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Nashville, Tennessee

2007 Schools Wikipedia Selection. Related subjects: North American Geography

   Nashville, Tennessee
   Skyline of Nashville, Tennessee

   Official flag of Nashville, Tennessee

                                        Official seal of Nashville, Tennessee
   Flag                                 Seal
   Nickname: "Music City"
   Location in Davidson County and the state of Tennessee
   Location in Davidson County and the state of Tennessee
   Coordinates: 36°10′00″N, 86°47′00″W
   Country United States
   State Tennessee
   Counties Davidson County
   Founded: 1779
   Incorporated: 1806
   Mayor Bill Purcell ( D)
   Area
    - City 526.1 mi² - 1,362.5 km²
    - Land 502.2 mi² - 1,300.8 km²
    - Water 23.9 mi² - 61.8 km²
   Elevation 182 m  (597 ft)
   Population
    - City (2005) 575,261
    - Density 1,145.5/mi² - 442.2/km²
    - Metro 1,422,544
   Time zone CST ( UTC-6)
    - Summer ( DST) CDT ( UTC-5)
   ZIP codes 37201–37250
   Website: http://www.nashville.gov/

   Nashville is the capital and the second most populous city of the U.S.
   state of Tennessee. It is located on the Cumberland River in Davidson
   County in the north-central part of the state. Nashville is a major hub
   for the health care, music, publishing, and transportation industries.

   Nashville's population stood at 575,261 as of 2005, according to United
   States Census Bureau estimates. The 2005 population of the entire
   13-county Nashville Metropolitan Statistical Area was 1,422,544, making
   it the largest and fastest-growing metropolitan area in the state.

   A resident of Nashville is called a Nashvillian.

History

   Nashville was founded by James Robertson and a party of Wataugans in
   1779, and was originally called Fort Nashborough, after the American
   Revolutionary War hero Francis Nash. Nashville quickly grew due to its
   prime location, accessibility as a river port, and its later status as
   a major railroad centre. In 1806 Nashville was incorporated as a city
   and became the county seat of Davidson County, Tennessee. In 1843, the
   city was named the permanent capital of the state of Tennessee.

   By 1860, when the first rumblings of secession began to be heard across
   the South, Nashville was a very prosperous city. Tennessee reluctantly
   sided with the Confederacy and became the last state to secede from the
   Union. The city's significance as a shipping port made it a desirable
   prize as a means of controlling important river and railroad
   transportation routes. In February 1862, Nashville became the first
   state capital to fall to Union troops.

   Though the Civil War left Nashville severely damaged and in dire
   economic straits, the city quickly rebounded. Within a few years, the
   city had reclaimed its important shipping and trading position and also
   developed a solid manufacturing base. The post-Civil War years of the
   late 19th century brought a newfound prosperity to Nashville. These
   healthy economic times left the city with a legacy of grand
   classical-style buildings, which can still be seen around the downtown
   area.

   It was the advent of the Grand Ole Opry in 1925, combined with an
   already thriving publishing industry, that positioned it to become
   "Music City USA". In 1963, Nashville consolidated its government with
   Davidson County and thus became the first major city in the United
   States to form a metropolitan government. Since the 1970s, the city has
   experienced tremendous growth, particularly during the economic boom of
   the 1990s under the leadership of Mayor Phil Bredesen, who made urban
   renewal a priority, and fostered the construction or renovation of a
   number of the city's landmarks, including the Country Music Hall of
   Fame, the Nashville Public Library downtown, the Gaylord Entertainment
   Centre and LP Field.

   The Gaylord Entertainment Centre (formerly the Nashville Arena) was
   built as both a large concert facility and as an enticement to lure
   either a National Basketball Association or National Hockey League
   (NHL) sports franchise. This was accomplished in 1997 when Nashville
   was awarded an NHL expansion team which was subsequently named the
   Nashville Predators. LP Field (formerly Adelphia Coliseum) was built
   after the National Football League's (NFL) Houston Oilers agreed to
   move to the city in 1995. The NFL debuted in Nashville in 1998 at
   Vanderbilt Stadium and LP Field opened in the summer of 1999. The
   Oilers changed their name to the Tennessee Titans and saw a season
   culminate in the Music City Miracle and a close Super Bowl loss.

