Phil Ponder Mural and Christmas Day Bombing

For this stop, continue walking up Second Avenue as you listen. Stay on the right side of the street for the best view of Phil Ponder’s artwork you’ll see in a moment. Cross over Church Street and stop when you reach Bank Street.

In the early morning hours of December 25, 2020, a loudspeaker from an RV eerily played the 1964 song “Downtown.” The music stopped, followed by a computerized voice warning people to evacuate. Minutes later, a bomb detonated on Second Avenue, exploding into the sky on Christmas morning. The bomb was set off by a conspiracy theorist who appeared to be targeting the AT&T data center, which was hit directly.

Across the street, 172, 174, and 176 Second Avenue were severely damaged, along with much of the 160 block. Many buildings have since been restored and businesses have returned, with wider sidewalks and outdoor dining. But some local landmarks were lost, including the Melting Pot and Spaghetti Factory. The block has experienced other losses as well. In the 1980s, a historic building between Church and Bank Streets burned, leaving a gap that remains a parking lot.

As recovery began, community leaders faced a difficult question: how do you rebuild something modern without erasing the history around it? Local artist Phil Ponder helped answer that question with a mural inspired by his own work. Look up to see the historic façade at full height. Rather than covering the damage, it acknowledges it, reconnecting the street’s past, present, and future.

As you continue between Commerce and Church Streets, look down. More than 50 engraved pavers share stories from Market Street’s history. Installed in late 2025, they mark a hopeful milestone five years after the tragedy.

The pavers were made possible by our tour sponsors, The DISTRICT and the Nashville Historical Foundation. After the bombing, the two nonprofits formed Second Avenue Strong and partnered with NewsChannel 5 on a nationally televised telethon featuring artists like Old Dominion, Ashley McBryde, and Lee Brice.

Keep walking. Cross over Church Street and stop at Bank Street, one of the oldest surviving roads in the city. This is where Nashville’s story of commerce began long before Second Avenue ever had a name. You’ll see a historical marker for the Site of the First Store on the building at the corner to let you know you’re in the right spot.