Legislative Plaza

Our next stop is Legislative Plaza—but we won’t actually be visiting it. The plaza you see at street level is called War Memorial Plaza; the structure beneath the surface is called Legislative Plaza. Most people use the terms interchangeably, but they are actually two separate entities, each with its own unique purpose. You are currently standing on War Memorial Plaza, which is adjacent to the 1925 War Memorial Auditorium and contains statues dedicated to Tennesseans who have died in war. This plaza was created as a public space for meetings, demonstrations, and festivals.

Underneath this granite façade is a labyrinth of offices, hallways, and meeting rooms that connect to the state capitol. It previously served as the offices of the state legislature, which have now relocated to the Cordell Hull building we visited earlier. The entrance to Legislative Plaza is at the corner of Union Street and Sixth Avenue. Feel free to head over there before continuing the tour. War Memorial Plaza and Legislative Plaza were completed in 1974.

As you exit the plaza, the Hermitage Hotel is on your left, across Union Street. This hotel is famous for its involvement in the ratification of the Nineteenth Amendment (and for its Art Deco men’s restroom). Hermitage Hotel can be found on several other tours: Woman’s Suffrage, Capitol and Church Architecture, Hidden History, and Food for Thought. Cross Union Street and turn right. Walk up the hill, crossing Seventh Avenue North, until you reach Polk Avenue. Turn LEFT on Polk and stop at Hastings Architecture, the former Ben West Library building.