Geography and climate

   A satellite image of Nashville
   Enlarge
   A satellite image of Nashville

   Nashville lies on the Cumberland River in the northwestern portion of
   the Nashville Basin. Nashville's topography ranges from 117 meters (385
   ft) above sea level at the Cumberland River to 354 meters (1,160 ft)
   above sea level at its highest point.

   According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area
   of 1,362.6 km² (526.1 mi²). 1,300.8 km² (502.3 mi²) of it is land and
   61.8 km² (23.9 mi²) of it (4.53%) is water.

Climate

   Average temperature (red) and precipitation (blue) in Nashville
   Enlarge
   Average temperature (red) and precipitation (blue) in Nashville

   Nashville has a humid subtropical climate. Summers in Nashville are
   generally hot and humid, with July afternoons averaging 89 °F (32 °C).
   Winters are mild and occasionally chilly, with lows in January
   averaging 28 °F (−2 °C). Average annual rainfall is 1220 mm (48.1
   inches), typically with winter and spring being the wettest and fall
   being the driest. Average annual snowfall is about 23 cm (9.1 inches),
   falling mostly in January and February. Spring and fall are generally
   pleasantly warm, but prone to severe thunderstorms—which occasionally
   bring tornadoes, with recent major events on April 16, 1998 and April
   7, 2006.

   The coldest temperature ever recorded in Nashville was on January 21,
   1985, when the temperature dipped to -17 °F (-27 °C), and the highest
   was on July 28, 1952 when the mercury reached 107 °F (42 °C).

   Nashville's position within the Nashville Basin can make it very
   uncomfortable for allergy sufferers, as pollutants can become trapped
   in the atmosphere between the area's highlands.

Metropolitan area

   Nashville has the largest metropolitan area in the state of Tennessee,
   spanning thirteen counties. The Nashville Metropolitan Statistical Area
   encompasses the Middle Tennessee counties of Cannon, Cheatham,
   Davidson, Dickson, Hickman, Macon, Robertson, Rutherford, Smith,
   Sumner, Trousdale, Williamson, and Wilson.

Government and politics

   The State Capitol in Nashville
   Enlarge
   The State Capitol in Nashville

   The City of Nashville and Davidson County merged in 1963 as a way for
   Nashville to combat the problems of urban sprawl. The combined entity
   is officially known as "the Metropolitan Government of Nashville and
   Davidson County," and is popularly known as "Metro Nashville" or simply
   "Metro". It offers services such as police, fire, electricity, water,
   and sewage treatment. When the Metro government was formed in 1963, the
   government was set into two service districts which are the "urban
   services district" and the "general services district". The urban
   services district encompasses the historic boundaries of the former
   City of Nashville and the general services district includes the
   remainder of Davidson County.

   Nashville has a strong-mayor form of government. It is governed by a
   mayor, vice-mayor and 40-member Metropolitan Council. The current mayor
   of Nashville is Bill Purcell. The Metropolitan Council is the
   legislative body of government for Nashville and Davidson County. There
   are 5 councilmembers who are elected at large and 35 councilmembers
   that represent individual districts. The Metro Council has regular
   meetings that are presided over by the vice-mayor, who is currently
   Howard Gentry, Jr. The Metro Council meets on the first and third
   Tuesday of each month at 7:00 p.m., according to the Metropolitan
   Charter.

   Nashville is one of the few major Southern cities that has remained
   loyal to the Democratic Party. Most local elections are officially
   nonpartisan. However, Democratic dominance is so absolute that most
   local races take place between the populist and "good government" wings
   of the Democratic Party. The "good government" faction has held the
   upper hand for some time. Unlike Indianapolis, the city-county merger
   did not significantly alter the political landscape. Elected
   Republicans are few and far between. At the state level, only two
   Republicans—one in the State House and one in the State
   Senate—represent significant portions of Nashville.

   Democrats are no less dominant at the federal level. Since the end of
   Reconstruction, the Democratic presidential candidate has won Nashville
   and Davidson County in every election but two. In 1968, George Wallace
   of the American Independent Party carried the city by a surprisingly
   large margin, given Wallace's opposition to racial integration;
   Nashville was much more progressive than most Southern cities regarding
   civil rights for African-Americans, especially under Mayor Beverly
   Briley. In 1972, Richard Nixon became the only Republican to carry
   Nashville since Reconstruction, gaining support from many area
   Democrats. However, since then, Democrats have usually won Nashville by
   some of the largest, if not the largest, margins in Tennessee. In 2000,
   Al Gore carried Nashville with over 59% of the vote even as he narrowly
   lost his home state. In 2004, John Kerry carried Nashville with 55% of
   the vote even as George W. Bush won the state by 14 points.

