and passed. I served two terms on the Metro Council from 2015 to 2023 as the elected representative for Council District 34, and I was honored to be elected Vice Mayor in 2023. As Vice Mayor, I serve as President of the Metro Council, and my office, which belonged to the Mayor of Nashville from 1937 to 1963, is located just behind you.

The Metropolitan Council of Nashville and Davidson County—our city’s legislative body—meets on this floor to debate proposals, shape policy, and pass local laws. When the building opened in 1937, this level housed many key offices, including the Mayor and the City Council. The Council offices are still here, but the Mayor’s office is now on the first floor–you’ll hear more about that later!

Across the mezzanine is the Council Chamber, the heart of the Legislative Floor. Though the doors are locked outside of meeting times, you can explore the image carousel at the top of the page. Metro Council meets here twice a month for regular sessions and holds other committee meetings throughout the month. Inside, you’ll find a dais, public seating, and 40 desks. All members of the current council can be seen in the portrait outside the chamber. The chamber itself is named for charter Council member and long-time Vice Mayor David Scobey.

Did You Know? Nashville’s Metro Council has 40 members—making it the third-largest municipal council in the United States. Trivia Question: Chicago is the second largest council with 50 members. Which consolidated city-county government comes in first with 51? We’ll share the answer in the tour’s conclusion.

Our 40-member structure—35 district representatives and 5 at-large members—was created in 1962, when Nashville became the first U.S. city to fully successfully consolidate its city and county governments. That step came after an earlier referendum attempt failed in 1958. What changed– clearer plans for merging schools and a tax structure that ensured rural residents would not pay higher rates until they received added services like sewers and fire protection.

Fun Fact! The screens inside Council Chamber have closed captioning in both Spanish and Arabic, making civic participation more accessible for more Nashvillians. If you’d like to hear this tour in Spanish, skip to the last stop. If you’d like to hear this tour in Spanish or Arabic, look at the tour stop list, scroll down, and choose the tour in your preferred language.

Head to the center of the mezzanine and look toward the front entrance. Click Next Stop to continue exploring the building’s murals and interior architecture.