Bicentennial Capitol Mall State Park
Bicentennial Capitol Mall State Park | |
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Type | State park, urban park |
Location | 600 James Robertson Parkway Nashville, Tennessee, United States |
Coordinates | 36°10′15″N 86°47′15″W / 36.1707°N 86.7875°W |
Area | 19 acres (77,000 m2) |
Opened | June 1, 1996 |
Operated by | Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation |
Open | Year round |
Website | Bicentennial Capitol Mall State Park |
Bicentennial Capitol Mall State Park, commonly known as Bicentennial Mall, is an urban linear landscaped state park in downtown Nashville, Tennessee.[1] The park is located on 19 acres (77,000 m2) north-northwest of the Tennessee State Capitol, and highlights the state's history, geography, culture, and musical heritage. Receiving more than 2.5 million visitors annually, it is the most visited of Tennessee's 56 state parks.[2]
The park is modeled on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., and was first conceptualized in 1989 by former Governor Ned McWherter as part of the planning for the state of Tennessee's bicentennial commemoration. Groundbreaking occurred on June 27, 1994, and the park opened to the public on June 1, 1996, the 200th anniversary of Tennessee's statehood.
Description
The 19-acre (77,000 m2) park is the smallest of Tennessee's state parks. Modeled on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., it features design elements that provide visitors with information on Tennessee's history, natural features, attractions, landmarks, and musical heritage. It incorporates a number of Classical Greek, Baroque, and Beaux-Arts influences.[3] The park has its borders defined by Jefferson Street on the north, James Robertson Parkway on the south, 6th Avenue North on the east, and 7th Avenue North on the west.[3] It is situated directly north of the hill that contains the Tennessee State Capitol, which is distinctly visible from the park. The Nashville Farmers' Market is to the park's immediate west.[4] The Tennessee State Museum is located directly west of the park's north end, and the Tennessee State Library and Archives is east of the north end. A number of state office buildings are also located nearby.[5]
Major features
Both sides of the mall are lined with
Directly north of the map is the Rivers of Tennessee Fountains, which feature 31 geyser-like fountains representing the major rivers and waterways of the state. A large trough represents the Mississippi River, which forms the western border of the state.[7] A railroad trestle that carries a CSX mainline crosses the park between the map plaza and river fountains; the park's visitor center, restrooms, and several picnic tables are located underneath this.[5][8] Near each end of the trestle flies a 12-by-18-foot (3.7 by 5.5 m) Tennessee Flag, each of which is surrounded by eight 5-by-8-foot (1.5 by 2.4 m) state flags. The large flags commemorate the state's bicentennial celebration, and the small flags represent Tennessee's status as the 16th state admitted to the Union.[9]
Directly north of this is the Tennessee Amphitheater, a 2,200-seat terraced
Walkways
A long tree-lined linear
The eastern outer path is the Walkway of Counties, which represents the state's geography from east to west. Throughout the walkway are time capsules from each county, arranged from north to south by Grand Division, which will be opened on the state's tricentennial on June 1, 2096. The lids of each capsule contain brief descriptions of their respective county. The planters next to the walkway highlight the state's diverse topographical landforms, and feature flora from across the state's respective regions.[9] Accompanying these are granite obelisks which provide descriptions of the state's nine physiographic regions. An obelisk detailing the history of the Tennessee State Capitol is also located along here.[6]
The western outer path is the Pathway of History, containing a 1,400-foot (430 m) series of walls, which chronicle major events in the state's history with short inscriptions. This pathway is actually divided into two main sections: a shorter section which provides a brief overview of the state's prehistory and precolonial history, beginning one billion years ago, and a shorter one which provides a more detailed history of the state from 1766 to 1996. A break in the wall symbolizes the division amongst the state's residents during the American Civil War. Each decade, from 1766 to 1996, is represented by a large granite pylon; these are also provided for the precolonial section, which read "One Billion Years Ago", "240 Million Years Ago", "10,000 BC", and "1600 AD", respectively.[6]
Monuments and memorials