   Despite its size, all of Nashville has been in one congressional
   district for most of the time since Reconstruction. For most of the
   time, it has been numbered as the 5th District, currently represented
   by Democrat Jim Cooper. A Republican has not represented a significant
   portion of Nashville since 1875. While Republicans made a few spirited
   challenges in the mid-1960s and early 1970s, they have not made a
   serious bid for the district since 1972, when the Republican candidate
   gained only 38% of the vote even as Nixon carried the district by a
   large margin. The district's best-known congressman was probably Jo
   Byrns, who represented the district from 1909 to 1936 and was Speaker
   of the House for much of Franklin Roosevelt's first term. Another
   nationally prominent congressman from Nashville was Percy Priest, who
   represented the district from 1941 to 1956 and was House Majority Whip
   from 1949 to 1953.

   A tiny portion of southern Davidson County was drawn into the heavily
   Republican 7th District after the 2000 Census. That district is
   currently represented by Marsha Blackburn of neighboring Williamson
   County. Despite this, most living Nashvillians have never been
   represented by a Republican.

   Because Nashville serves as state capital, many of Tennessee's state
   issues are handled there, mostly in the Tennessee State Capitol.

Demographics

                                    Nashville
                                                        Population by year
       Census
         year                                                   Population
       __________________________________________________________________

        1830                             5,566
        1850                            10,165
        1870                            25,865
        1890                            76,168
        1900                            80,865
        1910                            110,364
        1920                            118,342
        1930                            153,866
        1940                            167,402
        1950                            174,307
        1960                            170,874
        1970                            448,003
        1980                            455,651
        1990                            488,374
        2000                            569,891

   The data below is for all of Metropolitan Nashville-Davidson County,
   including other incorporated cities within the consolidated city-county
   (such as Belle Meade and Berry Hill). See Nashville-Davidson (balance)
   for demographic data on Nashville-Davidson County excluding separately
   incorporated cities.
   Population density map per 2000 census
   Enlarge
   Population density map per 2000 census

   As of the census of 2000, there were 569,891 people, 237,405
   households, and 138,169 families residing in the city. The population
   density was 438.1/km² (1,134.6/mi²). There were 252,977 housing units
   at an average density of 194.5/km² (503.7/mi²). The racial makeup of
   the city was 66.99% White, 25.92% African American, 0.29% Native
   American, 2.33% Asian, 0.07% Pacific Islander, 2.42% from other races
   and 1.97% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were
   4.58% of the population. Nashville's estimated population for 2005 is
   575,261 people.

   There were 237,405 households out of which 26.7% had children under the
   age of 18 living with them, 39.9% were married couples living together,
   14.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 41.8% were
   non-families. 33.4% of all households were made up of individuals and
   8.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The
   average household size was 2.30 and the average family size was 2.96.

   In the city the population was spread out with 22.2% under the age of
   18, 11.6% from 18 to 24, 34.0% from 25 to 44, 21.1% from 45 to 64, and
   11.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years.
   For every 100 females there were 93.8 males. For every 100 females age
   18 and over, there were 90.8 males.

   The median income for a household in the city was $39,797, and the
   median income for a family was $49,317. Males had a median income of
   $33,844 versus $27,770 for females. The per capita income for the city
   was $23,069. About 10.0% of families and 13.0% of the population were
   below the poverty line, including 19.1% of those under age 18 and 10.5%
   of those age 65 or over. 4.6% of the civilian labor force is
   unemployed.

   Due to its relatively low cost of living and large job market,
   Nashville has become a popular city for immigrants to settle in.
   Nashville’s foreign-born population more than tripled in size between
   1990 and 2000, increasing from 12,662 to 39,596. Large groups of
   Mexicans, Kurds, Vietnamese, Laotians, Arabs, and Somalis call
   Nashville home, among other groups. Nashville has the largest Kurdish
   community in the United States, numbering more than 5,000. During the
   Iraqi election of 2005, Nashville was one of the few international
   locations where Iraqi expatriates could vote.

