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Get ready to experience the Music City with this guide of one of the most culturally and historically rich cities in the Southeast.

Whether you're a local or a tourist, this guide will come in handy. Enjoy 11 walking and driving tours around Tennessee's historical capital of Nashville. Explore the legendary Music Row and the famous Ryman Auditorium. Discover fascincating facts about Nashville's past - from the battlefields to the universities. Carefully researched and exceptionally written by accomplished historian James Hoobler, who is senior curator of art and architecture at the Tennessee State Museum and former executive director of the Tennessee Historical Society, this book offers extraordinary insight into Nashville's heritage. It is a wonderful companion, both for visitors and for Nashville residents who want to see their hometown in a new light.

Discover the little known and unknown rich heritage of Memphis, TN.

Step inside the fascinating annals of the Bluff City's history and discover the Memphis that only few know. G. Wayne Dowdy, longtime archivist for the Memphis Public Library, examines the history and culture of the Mid-South during its most important decades. Well-known faces like Clarence Saunders, Elvis Presley and W.C. Handy are joined by some of the more obscure characters from the past, like the Memphis gangster who inspired one of William Faulkner's most famous novels, the local Boy Scout who captured German spies during World War I, the Memphis radio station that pioneered wireless broadcasting and so many more. Also included are the previously unpublished private papers and correspondence of former mayor E.H. Crump, giving us new insight and a front-row seat to the machine that shaped Tennessee politics in the twentieth century.

Memphis is equal parts music and food--the products of a community marked with grit and resilience.

The city's blues and soul music have lifted spirits, while barbecue has been a serious business ever since pork first entered the culinary landscape of Memphis with Spanish explorer Hernando de Soto, who brought the New World its first herd of pigs. Succulent pulled pork and ribs have become part of the fabric of life in the River City, and today they are cooked up in kitchens ranging from the internationally acclaimed, like Corky's, to the humblest of roadside dives. Told through the history of its barbecue is the story of the city of Memphis, from legendary joints like Leonard's Barbecue, where Elvis Presley hosted private parties, to lesser-known places like William's Bar-B-Q in the West Memphis, Arkansas neighborhood where wild, late-night blues juke joints served as a red-light district across the river from Beale Street in the 1950s and '60s. Sink your teeth into this rich history chock-full of interviews and insights from the city's finest pitmasters and 'cue gurus who continue the long tradition of creating art with meat and flame.

Uncover the history of Old Butler, Tennessee in this pictorial history recounted by authors Michael and Lanette Depew.

In 1820, Ezekial ""Zeke"" Smith built a gristmill on the bank of Roan Creek, forming the community known as Smith Hill. Following the Civil War, it was renamed Butler in honor of Col. Roderick Random Butler. Much of the city's early development can be attributed to the establishment of the Aenon Seminary in 1871 and the advent of the Virginia and South Western Railroad, which provided transportation for residents and the developing logging industry. In 1933, the scenic landscape of the Watauga Valley was altered forever when the Tennessee Valley Authority was created by Franklin D. Roosevelt's New Deal legislation. TVA provided electric power for the state and controlled the flooding of the rivers in the region. In December 1948, the gates of the Watauga Dam were closed and water began to fill the Watauga Reservoir until Butler, Tennessee, was laid to rest at the bottom of Watauga Lake. The residents of Butler and the surrounding communities were forced to relinquish, demolish, or relocate more than 125 homes and 50 businesses.

Welcome to Nashville! Parent and child raccoons tour Nashville in best-selling author-illustrator Martha Day Zschock's Hello! board book series for children. In Hello, Nashville! join the pair as they visit the Grand Ole Opry, play instruments at the Country Music Hall of Fame, and ride Old Town Trolley. Along the way, take a paddle boat ride, eat Hot Chicken, and learn about Nashville's history at Hermitage! For ages 0-3. Made in the USA.

The Victorian Era is usually thought of as a time of elegant formality, of stately mansions in the "upstairs/downstairs" tradition. But the era was rife with social issues. In January 1918, the Baroness von Zollner was released from custody and further investigation on charges of spying. She was never seen again in Tennessee. A Nashville newspaper story exposed the "trashy" literature that "boys read." While the protest was real, nothing was done to curtail the accessibility of such dime novels due to the First Amendment right to free speech. A.K. Ward found his way to Central America "in a hilarious mood" before being returned to Tennessee to face charges of embezzlement and fraud. Historian James B. Jones details these stories and more.

Hardeman County was named for Thomas Hardeman, a War of 1812 veteran and a pioneer of young America's frontier.

