New South Nashville

Welcome to the New South Nashville tour on Nashville Sites. This tour was written by Dr. Reavis Mitchell, Dr. Tara Mielnik, and Marley Abbott. My name is Jim Hoobler, and I will be your guide on this tour. I’m the senior curator of art and architecture at the Tennessee State Museum, and a board member of the Metropolitan Historical Commission. On this tour, you will see some of the city’s most important historic places and learn about people who shaped modern Nashville. So, if you want to hear about the man behind Ryman Auditorium, see the oldest standing fire house, or learn about the origins of Fisk University and other educational institutions—then you’ve come to the right place. But first, here is a little more about Nashville during this era.

The term New South is used to describe the years after the Civil War as southern cities and economies began to rebuild and industrialize. The New South parallels three larger periods in U.S. history: Reconstruction from 1865 to 1877, the Gilded Age of the 1880s and early 1890s, and finally the Progressive Era that began in the late 1890s and ended roughly in 1920. Because of Nashville’s occupation by Federal troops during the Civil War, it was not destroyed by fire or battle, and its location and connections to rail and river made it a prime intersection of trade. These factors, and the city’s ability to balance tradition and progress, made Nashville a model for New South cities.

As a result, Nashville experienced tremendous growth in population, and city leaders focused on industry, education, religion, reform, and transportation. This tour will take you on a journey through our city’s history from 1865 to the early 1900s. You will hear great stories, see hidden historical gems, and experience some of the best preserved and restored buildings in downtown. Join us as we begin our New South Nashville tour. The tour begins at Captain Thomas Ryman’s home on the 500 block of Second Avenue South. From downtown you will walk uphill, five blocks from Broadway or three blocks from Demonbreun. Once you reach the Metropolitan Historical Commission’s historical marker for Captain Thomas Ryman’s house, you have arrived.