Economy

   As the "home of country music", Nashville has become a major music
   recording and production centre. All of the Big Four record labels, as
   well as numerous independent labels, have offices in Nashville, mostly
   in the Music Row area. Since the 1960s, Nashville has been the second
   biggest music production centre (after New York) in the U.S. As of
   2006, Nashville's music industry is estimated to have a total economic
   impact of $6.4 billion a year and to contribute 19,000 jobs to the
   Nashville area.

   Although Nashville is renowned as a music recording centre and tourist
   destination, its largest industry is actually health care. Nashville is
   home to more than 250 health care companies, including Hospital
   Corporation of America, the largest private operator of hospitals in
   the world. As of 2006, it is estimated that the health care industry
   contributes $18.3 billion a year and 94,000 jobs to the Nashville-area
   economy. The automotive industry is also becoming increasingly
   important for the entire Middle Tennessee region. Nissan North America
   moved its corporate headquarters in 2006 from Gardena, California ( Los
   Angeles County) to Nashville, with corporate headquarters temporarily
   located in the BellSouth Tower until 2008, when the Japanese auto maker
   will establish permanent headquarters in the Nashville suburb of
   Franklin, Tennessee. Nissan also has its largest North American
   manufacturing plant in Smyrna, Tennessee, a Nashville suburb.

   Other major industries in Nashville include insurance, finance, and
   publishing (especially religious publishing). The city also hosts
   headquarters operations for several Protestant denominations, including
   the United Methodist Church, Southern Baptist Convention, and National
   Baptist Convention, USA.

   Nashville also has a small but growing film industry. Several major
   motion pictures have been filmed in Nashville, including The Green
   Mile, The Last Castle, Gummo, Coal Miner's Daughter, and Robert
   Altman's Nashville.

Fortune 500 companies

     * HCA Inc. (formerly Hospital Corporation of America)
     * Caremark Rx
     * Dollar General Corporation (in Goodlettsville, TN)

Other important companies

   Companies based in Nashville with over $1,000M in annual revenue
     * Bridgestone Americas Holding (Bridgestone-Firestone)
     * CBRL Group (in Lebanon, Tennessee)
     * Caterpillar Financial Services Corporation (finance arm of
       Caterpillar Inc.)
     * Central Parking Corporation
     * Community Health Systems Inc. (in Brentwood, Tennessee)
     * Corrections Corporation of America
     * Delek US Holdings, Inc (in Franklin, Tennessee)
     * Genesco Inc.

     * Iasis Healthcare LLC (in Franklin, Tennessee)
     * Ingram Industries Inc.
     * LifePoint Hospitals Inc. (in Brentwood, Tennessee)
     * Louisiana-Pacific Corporation
     * Nissan North America Inc. (as of summer 2006)
     * Tractor Supply Co. (in Brentwood, Tennessee)
     * Vanguard Health Systems Inc.

Education

   Vanderbilt University, founded in 1873, is Nashville's largest
   university, enrolling over 11,000 students. Other colleges and
   universities in Nashville include American Baptist College, Aquinas
   College, Belmont University, Draughons Junior College, Fisk University,
   Free Will Baptist Bible College, Gupton College, Lipscomb University,
   Meharry Medical College, Nashville School of Law, Nashville State
   Community College, Strayer University, Tennessee State University,
   Trevecca Nazarene University, University of Phoenix, Watkins College of
   Art and Design, and Nashville Auto Diesel College. Within 30 miles of
   Nashville in Murfreesboro is Middle Tennessee State University (MTSU),
   a full-sized public university with Tennessee's largest undergraduate
   population. Enrollment in post-secondary education in the city is
   43,000 (approx.). Within the Nashville Metropolitan Statistical Area
   which includes MTSU, Cumberland University (Lebanon), Volunteer State
   Community College (Gallatin), and O'More College of Design (Franklin)
   total enrollment exceeds 74,000. Within a 40 mile radius is Austin Peay
   State University (Clarksville) and Columbia State Community College
   (Columbia), enrolling an additional 13,600.

   The city is served by the Metropolitan Nashville Public Schools.