A number of monuments and memorials are located adjacent to the Pathway of History. The Statehood Memorial is located approximately 20 ft (6.1 m) on top of the approximate location of McNairy Spring, a hydrological sulfur spring that was used by settlers and residents of the area as a main source of water in the 18th and 19th centuries.[12] This monument consists of a fountain representing the spring surrounded by a circular wall which contains sixteen stars. These represent Tennessee's status as the sixteenth state admitted to the Union, and information about Tennessee's statehood is also engraved in the wall. The Sulphur Springs Monument consists of three fountains which flow into a rock garden, and represents the wildlife and the wetlands of Tennessee.[7] The Centennial Memorial commemorates the Tennessee Centennial and International Exposition of 1897. There is also a monument to Tennesseans who served in the Civilian Conservation Corps.[9]
The World War II Memorial features a plaza that contains ten pillars etched with images and descriptions of the war relevant to the state. The pillars on the east represent events from the European and Mediterranean and Middle Eastern theaters, and the western pillars represent events from the Pacific Theater.[13] The memorial also contains a 18,000 lb (8,200 kg) granite globe suspended by water, and a bench with the names of the seven recipients of the Medal of Honor from Tennessee.[7] The surface of the plaza contains gold stars honoring the 5,731 Tennesseans who died during the war. A time capsule on the plaza will be opened on November 11, 2045.[13]
History
Site history
Bicentennial Capitol Mall State Park is located near the site of the French Link, a natural salt lick which was fed by the McNairy Spring under the mall. French traders under the command of Charles Charleville established a trading post along the French Lick by the same name in 1714, which was the first European settlement in what is now Nashville.[14] The French Lick and spring attracted settlers from East Tennessee to the region in 1779, who established Fort Nashborough, the namesake of Nashville, along the Cumberland River, and founded the Cumberland Association the following year.[15] The spring continued to be used as one of the city's primary water sources throughout the 19th century, and the area gradually became known as Sulphur Bottoms.[12]
As Nashville grew, a number of residences and businesses occupied the site. Between the 1880s and the 1950s, part of the site that was prone to flooding was used as a dump, with many relics from this period found during construction. A brick sewer tunnel was also constructed under the site of the park in 1892. Beginning in the early 20th century, the area fell into disrepair, and became a
Park history
In the late 1950s and early 1960s, a building boom resulted in several
On June 1, 1992, McWherter signed an executive order creating the Tennessee Bicentennial Commission to oversee the planning of the statewide bicentennial celebration.[19] This 23-member panel, which included a number of prominent business leaders, celebrities, and governmental leaders from around the state, began preliminary planning work for the mall on August 12, 1992.[20] That month, Tuck Hinton Architects and staff from SSOE Engineers and Ross/Fowler Landscape Architects were hired to develop a master plan for the mall.[3][21] This plan was unveiled to the public on June 2, 1993,[22] and approved by the State Building Commission on July 8, 1993.[23]
The cornerstone for the mall was laid on June 27, 1994, in a ceremony overseen by Governor McWherter.[24] By October of that year, the project had already gone over budget, and engineers began to recommend reductions to the original plan, which resulted in the carillon being deferred in March 1995.[25][26] On April 27, 1996, the time capsules in the Walkway of the Counties were buried in a ceremony.[27] The park was dedicated on June 1, 1996, by then-Governor Don Sundquist and then-Vice President Al Gore as part of a celebration of Tennessee's 200th anniversary of statehood.[28] The World War II memorial was dedicated on Veterans Day, November 11, 1997.[29] On April 18, 1998, the Civilian Conservation Corps monument was dedicated in a ceremony officiated by David B. Roosevelt, a grandson of President Franklin D. Roosevelt.[9][30] Construction on the carillon began in January 1999, and operation began on July 14, 2000.[31][32] The bell on Capitol Hill was dedicated on June 1, 2003.[33] The Tennessee Department of Transportation placed a time capsule on the north end of the park on July 1, 2015, as part of a celebration of the agency's centennial. It will be unearthed on July 1, 2115.[34]
Legacy and events
Since its opening, Bicentennial Capitol Mall State Park has routinely hosted numerous events, including festivals, concerts, and community gatherings, and has come to be the most visited state park in Tennessee. It was ranked by the
Gallery
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Railroad trestle at the south end of the park
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One of two groups of Tennessee Flags near the south end of the park
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Central lawn with the Capitol Building in the background.
