ACRL News Issue (B) of College & Research Libraries 664/C&Rl News Jo in the fun in and around N a sh v ille By Shirley Hallblade Nashville’s cultural attractions are varied and many A CRL’s 8th National Conference, with its dynamic speakers and programs, will bring many library professionals to Nashville, Tennessee, in April 1997. There will be some free time in the schedule, but conference at­ tendees are encouraged to come early and/or plan for an extended stay to take advantage of the many things to see and do in and around Nashville. There is something for everyone— fine arts museums, sporting events, hiking trails, parks, historical sites, venues for live music and the performing arts— as well as the well-known Music Row area and the Opryland complex. A rt a n d h isto ry m u seu m s Cheekwood Botanical Gardens and Fine Arts Center, located near the Belle Meade area o f Nashville, offers a varied visual experience o f the fine arts, architecture, and horticulture. The 55-acre complex is the former home o f the Leslie Cheek family of Maxwell House coffee fame. Today a stately Georgian mansion houses a fine arts collection and features visiting ex­ hibits such as the recent one on Andrew Wyeth. The surrounding gardens and greenhouses are lush with plants and flowers; a Japanese gar­ den offers a quiet place for reflection. The Carl Van Vechten Gallery on the Fisk University campus houses an impressive col­ lection o f works from the 20th century. It in­ cludes the Alfred Stieglitz Collection contain­ ing works by Georgia O’Keefe, Picasso, and Renoir. The Parthenon, a full-size replica of the Athenian temple, includes art galleries featur­ ing permanent exhibits o f 19th- and 20th-cen­ tury American painters as well as changing exhibits and shows. It is located in Centennial Park across from Vanderbilt University. The Tennessee State Museum, located downtown in the Tennessee Performing Arts Center, features permanent exhibits o f Tennes­ see artifacts and regional historical exhibits as well as traveling shows such as the current “Elvis and Marilyn” exhibit about these two pop cul­ ture icons. Offering an extensive view o f the popular cultural history o f country music, the Country Music Hall o f Fame and Museum has many exhibits that honor the great composers and entertainers and the history o f country music, as well as showcasing contemporary artists. Among the items on display are Elvis Presley’s gold piano and his Cadillac convertible. This museum is located less than a mile from down­ town, next to Music Row, and is accessible by trolley or short cab ride. The Cumberland Museum and Science Center features scientific, historical, and natu­ ral history exhibits, including live animals, plan­ etarium presentations, and laser shows. H istorical architecture a n d m a n sio n s Located near the downtown area is the Ten­ nessee State Capitol, a marble and limestone building completed in 1845. Its architect, Will­ iam Strickland, who died before seeing the project to completion, is buried in a niche in one o f the capitol’s walls. The capitol grounds include the tomb o f James K. Polk, eleventh president o f the United States. Shirley Hallblade is associate director of libraries at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, and cochair of the Local Arrangements Committee; e-mail: hallblade@library.vanderbilt.edu mailto:hallblade@library.vanderbilt.edu November 1996/665 Belmont Mansion is an Italian-style villa located on the campus o f Belmont University. It was built in 1850 by Adelicia Acklen, one of the wealthiest women in pre-Civil War times. The mansion survived Union occupation dur­ ing the Civil War and was the center o f Nashville’s social life for several decades. Belle Meade M ansion, known as the “Queen o f Tennessee Plantations,” was built in 1853 on a 5,300-acre plantation which was also the site o f one o f the finest thoroughbred breed­ ing farms in America. Today the restored man­ sion sits on 30 acres of well-maintained grounds. It will be featured on one o f the optional tours offered through the conference. The Hermitage— home o f Andrew Jackson ( “Old Hickory”), the seventh president o f the United States— is a national historic landmark. The recently restored Greek Revival house, with its furnishings used by Jackson and his family along with the surrounding grounds which in­ clude log cabins and the family burial site, will be featured on a post-conference optional tour. It is located a few miles from downtown. C o u n try m usic The Grand Ole Opry, originally located in the Ryman Auditorium in downtown Nashville, now has a modern auditorium in the Opryland com­ plex east of the city past the airport. Live per­ formances of this legendary show known as radio’s longest-running program are aired over radio station WSM-AM across many states on Friday and Saturday evenings. The theme park itself, focusing on the history o f American mu­ sic, will be open on weekends during the time that ACRL is in Nashville, offering a venue for family entertainment. The Opryland Ho­ tel, with its recently completed “Delta" ad­ dition featuring a 4.5- acre indoor garden w ith w aterfalls, is worth a visit. The ho­ tel has almost 3,000 rooms, several restau­ rants and shops, and features several indoor conservatories and water structures. The Gen­ eral Jackson, docked near the Opryland Hotel, is the world’s largest paddlewheel showboat and features day and evening cruises with din­ ner and entertainment. The Nashville Trolley system and water taxis operating on the Cumberland River between downtown and the Opryland area offer interesting means o f trans­ portation and a view o f the city. The Music Row area, home o