Culture

   Ryman Auditorium, the "Mother Church of Country Music"
   Enlarge
   Ryman Auditorium, the "Mother Church of Country Music"

   Much of the city's cultural life has revolved around its large
   university community. Particularly significant in this respect were two
   groups of critics and writers who were associated with Vanderbilt
   University in the early twentieth century, the Fugitives and the
   Agrarians.

   Popular destinations include Fort Nashborough, a reconstruction of the
   original settlement; the Tennessee State Museum; and The Parthenon, a
   full-scale replica of the original Parthenon in Athens, Greece. The
   graceful State Capitol is one of the oldest working state capitol
   buildings in the nation, while The Hermitage is one of the older
   presidential homes open to the public. The Nashville Zoo is one of the
   city's newer attractions.

Country music

   Many popular tourist sites involve country music, including the Country
   Music Hall of Fame and Ryman Auditorium, which was for many years the
   site of the Grand Ole Opry. Each year, the CMA Music Festival (formerly
   known as Fan Fair) brings many thousands of country fans to the city.

   Nashville was once home to the Opryland USA theme park, which operated
   from 1972 to 1997 before being demolished to make room for the Opry
   Mills mega- shopping mall.

   Lower Broadway is home to many honky tonk bars and clubs. Probably the
   most famous of these is Tootsie's Orchid Lounge, which has hosted many
   big names from the country music scene while remaining small, intimate,
   and relatively unchanged since it started in the sixties.

Christian pop music

   The Christian pop music industry is based in Nashville, with many of
   the genre's most popular acts such as Rebecca St. James, Michael W.
   Smith, Steven Curtis Chapman, and Newsboys based there. Two members of
   the band Relient K also live in Nashville. Hence, the city is often
   known as the 'Hollywood' of the Christian entertainment industry.

Jazz

   Although Nashville was never known as a jazz town, it did have many
   great jazz bands including The Nashville Jazz Machine led by Dave
   Converse and its current version, the Nashville Jazz Orchestra led by
   Jim Williamson as well as The Establishment led by Billy Adair. The
   Francis Craig Orchestra entertained Nashvillians from 1929 to 1945 from
   the Oak Bar and Grille Room in the Hermitage Hotel. Craig's orchestra
   was also the first to broadcast over local radio station WSM and
   enjoyed phenomenal success with a 12-year show that was aired over the
   entire NBC network. In the late 1930s he introduced a newcomer, Dinah
   Shore, a former cheerleader and local graduate of Hume Fogg High School
   and Vanderbilt University.

Civil War

   Civil War history is important to the city's tourism industry. Sites
   pertaining to the Battle of Nashville and the nearby Battle of Franklin
   and Battle of Stones River can be seen, along with several
   well-preserved antebellum plantation houses such as Belle Meade
   Plantation and Belmont Mansion.

Performing arts

   The Parthenon in Nashville's Centennial Park is a full-scale
   reconstruction of the original Greek Parthenon.
   Enlarge
   The Parthenon in Nashville's Centennial Park is a full-scale
   reconstruction of the original Greek Parthenon.

   The Tennessee Performing Arts Centre is the major performing arts
   centre of the city. It is the home of the Tennessee Repertory Theatre,
   the Nashville Opera, and Nashville Ballet.

   In September 2006, the Schermerhorn Symphony Centre opened as the home
   of the Nashville Symphony Orchestra.

   In addition to the work of the resident companies, the TPAC stages
   productions of touring music and other groups.

Art museums

   Nashville has several arts centers and museums, including the Frist
   Centre for the Visual Arts, located in what was formerly the main post
   office; Cheekwood Botanical Garden and Museum of Art; the Tennessee
   State Museum; Fisk University's Van Vechten and Aaron Douglas
   Galleries; Vanderbilt University's Fine Art Gallery and Sarratt
   Gallery; and The Parthenon.