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Rivers of Tennessee fountains and monument wall
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The Pathway of History
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Civil War monuments on the Pathway of History
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Tennessee World War II Memorial
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The Walkway of the Counties
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Groundbreaking time capsule
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Fountain over the site of McNairy Spring at the Statehood Memorial
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Tennessee Amphitheatre
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Civilian Conservation Corps Monument
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Obelisk detailing the history of the Tennessee State Capitol
References
- ^ a b Beck, Ken (July 13, 2007). "Bicentennial Mall symbolizes history of Tennessee's people, places". The Tennessean. Archived from the original on November 17, 2013. Retrieved November 17, 2013.
- ^ a b Jones, Vivian (May 31, 2021). "'A living history book,' Bicentennial Mall turns 25". Main Street Nashville. Archived from the original on January 3, 2022. Retrieved January 3, 2022.
- ^ a b c d e "Bicentennial Capitol Mall State Park: Nashville, Tennessee". American Planning Association. 2011. Archived from the original on February 19, 2023. Retrieved February 19, 2023.
- ^ a b c "Great Places in America: Public Spaces". American Planning Association. 2011. Archived from the original on October 6, 2011. Retrieved November 17, 2013.
- ^ a b Bicentennial Capitol Mall State Park (Map). 1:3,000. Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation. 2018. Archived from the original on January 3, 2022. Retrieved January 3, 2022.
- ^ a b c Kirk, Chris (July 1, 2020). "Celebrating Statehood". Tennessee Magazine. Archived from the original on January 5, 2022. Retrieved January 5, 2022.
- ^ a b c d e f g h "Complete Guide To Bicentennial Mall State Park In Nashville". trolleytours.com. Historic Tours of America. Archived from the original on January 3, 2022. Retrieved January 3, 2022.
- ^ "CSX System Map". CSX Transportation. Archived from the original on September 11, 2021. Retrieved November 28, 2021.
- ^ a b c d e "TSP: Bicentennial Capitol Mall State Park Historical Aspects". cleanairtn.org. Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation. Archived from the original on February 19, 2023. Retrieved February 19, 2023.
- ^ "Bicentennial Mall". Nashville Downtown Partnership. Archived from the original on January 3, 2022. Retrieved January 3, 2022.
- ^ Kerr, Gail (June 28, 1994). "Governor buries capsule at Bicentennial Mall cornerstone". The Tennessean. Newspapers.com. pp. 1B, 2B. Archived from the original on January 5, 2022. Retrieved January 5, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ a b c Daughtrey, Larry; Kerr, Gail (March 22, 1995). "A site for past and future". The Tennessean. Nashville. pp. 1A, 2A. Archived from the original on January 5, 2022. Retrieved January 5, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ a b "Tennessee World War II Memorial". legion.org. American Legion. Archived from the original on January 3, 2022. Retrieved January 3, 2022.
- ISBN 1166645126– via Google Books.
- ^ Albright (1909), pp. 49–50
- WZTV-TV. Nashville. Archivedfrom the original on January 3, 2022. Retrieved January 3, 2022.
- ^ a b Daughtrey, Larry (July 20, 1989). "McWherter wants Capitol Hill mall for bicentennial". The Tennessean. Nashville. pp. 1A, 4A. Archived from the original on February 19, 2023. Retrieved February 19, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Bicentennial mall has merit". The Tennessean. Nashville. July 24, 1989. p. 8-A. Archived from the original on January 3, 2022. Retrieved January 3, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Ingram will head bicentennial; State gearing up for 1996 birthday". The Tennessean. Nashville. Associated Press. June 3, 1992. p. 3B. Archived from the original on February 19, 2023. Retrieved February 19, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ Daughtrey, Larry (August 13, 1992). "Committee making big plans for state bicentennial". The Tennessean. Nashville. p. 4B. Archived from the original on February 19, 2023. Retrieved February 19, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ Hinton, Kem (June 1, 2021). "Bicentennial Mall a civic gift for Tennesseans". Main Street Nashville. Archived from the original on February 19, 2023. Retrieved February 19, 2023.
