Nashville is set along the Cumberland River, and over the last few decades, the city has worked to make the riverfront more pedestrian friendly.  Since its creation in the 1980s, the city is continuously adding to and improving Riverfront Park; one of the most notable additions is  The John Seigenthaler Pedestrian bridge, which opened in 1998.  At 3,150 feet, the bridge is one of the longest pedestrian bridges in the world. It offers a nice view of the city from its designated viewing platforms and allows people to easily access the LP stadium where the NFL Titans play.  At first I thought the structure in front of the stadium was a roller coaster, and I was waiting to see it in action; however, I learned that this is actually an art installation titled “Ghost Ballet for the East Bank Machineworks” (2007) by artist Alice Aycock, who wanted to honor the history of industrial work along the river.  

From the bridge, I also saw an interesting building at the northern end of Riverfront Park, so I decided to take a walk up and see what it was. I ended up at Fort Nashborough. While it’s only a collection of a few small replicas and some of the plaques could use some refreshing, it was interesting to learn about the history and lifestyle of the late 1700s settlers in the area. 

At the northern end of the city is Bicentennial Capitol Mall Park.  The park has shaded walkways on either side of a long mall that frames the view of the Tennessee Capitol building up on the hill.  The park highlights many aspects of the state: pavers provide information about each of the 95 counties, landscape highlights native plants from across the regions, fountains give information about rivers, and one pavilion boasts a 200 foot map of the state.

Along one side of the Bicentennial Mall is the Nashville Farmers’ Market. At first I thought this would be just a collection of temporary farm stalls, and while there are some local farms selling their goods, there are also local artisans stalls, a garden center, and a more permanent indoor food court area. The space is filled with vendors all days of the week.  It was a nice place to shop locally without falling into the tourist traps near Broadway. 

Along the Walkway of Counties as well as on the side of the new Capitol building there are ruins of the old Capitol building.  These fragments of limestone were once part of the columns that made up the front of the original Capitol building. When the Capitol building was renovated in the 1950s, the columns were replaced and when the Bicentennial Mall was created in 1995, they were moved here. While these were a little random in their placement, I always appreciate places that don’t just throw away the past. 

One place that not only embraces its past but makes it part of the space is the Marathon Motor Works building.  Built in the 1880s, the building once housed the Southern Engine and Boiler Works, which turned to making automobiles in the early 1900s. They were one of the first manufacturers to build the whole car from design to completion. While their two models of the Marathon car were popular, due to changing hands and poor business practices, the company closed their doors in 1914. The building is now called Marathon Village and is occupied by tourist shops, unique artisans, tasting rooms, cafes, and cultural spaces.  However, artifacts from the company are on display throughout the hallways: newspaper clippings, machinery, and tools have more of a presence than the stores.  I enjoyed exploring the architecture of the building – both through the hallways and in the outside courtyard. Across the street, there is a small museum honoring the Marathon car, which includes four of the eight Marathon cars left in existence. 

Further outside of the city is the Gaylord Opryland Resort and Convention City. One of my visits to the city was in the heat of the summer, so I was looking for indoor experiences, and I came across this hotel’s indoor atriums.  They have nine acres of bright atriums that offer lush greenery, water features, shops and cafes, live music, and places to sit and relax.  The glass ceiling made me feel like I was outside without having to deal with the heat outside. 

Speaking of hot, I fell in love with Nashville Hot Chicken during my first visit to the city.  Since then, restaurants near me have started putting it on their menu, but I will always remember my first bite of this spicy and sour sandwich in Nashville.