Major annual events

   Nashville at dusk
   Enlarge
   Nashville at dusk

   The most well-known annual event in Nashville is the CMA Music Festival
   (previously known as Fan Fair). The CMA Music Festival is a four day
   event in June featuring performances by country music stars, autograph
   signings, artist/fan interaction, and other activities for country
   music fans. In September, Nashville hosts the Tennessee State Fair at
   the State Fairgrounds. The State Fair lasts nine days and includes
   rides, exhibits, rodeos, tractor pulls, and numerous other shows and
   attractions. The Nashville Film Festival takes place each year for a
   week in April. It features hundreds of independent films and is one of
   the biggest film festivals in the Southern United States. In September,
   the African Street Festival takes place on the campus of Tennessee
   State University. Other big events in Nashville include the Fourth of
   July celebration which takes place each year at Riverfront Park, the
   Country Music Marathon and Half Marathon which normally include over
   10,000 runners from around the world, the Tomato Art Festival which
   takes place in East Nashville every August, and the Australian Festival
   which celebrates the cultural and business links between the U.S. and
   Australia.

Sports

   Nashville has several professional sports teams, most notably the
   Nashville Predators of the National Hockey League and the Tennessee
   Titans of the National Football League. Several other pro sports teams
   also call Nashville home, as does the NCAA football Music City Bowl.
   Nashville is also home to Vanderbilt University. The Vanderbilt
   Commodores are members of the Southeastern Conference. The football
   team of Tennessee State University also plays its home games at LP
   Field. The Nashville Knights ECHL franchise was located in the city
   before they left to become the Pensacola Ice Pilots after the 1995-96
   season.
   Club Sport League Venue
   Tennessee Titans Football National Football League LP Field
   Nashville Predators Hockey National Hockey League Gaylord Entertainment
   Centre
   Nashville Kats Arena football Arena Football League Gaylord
   Entertainment Centre
   Nashville Sounds Baseball Minor League Baseball: Pacific Coast League
   Herschel Greer Stadium
   Nashville Metros Soccer Premier Development League Ezell Park
   Nashville Dream Women's football National Women's Football Association
   Glencliff High School

   Sports venues in Nashville are:
     * LP Field
     * Gaylord Entertainment Centre
     * Nashville Municipal Auditorium
     * Greer Stadium
     * Dudley Field at Vanderbilt Stadium at Vanderbilt University
     * Memorial Gymnasium at Vanderbilt University
     * Curb Event Centre at Belmont University
     * Gentry Centre at Tennessee State University
     * Allen Arena at Lipscomb University
     * Music City Motorplex at state fairgrounds

Parks

   Metro Board of Parks and Recreation owns and manages 10,200 acres of
   land and 99 parks and greenways (comprising more than 3% of the total
   area of the county). 2,684 acres of land is home to Warner Parks, which
   houses a 5,000 square-foot learning centre, 20 miles of scenic roads,
   12 miles of hiking trails, and 10 miles of horse trails. In late 2005,
   Centennial Park began offering free wireless broadband internet
   service.

   The US Army Corps of Engineers maintains parks on Old Hickory Lake and
   Percy Priest Lake.

Transportation

   Nashville is centrally located at the crossroads of three Interstate
   Highways: 40, 24, and 65. Interstate 440 is a bypass route connecting
   I-40, I-65, and I-24 south of downtown Nashville. The Metropolitan
   Transit Authority provides bus transit within the city.

   The city is served by Nashville International Airport, which was a hub
   for American Airlines between 1986 and 1995 and is now a mini-hub for
   Southwest Airlines.

   Although it is a major rail hub, with a large CSX Transportation
   freight rail yard, Nashville is one of the largest cities in the U.S.
   not served by Amtrak.

   Nashville launched a passenger rail system called the Music City Star
   on September 18, 2006. The first and only currently operational leg of
   the system connects the city of Lebanon to downtown Nashville. Legs to
   Murfreesboro and Gallatin are currently in the feasibility study stage.
   The system plan includes seven legs connecting Nashville to surrounding
   suburbs.

   Notable bridges in the city are:
   Official Name Other Names Length Date Opened
   Korean War Veterans Memorial Bridge Gateway Bridge 506 m (1,660 ft) May
   19, 2004
   Kelly Miller Smith Bridge Jefferson Street Bridge March 2, 1994
   Old Hickory Bridge 1929
   Martin Luther King Jr. Bridge Bordeaux Bridge September 18, 1980
   Shelby Street Bridge Shelby Avenue Bridge 960 m (3,150 ft) July 5, 1909
   Silliman Evans Bridge 720 m (2,362 ft) 1963
   Victory Memorial Bridge July 2, 1956
   William Goodwin Bridge Hobson Pike Bridge 675 m (2,215 ft)
   Woodland Street Bridge 195 m (639 ft)

Notable residents

   Some of the most notable people born in Nashville include novelist
   Madison Smartt Bell, civil rights activist Julian Bond, rapper Young
   Buck (David Darnell Brown), singer Rita Coolidge, U.S. Senate Majority
   Leader Bill Frist, artist Red Grooms, pin-up model Bettie Page, actress
   Annie Potts, and soldier of fortune William Walker.

