Old Woman’s Home and Lula Naff

Part I. Old Woman’s Home

Before we reach the Ryman Auditorium to talk about Lula Naff, we wanted to tell you a little bit about another organization that was located here on Fourth Avenue. In the shadow of the Ryman Auditorium was a beautiful house that served as a private assisted living and nursing home. These facilities are common now, but they were not in the 1890s and early 1900s. It was called, bluntly, the Old Woman’s Home (OWH). The OWH is important to the history of Nashville women for two reasons. First, they cared for white females who lacked familial or financial security but who were well-respected senior citizens with a history of work, church, and/or community service. Once a resident applied and was accepted, all costs were covered—food, medical, even funeral expenses. 

Second, the OWH was important because it was an organization with an all-female Board of Directors. Presidents Elizabeth Keith and her daughter-in-law Emmy Ewing Keith led the OWH for nearly fifty years. Fannie Battle was the organization’s first treasurer and fundraiser. And Battle’s life is quite a story itself. A dedicated southerner, she was arrested and imprisoned during the Civil War. What was her charge? Spying. After the war, she dedicated her life to helping those in need—including the Nashville Relief Society, the Fannie Battle Day Home, and the Old Woman’s Home. Today the OWH is the West End Home Foundation. They no longer offer residential services but award grants of over $1 million each year to programs and institutions that support seniors—and yes men are now included!

When you reach the Fourth Avenue visitors and ticket entrance, look for the Café Lula sign and restaurant. Named for Lula C. Naff, let’s learn about another incredible woman. Go in and have a drink or snack if you need a break as you listen to her story. Press pause and then hit play when you are ready to resume.

Part II. Lula Naff and Ryman Auditorium

No theater has shaped the trajectory of Nashville’s urban identity more than the Ryman Auditorium. And no woman has shaped the trajectory of the Ryman’s success more than Lula C. Naff. Built as the Union Gospel Tabernacle to hold religious revivals and gatherings; the Ryman has always been a place to gather and listen. At the turn-of-the-century the Ryman’s emphasis shifted from religious revivals to secular entertainment. Religious events at the Ryman did not disappear; in fact, the interior space still looks more like a church than a theater—hence the Ryman’s nickname of “Mother Church of Country Music.” With a new stage and balcony finished by 1901, Ryman Auditorium quickly became the premier downtown venue. Its success in large part was due to the extraordinary business and talent acumen of Lula C. Naff. 

Lula Naff was the booking agent and theater manager of Nashville’s Ryman Auditorium for forty years. She started as a secretary for a booking agency, then began working for the Ryman directly in 1914. Six years before women could even vote, she took a gamble and became an independent agent. She was so good, the board of directors named her the official manager in 1920—a position that she held until 1955. Often booking acts and shows under the name L.C. to avoid criticism or condescension from male counterparts, Lula helped make Nashville a southern center of culture and entertainment. She pushed for diversity and hosted unique events from boxing matches to livestock fairs and magic shows. And, of course, there was incredible music here at the Ryman with concerts of all kinds. She was also responsible for bringing the Grand Ole Opry, a radio show which made the Ryman its home in 1943. As the Ryman says, “Lula brought everyone who was anyone to the Ryman.”

Here’s one final tidbit to tie these two stories together. The women living in the Old Woman’s Home watched the construction of the Ryman, sitting everyday on the front porch. Then after it opened in 1892, famed evangelist Sam Jones came to town to hold a big revival held in the new tabernacle. Jones stopped by the Old Woman’s Home before leaving town and “held a small prayer service” with the ladies. 

Walk through the parking lot next to the Ryman and pause at the Bill Monroe statue and Tennessee Historical Commission Birth of Bluegrass historical marker. From here, you can view the Ryman’s historic entrance. When you are ready to continue, turn RIGHT and walk north on Fifth Avenue until you reach Commerce Street. Cross and turn LEFT onto Commerce Street. Your next stop will be at the Vine Street Temple historical marker, just before you reach Seventh Avenue.