- ^ McKnight, Gail (June 3, 1993). "Birthday mall will have it all". The Tennessean. Nashville. pp. 1B, 2B. Archived from the original on February 19, 2023. Retrieved February 19, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ Locker, Richard (July 10, 1993). "State gives final go-ahead to Bicentennial Mall plan". The Commercial Appeal. Memphis. p. B2. Archived from the original on February 19, 2023. Retrieved February 19, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ Kerr, Gail (June 27, 1994). "Laying out a new era; Mall heralds revitalized city". The Tennessean. Nashville. pp. 1A, 2A. Archived from the original on January 2, 2022. Retrieved January 3, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ Ippolito, Mark (October 27, 1994). "Bicentennial mall to get nips and tucks". The Tennessean. Nashville. pp. 1A, 2A. Archived from the original on February 19, 2023. Retrieved February 19, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ Kerr, Gail (March 22, 1995). "Budget cuts take toll on mall plan". The Tennessean. Nashville. p. 2A. Archived from the original on January 5, 2022. Retrieved January 5, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ de la Cruz, Bonna M. (April 28, 1996). "Young Tennesseans preview Bicentennial Mall, capsule burial". The Tennessean. Nashville. p. 8B. Archived from the original on February 19, 2023. Retrieved February 19, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ Daughtrey, Larry (June 2, 1996). "200 and counting ..." The Tennessean. Nashville. pp. 1A, 9A. Archived from the original on January 3, 2022. Retrieved January 3, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ Trevison, Catherine (November 12, 1997). "World War II memorial dedicated". The Tennessean. Nashville. p. 1B. Archived from the original on January 3, 2022. Retrieved January 3, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ Ferguson, Carrie (April 14, 1998). "Monument to honor 1930s CCC members". The Tennessean. Nashville. p. 6B. Archived from the original on February 19, 2023. Retrieved February 19, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ Cheek, Duren (July 14, 2000). "Officials hope Tennessee Carillon, Capitol Mall visitors find harmony". The Tennessean. Nashville. p. 1A. Archived from the original on January 5, 2022. Retrieved January 5, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Capitol gets carillon". The Tennessean. Nashville. July 16, 2000. p. 6B. Archived from the original on January 5, 2022. Retrieved January 5, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ Hewett, Kelli Samantha (June 2, 2003). "Tennessee celebrates statehood on musical note". The Tennessean. Nashville. p. 1B. Archived from the original on January 5, 2022. Retrieved January 5, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
- WRCB-TV. Chattanooga. Associated Press. July 2, 2015. Archivedfrom the original on January 5, 2022. Retrieved January 5, 2022.
- ^ "Bicentennial Capitol Mall State Park". Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation. Archived from the original on December 31, 2011. Retrieved November 17, 2013.
- ^ "Bicentennial Mall Festival Highlights Tennessee History" (Press release). Nashville: Tennessee State Government. October 2, 2007. Archived from the original on March 1, 2023. Retrieved March 1, 2023.
- ^ Hance, Mary (October 14, 2015). "Tennessee History Festival brings the past alive". The Tennessean. Nashville. Retrieved February 19, 2023.
- ^ Alund, Natalie Neysa (December 31, 2016). "NYE Nashville: "Out with 2016, bring on 2017 y'all!"". The Tennessean. Nashville. Archived from the original on April 5, 2023. Retrieved March 1, 2023.
- ^ Vissman, Donna (December 31, 2022). "What to Know About the Nashville NYE Event". Rutherford County Source. Franklin, Tennessee. Archived from the original on February 19, 2023. Retrieved February 19, 2023.
- ^ "Interpretive Programs and Tours". Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation. Archived from the original on February 19, 2023. Retrieved February 19, 2023.
External links
Media related to Bicentennial Capitol Mall State Park at Wikimedia Commons
- Bicentennial Mall website at TNStateParks.com