National Register of Historic Places

Nashville City Cemetery (Additional Documentation)

Nashville, Davidson County, Tennessee
Listed
October 17, 1972
Type
Site
Period
Listed
Ref No.
72001235

About this property

Nashville City Cemetery is the oldest public cemetery in Nashville, Tennessee. Many of Nashville's prominent historical figures are buried there. It includes the tombs of 22,000 people, 6,000 of whom were African Americans. Nashville City Cemetery was opened on January 1, 1822. By 1850, over 11,000 people were buried there. In 1958, Nashville Mayor Ben West led an effort to restore and preserve the cemetery. In 1972, it was listed in the National Register of Historic Places due to its historical and architectural significance. Among those interred in the cemetery are two of Nashville's founders, four Confederate generals, one Tennessee Governor, and twenty-two mayors of Nashville. Also buried there are numerous soldiers, schoolteachers, former slaves, early civic leaders, and other interesting citizens of Nashville. Sea Captain William Driver, who coined the name "Old Glory" for his ship's U.S. Flag and hid that famous flag during the Civil War, is buried here. By 2017, the cemetery included the tombs of approximately 22,000 people, 6,000 of which were African Americans. On March 4, 2017, Elias Polk and Matilda Polk, who were enslaved by President James K. Polk, had their tombstones replaced as part of an effort to recognize more African-Americans buried at the cemetery. Nashville City Cemetery is located near downtown Nashville at 1001 4th Avenue South. Lt. Lipscomb Norvell – Revolutionary War Soldier and father of US Senator John Norvell. Samuel R. Anderson – Confederate brigadier general in the Civil War. Gen. Felix Kirk Zollicoffer – Confederate general, U.S. Congressman, journalist, Tennessee militiaman. Washington Barrow – U.S. Charges d'Affaires to Portugal; U.S. Congressman from 1847 to 1849. William Carroll – Governor of Tennessee from 1821 to 1827 and again from 1829 to 1835. Thomas Claiborne – U.S. Congressional Representative from 1817 to 1819. Charles Dickinson – Killed by Andrew Jackson in 1806 duel. William Driver – Coined the name Old Glory for the U.S. flag in 1831. Richard S. Ewell – Civil War Confederate General, corps commander, Army of Northern Virginia. Francis Fogg – Developed Nashville's public school system in 1852. Harlan Howard – Prolific American songwriter, principally in country music. Mabel Imes and Ella Sheppard – two of the original Fisk Jubilee Singers. John Patton Erwin – Mayor of Nashville from 1821 to 1822, and from 1834 to 1835. Alexander Porter – U.S. Senator who represented Louisiana. Felix Robertson – Mayor of Nashville from 1818 to 1819, and from 1827 to 1829. James Robertson and his wife, Charlotte Robertson – two of the founders of Nashville (then called Fort Nashborough)

Location

1001 South 4th Ave.
Nashville, Davidson County, Tennessee
36.14766, -86.76999

Categories

LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTUREMILITARYEDUCATIONPOLITICS/GOVERNMENTARCHITECTURE
Sources

Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).

Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

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Overview
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The Land
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Geology
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LiDAR Terrain
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Conflict & War
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The Civil War
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The Soldiers
The men who marched from here in the Civil War, named and traced where the record allows.
Native Heritage
The Native nations who held this land, mapped across time from before European contact to today.
Settlement
Who claimed and held this ground, from Indigenous homelands through the colonial powers to the United States.
The Community
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Rivers & Rail
The rivers, canals and railroads that connected this place between 1830 and 1911.
Notable People
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Historical Maps
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Finds & Access
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Literature
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Spotlight
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Points of Interest
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Nearby Historic Sites

Fort Negley
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0.3 mi
Lindsley Avenue Church of Christ
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Hubbard House
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St. Patrick's Catholic Church and Rectory
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Elm Street Methodist Church
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Nearby Battles

Skirmish at Nashville (Confederate probe December 1864)
1864Civil War
1.2 mi
Battle of Nashville — Day Two Assault
1864Civil War
1.2 mi
Battle of Nashville – First Day Dec 15
1864Civil War
1.2 mi
Battle of Nashville — Day 1 (December 15)
1864Civil War
1.2 mi

Questions about this property

When was Nashville City Cemetery (Additional Documentation) listed on the National Register?

Nashville City Cemetery (Additional Documentation) was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on October 17, 1972.

What type of historic resource is Nashville City Cemetery (Additional Documentation)?

Nashville City Cemetery (Additional Documentation) is classified as a site in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for Nashville City Cemetery (Additional Documentation)?

The period of significance for Nashville City Cemetery (Additional Documentation) is recorded as the listed era.

Can I research the history near Nashville City Cemetery (Additional Documentation)?

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