Nashville is a city packed full of all kinds of history from every era. The early pioneer days, the battles of the Civil War, the triumphs of the Civil Rights movement, and the immortalization of country music — the city has been there through it all. One of the places in town where you can find monuments to that history — especially the older history — is in City Cemetery. This urban cemetery is home to some of the city’s earliest residents and founding members, and it’s an absolutely beautiful spot to visit.
Michael Noirot - Flickr Nashville has more than its fair share of history, but nowhere is that more prevalent than in the City Cemetery, just south of downtown.
Tam Davis - Flickr The cemetery was established in 1822 and is home to more than 22,000 remains, including many famous and historic Nashvillians.
NCPTT Media - Flickr Due to the cemetery’s age, frequent restorations are needed to keep the cemetery preserved, but because of those restorations, we have so much history right at our fingertips.
Nashville City Cemetery Association - Facebook Two of the most historic graves in the cemetery belong to James Robertson and his wife Charlotte. They were two of the original founding members of Nashville and are the namesakes of Robertson County and the James Robertson Parkway in downtown Nashville.
Nashville City Cemetery Association - Facebook The cemetery is also home to the newly re-interred remains of Charles Dickinson who had a historic feud with Andrew Jackson and was killed by him in a duel in 1806, 23 years before Jackson would become president. They have reenactments of the duel occasionally, which you can see here.
Nashville City Cemetery Association - Facebook And here’s Timothy Demonbreun sitting at his gravesite. (That’s not really him, of course). He was the first citizen of Nashville and is famous for camping out in a cave on the Cumberland River before establishing the settlement.
Nashville City Cemetery Association - Facebook If you’re in to Nashville history, City Cemetery is the place to go. The cemetery is open from dusk ’til dawn every day and admission is of course, always free. You can visit for yourself at 1001 4th Avenue South.
Nashville has plenty of great food options, but these old-school pizza parlors are absolutely worth the trip every time.
Michael Noirot - Flickr
Nashville has more than its fair share of history, but nowhere is that more prevalent than in the City Cemetery, just south of downtown.
Tam Davis - Flickr
The cemetery was established in 1822 and is home to more than 22,000 remains, including many famous and historic Nashvillians.
NCPTT Media - Flickr
Due to the cemetery’s age, frequent restorations are needed to keep the cemetery preserved, but because of those restorations, we have so much history right at our fingertips.
Nashville City Cemetery Association - Facebook
Two of the most historic graves in the cemetery belong to James Robertson and his wife Charlotte. They were two of the original founding members of Nashville and are the namesakes of Robertson County and the James Robertson Parkway in downtown Nashville.
The cemetery is also home to the newly re-interred remains of Charles Dickinson who had a historic feud with Andrew Jackson and was killed by him in a duel in 1806, 23 years before Jackson would become president. They have reenactments of the duel occasionally, which you can see here.
And here’s Timothy Demonbreun sitting at his gravesite. (That’s not really him, of course). He was the first citizen of Nashville and is famous for camping out in a cave on the Cumberland River before establishing the settlement.
If you’re in to Nashville history, City Cemetery is the place to go. The cemetery is open from dusk ’til dawn every day and admission is of course, always free. You can visit for yourself at 1001 4th Avenue South.
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