Nashville Centennial and Christ Church Cathedral

In 1780, early settlers established Fort Nashborough. Led by James Robertson and John Donelson, a group of men signed the Cumberland Compact, which was the area’s first governing document. One hundred years later, Nashville had grown to become a dynamic southern city. To celebrate this milestone, a temporary building was constructed in 1880 to house exhibits to showcase Nashville’s industrial, commercial, educational, and cultural progress. Designed by architect William C. Smith, the Centennial building stood across the street from the Customs House on the corner of what was then Broad Street and Spruce Street, now known as Eighth Avenue. The month-long exposition began on April 24, 1880, and visitors from across the state came to see the exhibits or to attend special events that included parades, speeches, and fireworks. One of the exposition’s most momentous events was the dedication of a statue of Andrew Jackson on horseback that was placed on the grounds of the State Capitol.

Souvenir commemorative coins were also made with the Nashville Centennial Building on one side and Andrew Jackson’s statue on the other. The unofficial theme of the exposition was Nashville’s place as a moderate city—one with reverence for southern tradition but also a vision of industrial progress. The Nashville Exposition of 1880 is different from the Centennial Exposition of 1897, which celebrated Tennessee’s statehood. Here’s a little trivia for you: The Cumberland Compact formed the basis of what would be the state’s constitution, and an original copy can still be found in the Tennessee State Library and Archives. For more, take our Early History tour.

Before we go to our next stop, look across the street to see two more sites connected to the post-Civil War Era. At the corner of Broadway and Ninth Avenue, you will see the Southern Methodist Publishing House, built in 1906. From 1906 to 1957 it was the country’s second largest printer of religious materials. Today, it is home to a law firm. On the opposite corner, you will see Christ Church Cathedral, constructed in the Gothic Revival Style. Its congregation formed as Nashville’s first Episcopal parish in 1829, and in 1894, they moved from Church Street to this location. The most noteworthy features in the church include the tower, added in 1947, and the stained-glass windows, some of which were designed by Louis Comfort Tiffany and the Tiffany Company. You can learn more about these two structures on our Broadway Architecture, Old Time Religion, and Woman’s Suffrage Tours.

Continue walking west away from the river. You will pass the Frist Art Museum on your left and Union Station is just beyond it. Turn LEFT onto Tenth Avenue South. Our stop for Union Station will be on your right at the historical marker.