   Many notable musicians have lived in Nashville including Chet Atkins,
   Johnny Cash, Amy Grant, Jimi Hendrix, Faith Hill, Alan Jackson, Willie
   Nelson, Aaron Neville, Roy Orbison, Dolly Parton, Ernest Tubb, Shania
   Twain, Hank Williams, Loretta Lynn, Tammy Wynette, and Ben Folds.

   Other notable people who have resided in Nashville include former U.S.
   Vice President Al Gore, former U.S. President Andrew Jackson, civil
   rights leader James Lawson, former U.S. President James K. Polk,
   Pulitzer Prize-winning novelist and poet Robert Penn Warren, Academy
   Awarding-winning actresses Reese Witherspoon and Nicole Kidman, talk
   show host and entrepreneur Oprah Winfrey, and financial talk show host,
   Dave Ramsey.

Nicknames

   Nashville is a colorful, well-known city in several different arenas.
   As such, it has earned various sobriquets, including:
     * Music City, USA: WSM-AM announcer David Cobb first used this name
       during a 1950 broadcast and it stuck. It is now the official
       nickname used by the Nashville Convention and Visitors Bureau.
       Nashville is the home of the Grand Ole Opry, the Country Music Hall
       of Fame, and many major record labels.
     * Athens of the South: Home to seventeen post-secondary educational
       institutions, Nashville has long been compared to the ancient city
       of learning, site of Plato's Academy. Since 1897, a full-scale
       replica of the Athenian Parthenon has stood in Nashville, and many
       examples of classical and neoclassical architecture can be found in
       the city.
     * The Protestant Vatican or The Buckle of the Bible Belt: Nashville
       has over 700 churches (more than any other American city per
       capita), several seminaries, a number of Christian music companies,
       and is the headquarters for the publishing arms of both the
       Southern Baptist Convention and the United Methodist Church. It is
       also the seat of the National Association of Free Will Baptists,
       the Gideons International, the Gospel Music Association and Thomas
       Nelson, the world's largest producer of Bibles.
     * Cashville: Nashville native Young Buck, a rapper in the G-Unit
       clique, released a very successful album called Straight Outta
       Ca$hville that has popularized the nickname among a new generation.
     * Nashvegas: The rhinestones and neon of Nashville have given rise to
       a glitzy image that local residents have embraced. Playing off the
       image of Las Vegas, this nickname reflects the city's colorful
       nightlife and affluence. It is also an ironic play on Nashville's
       reputation as the Buckle of the Bible Belt. Americana music artist
       George Hamilton V has popularized the nickname in song.
     * Trashville: Derogatory term used among anti-"corporate country"
       country music fans and fans of rockabilly, psychobilly, ska, and
       swing music to describe the city and "radio country" music. Taken
       from the title of a Hank III song.
     * Titan Town: For its NFL team, the Tennessee Titans.
     * Metro: Short for "Metropolitan Nashville and Davidson County,"
       Metro is used locally to refer to the city, as in "Metro Police" or
       "Metro Schools".

Sister cities

   Nashville is an active participant in the Sister Cities program and has
   relationships with the following towns:
     * Canada Canada: Edmonton, Alberta
     * France France: Caen, Basse-Normandie
     * Germany Germany: Magdeburg, Saxony-Anhalt
     * United Kingdom United Kingdom: Belfast, Northern Ireland
     * United States United States: Manchester, New Hampshire

   The city is also exploring forming a sister city relationship with
   Girona, Spain; Road Town, British Virgin Islands; Diyarbekir, Turkey;
   and Taiyuan, China.
   Retrieved from " http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nashville%2C_Tennessee"
   This reference article is mainly selected from the English Wikipedia
   with only minor checks and changes (see www.wikipedia.org for details
   of authors and sources) and is available under the GNU Free
   Documentation License. See also our Disclaimer.
