. As part of its Centennial Expo in 1897, the municipal government of Nashville commissioned a full-scale replica of the Greek Parthenon, meant to emphasize the city’s image as a center of culture and learning–the “Athens of the South”. Today, the replica Parthenon remains in Centennial Park.

When you are living in a van in a Walmart parking lot, there are two basic situations that you will face: places where overnight parking in the lot is legal, or places where it is not. Each situation must be dealt with a bit differently. As a matter of corporate policy, Walmart allows overnight parking … More The Logistics of Living in a Walmart Parking Lot

When the Confederate General Hood approached Nashville in December 1864, he established a defensive line just south of the city, hoping to draw out the Union General Thomas into a decisive fight. To protect his left flank, Hood set out a series of five small cannon forts, known as “Redoubts”. Only one of these survives … More Confederate Redoubt Number 1

The fighting at Shy’s Hill was the decisive action during the Battle of Nashville in December 1864. When the Minnesota Infantry charged up Shy’s Hill, it broke the Confederate flank and allowed the Union forces to roll up the entire line. Confederate General Hood’s army was virtually destroyed, and the Civil War came to an … More Shy’s Hill, Nashville TN

The Battle of Nashville was one of the most important of the American Civil War–it led to the complete destruction of an entire Confederate Army and ended the war in what was then the western United States. Unfortunately most of the battlefield has not been preserved, but a few key places can still be seen … More Kelley’s Point Battlefield

The Military Museum is an adjunct to the Tennessee State Museum located a few blocks away. It’s not very big, but it has a collection of stuff from the Spanish-American War and the Philippine Moro War, which aren’t usually covered by history museums. Here are some photos (sorry for the lighting on some of these–the … More The Tennessee Military Museum

Okay, admit it–you watched “The Dukes of Hazzard”. The cheesy country TV show, starring an orange 1969 Dodge Charger named “General Lee”, was a cultural icon in the early 80’s. “The Dukes” was at the top of the ratings for years until contract disputes and casting changes killed it. But in Nashville TN, part of … More “Cooter’s Place” Dukes of Hazzard Museum

The Grand Ole Opry, in Nashville TN, is the capitol of country and western music. The Grand Ole Opry House, in Nashville In 1923, the National Life and Accident Insurance Company purchased a license for a commercial radio station, which was named WSM (for the insurance company’s motto “We Shield Millions”). The station went on … More The Grand Ole Opry

The Hermitage is the plantation near Nashville TN that was the home of President Andrew Jackson and his wife Rachel. Originally a small cotton farm with a two-story log cabin, General Jackson bought it in 1804, and over the years built several additional log buildings, including slave cabins and a smokehouse. The farm came with … More The Hermitage, President Andrew Jackson’s Plantation

The Tennessee Central Railroad was one of the local lines in the Nashville TN area, carrying freight (mostly coal) and passengers to nearby cities. The Railroad went bankrupt in 1968, and now exists only as this museum, on the grounds of the former machine shop. Here are some photos from an afternoon visit to the … More Tennessee Central Railroad Museum