Executive Branch and Conclusion, First Floor

Hello, I’m Mayor Freddie O’Connell. Welcome to the first floor of Nashville’s Historic Courthouse and City Hall! This level is home to the executive offices of Metro Government, including the Office of the Mayor—my office.

Before I was elected as Nashville’s tenth mayor in 2023, I served two terms on the Metro Council representing downtown’s District 19. That experience gave me a front-row seat to how city government works and how decisions here shape everyday life.

Being mayor means serving as the city’s chief executive—overseeing Metro’s budget, working with Council to shape policy, responding to emergencies, and helping ensure our 50+ departments deliver the services Nashvillians rely on. From public safety and transit to parks, arts, and neighborhood planning, the mayor’s job touches every corner of civic life.

Did You Know? I was sworn into office by First Circuit Court Judge David Briley. Judge Briley was also Metro Nashville’s eighth mayor—and the grandson of Beverly Briley, the first mayor of Metro Nashville. Trivia Question: Metro has had ten mayors since consolidation. How many of them served on the Metro Council before becoming mayor? Hint: I’m one of them. You’ll find the answer in the tour’s conclusion.

As you explore this floor, you’ll see offices for members of my team as well as Metro’s Department of Law and Department of Finance. You’ll also notice familiar Art Deco details—from metalwork to marble—that connect this space to the rest of the building. Before you move on, take a look at the decorative mail chutes near the elevators. They’re no longer in use, but they once carried letters from every floor straight to the basement to be mailed. Fun Fact: Before entering public service, I worked as a software developer. I’m a graduate of Montgomery Bell Academy and hold two bachelor’s degrees from Brown University: one in music and one in computer science.

Conclusion

Congratulations—you’ve completed the Nashville Sites tour of the historic Davidson County City Hall and the Public Square. We hope this tour has given you a deeper understanding of the architecture, history, and everyday work of Nashville’s Metro Government. Your exploration doesn’t have to end here. Nashville Sites offers dozens of free, carefully researched tours covering neighborhoods, music history, civil rights, art, food, sports, colleges, architecture, and more. In other words, if you want to learn more about Nashville–there’s a tour for that!

And now, the answers to the pop-up trivia questions from each stop:

Stop 1: France

Stop 2: Franklin D. Roosevelt

Stop 3: New York City

Stop 4: Al Gore, Jr.

Stop 5: John Lewis

Stop 6: Four–Megan Barry, David Briley, John Cooper, Freddie O’Connell

Whether you’re a lifelong Nashvillian, a student, a visitor, or a history buff halfway around the world, Nashville Sites brings the city’s stories to you. You can take our tours three ways: (1) in person as you walk through downtown and Nashville’s historic neighborhoods, (2) by car as you explore sites across Music City, or (3) virtually online—anytime, anywhere, on any device with an internet connection.

If you’d like to support Nashville’s Sites’ mission, please consider donating through the “Donate Now” button. And don’t forget to follow and tag us on social media @NashvilleSites @mayorofnashvilletn @nashmco and @vicemayorangie. Thank you for joining us today. Until next time, this is Vice Mayor Angie Emery Henderson, signing off.