Nashville has adopted many nicknames over the years.
From Music City U.S.A. to Smashville and Nashvegas, the city has become a hub for a good time for everyone from country music lovers to bachelorette parties. There’s usually something for everyone.
From its beginnings as a Civil War battleground city to its growing and prosperous industry thanks to river and rail transportation, Nashville has come a long way in becoming a go-to travel spot for tourists.
In that spirit, we’re highlighting, in no particular order, 10 people, places or things that have distinguished themselves as a continuing source of pride for our town.
1. Bachelorettes
This seems like a easy one these days. With honky-tonks lining Lower Broadway, drinks flowing and music blaring from every bar, it’s hard to miss the “woo girls” with their cut T-shirts, bedazzled jackets, boots and hats as they bar-hop with drinks in hand.
The party is not just about walking the streets.
Avoid those foot blisters by taking a ride on a party and pedal bus that takes you around Music City with groups of bachelorettes singing at the top of their lungs.
It would be wise to open up a cowboy boot and hat store to make big money on all the parties had before tying the knot.
2. The Grand Ole Opry
If Madison Square Garden is the world’s most famous arena, playing host to some of the all-time greats in basketball and boxing, the Grand Ole Opry may be its equivalent in the music industry.
It truly is the home of country music, with a weekly radio show and some of the top names in country playing shows since Nov. 28, 1925.
The Opry House is nearing its 50th year in service, playing host as an intimate concert venue to the biggest stars in country music.
If those hallowed halls could talk.
3. Hot chicken
Who’d a thought chicken would have a scandalous back story?
The spicy legend behind Nashville hot chicken goes like this.
Thornton Prince was know to have a good time and enjoyed the nightlife and being a lady’s man.
After Prince stepped out of his relationship one night, he woke up the next day to a plate of fried chicken doused with hot pepper. A revenge chicken, if you will.
Instead of learning a lesson from a woman scorned, Prince asked for seconds and shared the chicken with friends and family.
Prince perfected the recipe and opened his first hot chicken shack, called BBQ Chicken Shack, in 1945.
In 1989 Andre Prince Jefferies continued the family legacy of serving up hot chicken in East Nashville.
4. Civil rights protests
The Civil Rights movement reached a fever pitch in Nashville in 1960.
From Feb. 13 to May 10, 1960, a protest to end racial segregation at lunch counters exposed Nashville and the South for civil rights issues.
More than 150 students were eventually arrested for refusing to vacate the lunch counters at Kress, Woolworth’s and McClellan stores.
Following a march to then Mayor Ben West’s office and subsequent negotiations, six downtown stores began serving Black customers at their lunch counters.
Additional protests and sit-ins were held throughout Nashville until the passage of the Civil Rights Act in 1964, which ended legally sanctioned segregation nationwide.
Among the students involved in the sit-ins were John Lewis, who later became a U.S. congressman from Georgia, minister James Bevel and activist Diane Nash.
5. The Ryman Auditorium
It’s hard not to stumble upon an important music venue in Nashville.
While many artists take the stage at Bridgestone Arena or Nissan Stadium, there are plenty of smaller venues, like the Grand Ole Opry, to see music history.
That is no different with the Ryman Auditorium, which has been home to some of the most iconic artists in country music. Its history dates back 130 years to when it was a religious gathering place called the Union Gospel Tabernacle.
When founder Thomas Ryman died in 1904, it was renamed Ryman Auditorium.
The tabernacle hosted its first music festival in May 1892 and became a hot spot for education, religious and entertainment events.
Booker T. Washington gave a lecture from the stage. The Grammy-winning Fisk Jubilee Singers made their stage debut there in 1892. The auditorium has hosted the best of the best.
The Ryman even acted as the host of the Grand Ole Opry for 31 years.
After 20 years of uncertainty, the Ryman would gain new ownership in 1989 with Gaylord Entertainment Co. to restore the tradition.
It was declared a National Historic Landmark in 2001 and has hosted an eclectic list of artists, ranging from Bob Dylan to the Wu-Tang Clan, who made history in 2019 as the first hip-hop act to headline the venue.
Before Ed Sheeran rocks Nissan Stadium on July 22, he will play a show at the 2,300-steat Ryman on July 21.
6. The Parthenon
Remember all those fun nicknames Nashville has? Before it was Nashvegas or Music City, it was and still is known as the Athens of the South thanks in part to its dedication to higher learning.
And, hey, some tourists need a pallet cleanser after all the honky-tonking and music along Broadway. Why not make a stop at the replica Parthenon nestled in Centennial Park.
When the city hosted a centennial celebration in 1897, the Parthenon replica became the centerpiece, drawing more than 1.8 million visitors. The replica also served as an art museum and educational center during the event.
The neo-classical architecture has inspired many other buildings in Nashville, including the Schermerhorn Symphony Hall.
7. Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum
What would Nashville be without country music?
Whether you are want to hear live music downtown or at one of the other music venues around town, it wouldn’t be a true stop through Music City without a day at the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum.
8. The Batman building
When you see Nashville cityscapes on T-shirts, many of them are going to have an outline of a building with protruding lines that recreate the iconic look the AT&T building in downtown Nashville.
It’s hard to miss this 33-story, 617-foot skyscraper in the heart of the city.
It’s distinctive dark tone and dual antennas resemble the famous Batman cowl, creating a signature piece of architecture when it opened in 1994
9. Celebrities
It would not be out of the ordinary to run into a celebrity or 10 while out and about in Nashville.
From movie stars like Reese Witherspoon to country music icons like Taylor Swift, many entertainers call Nashville and Middle Tennessee home.
Power couples Keith Urban and Nicole Kidman and Tim McGraw and Faith Hill also call the city home, as do legends Dolly Parton and Reba McEntire.
10. Vanderbilt
When your city is known as the Athens of the South, higher education is a integral part of its history.
Enter Vanderbilt, one of the top universities in the country, with a who’s who of alums like former Vice President Al Gore, author James Patterson, Grammy-winning singer Amy Grant and sports commentator Skip Bayless.
Reach reporter Craig Shoup by email at cshoup@gannett.com and on Twitter @Craig_Shoup. To support his work, sign up for a digital subscription to www.tennessean.com.