f many re­ cording company offices and studios, is a popu­ lar site for visitors as well. Bus tours are avail­ able and the downtown trolley goes there. The area includes many homes built in the 1920s and ’30s that have been converted to offices and shops. A frica n A m e rica n h e rita g e Nashville has a rich African American heritage, both in terms o f its ethnic population (one- fourth o f the city’s residents are o f African- American descent) and because o f cultural and historical events that occurred there. In the 1950s and early 1960s, local black leaders founded the Nashville Christian Leadership Conference, an affiliate o f Martin Luther King Jr.’s Southern Christian Leadership Conference. The group, working with college students and local churches, challenged local segregation policies through sit-ins and other nonviolent protests in shops and at lunch counters. One o f the optional tours to be offered to conference attendees includes visits to sites focusing on Nashville’s African-American heri­ tage such as the National Baptist Publishing Board, Fisk University (home of the world- famous Fisk Jubilee Singers), Tennessee State University, Meharry Medical College, Fort Negley, and various churches. R ecreatio n a n d sp o rts Nashville boasts many parks throughout the city, several o f which feature acres of natural envi­ ronments enhanced with walking trails and roads that attract hik­ ers, runners, bicyclists, and horseback riders. R iv erfron t Park downtown and Cen­ tennial Park a little o v e r a m ile from downtown are popular o u td oor location s within the city. A little further out, Radnor Lake and the 4,000 acres of woodlands and fields that comprise Percy Warner and Edwin W arner Parks are favor­ ite places to enjoy nature walks and see birds, other wildlife, and the early spring wildflowers which should be in bloom in April. The Country Music Hall of Fame has m any exhibits. . . . Among the items on disp lay a re Elvis Presley’s gold piano and his Cadillac convertible. 666 / C&RL News B elm on t M an sio n w a s built in 1850 a n d su rvived U n io n occupa­ tion d u rin g the Civil W a r. It is o n the cam pus o f Belm on t Univ. For attendees who enjoy organized sports, the city offers a number o f public golf courses and outdoor tennis courts. In addition, the Cen­ tennial Sportsplex has indoor tennis courts and other facilities. Greer Stadium is home to the Nashville Sounds, a Triple A baseball club affiliated with the Chicago White Sox. The Nashville Speedway at the state fairgrounds offers NASCAR auto racing. The new arena, located immediately across from the Conven­ tion Center, will feature other spectator team sports and functions. M usic a n d the p e rfo rm in g a rts As “Music City,” Nashville has scores of venues for live music and performances o f the sym­ phony, visiting artists, and more. An article in a future issue o f C&RL News will focus on the music scene in Nashville, providing a starting guide for conference visitors who want to ex­ perience some o f the musical entertainment offered downtown and throughout the city. B e yo n d N a sh v ille For those interested in spending additional time exploring the rich history and geography out­ side the immediate Nashville area, there are several opportunities for short trips or longer excursions. Pleasant drives into the country, a trip along the scenic and historic Natchez Trace Parkway, or a journey to the Nashville Zoo located on 135 acres o f rolling Tennessee coun­ tryside are easily managed if you have access to a vehicle. In and around the Nashville area, history buffs will enjoy a driving tour o f various Civil War sites including those of famous battles such as Fran­ klin and Shiloh, as well as antebellum homes that served as headquarters for troops and as hospitals fo r the wounded. The state has de­ veloped a well-marked Civil W ar Heritage Trail to assist visitors interested in this as­ pect of the state’s history. Close by, within one to two hours o f driving, one can visit attractions such as the Jack Daniel’s Distillery in Lynchburg, the charming city o f Franklin in Williamson County, and small communi­ ties such as Bell Buckle which have become centers for local artists and craftspersons and which offer folk festivals and crafts fairs. Venturing further into Tennessee about four hours to the west is Memphis, location of the famed Beale Street ( “Home o f the Blues”), Graceland (Elvis Presley’s home), and Mud Island on the Mississippi River. To the east, one can travel three to four hours and be in the Great Smoky Mountains Na­ tional Park, located near Knoxville. The park is well-known for its beautiful scenery, wild­ life, and hiking trails. A variety o f motel and cabin accommodations is available in that area, but reservations should be made early. S ch ed u led to u rs The local arrangements committee has selected some sponsored, optional tours to offer as part o f the conference agenda. Several half-day tours are planned for Friday, April 11, prior to the conference. On Saturday evening, April 12, ar­ rangements have been made for tickets and transportation to a performance o f the Grand Ole Opry. An additional tour offering is planned for Monday afternoon, April 14, following the conference. Details about these tours will be available in the preliminary program that will be mailed later this month and will be posted later on the ACRL National Conference home­ page at http://www.ala.org/acrl.html. That homepage has links to the Nashville Conven­ tion and Visitors Bureau homepage at http:// nashville.musiccityusa.com/tour, which has additional information about Nashville’s attrac­ tions. ■ http://www.ala.org/acrl.html