He served as the county's first clerk and helped to shape the county that would bear his name. Hardeman and other early settlers created towns and settlements that eventually stretched over 650 square miles. They quickly established churches and schools and added businesses and farms to the fabric of the county. The nearby Hatchie River had long been a waterway used by the Chickasaw Indians, and many of the county's towns were settled on or near the waterway that led them to the Mississippi River. This river and the railroads became a prize to be won--and controlled--during the Civil War.

Sevierville has a long history of tourism, roadside attractions, and is located in the foothills of the Great Smoky Mountains. Read this hometown's unique history.

Sevierville, the first city many people see when they arrive in the Smoky Mountains, is located in a picturesque valley at the foot of the Smokies. Founded in 1795 and incorporated in 1901, it is the oldest city in Sevier County and the eighth-oldest town in Tennessee. More than just a beautiful place to vacation, Sevierville has a rich heritage and history.

Two centuries ago, Sevierville was a small, rural community with one church, two mills, one tavern, one trading post, two lawyers, and a stable for a courthouse. As the county seat, the town became an important commercial center. One of Sevierville's most breathtaking sights and enduring symbols is the classic clock tower on the historic courthouse, with majestic Mount LeConte as a backdrop. Just minutes from the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Sevierville combines a relaxed, small-town atmosphere with ready access to hundreds of vacation attractions, shopping, and recreational opportunities.

Join author and local historian Carroll McMahan as he chronicles his hometown's unique history. This volume, complete with archival photos, is a must for enthusiasts of the Smokies and East Tennessee.

Nashville may be located in the country music capital of the world ... but local hockey fans know it simply as Smashville.

The Nashville Predators adopted their name from the bones of a saber-toothed tiger found beneath a local building. Craig Leipold first purchased the expansion rights in 1997, and the team quickly built a loyal following. It won 28 games in the inaugural season. Twelve seasons later, the team finished second in the Central Division and appeared in its first-ever conference semifinals. One year later, it finally dispatched its long-standing rival Detroit Red Wings 4–1 in the opening round of the playoffs. Author and award-winning reporter Justin Bradford details the fascinating history through unique player anecdotes and perspectives from those involved in the team's rise to prominence.

Experience the long and storied past of the University of Memphis in this pictorial history told through the lens of over 200 vintage images.

The 100-year transformation of the University of Memphis from a small teacher-training school to a major metropolitan research university is chronicled in Campus History Series: University of Memphis. The West Tennessee Normal School was established in 1912 to provide high school diplomas and teacher credentials to predominately female students. In 1925, the school dropped its high school classes and became the West Tennessee State Teachers College. The institution became a full liberal arts college, Memphis State College, in 1941. Huge gains in postwar enrollment pushed the institution toward university status, which was achieved in 1957. Memphis State University experienced rapid growth, expanding from barely 6,000 students to over 22,000 as the baby boomers came of age. Then, in 1994, signaling its growing stature as a major metropolitan university, the institution was renamed the University of Memphis.

Nestled in the mountains where Tennessee meets Kentucky and Virginia, the towns of Harrogate and Cumberland Gap showcase the nation's history and the beauty of nature.

Here, a British investor dreamed of creating a resort town that rivaled the spas of Europe. The Panic of 1893 crushed those plans, but it also allowed a former Civil War general to keep his promise to Abraham Lincoln that he would do something to assist the area's mountain people. As a university that became a memorial to the 16th president grew in Harrogate, locomotives steamed through Cumberland Gap. The 1930s and 1940s marked hard times, but the pluck of the populace held firm. Indeed, the philanthropic effort put into the region, as well as a southern movie premier and even a presidential visit, demonstrated the area's potential. As time marched on, both Harrogate and Cumberland Gap welcomed tourists who explored the nearby Cumberland Gap National Historical Park and visited the university's Abraham Lincoln Library and Museum.

This pictorial history of Columbia State Community College was published in conjunction with the college's 40th anniversary. The authors were careful to select a variety of images that depict the evolution of the Columbia campus, as well as its centers and sites, and provide readers with an enjoyable volume.

Author William L. Tabac describes the extraordinary legal proceeding with the twists and turns of a modern television drama and the fall of a prominent attorney.

Tommy Osborn's star was rising. The young Nashville lawyer led a band of Tennessee reformers to victory in a landmark Supreme Court case. Hailed by Chief Justice Earl Warren as the most important of his career, Baker v. Carr's one man, one vote mandate revolutionized how Americans chose their representatives. Osborn was hired by Jimmy Hoffa to take on Bobby Kennedy for the fourth time. Unfortunately, the young lawyer met his match in Walter Sheridan, Kennedy's top aide and brilliant spymaster.

Explore the rich history of Haywood County, one of only two remaining counties in Tennessee with a majority African-American population.

Surviving slavery, Reconstruction, poverty, and the Civil Rights tensions of the twentieth century, Haywood County's black community has done much to shape the identity of this historic West Tennessee county. This volume, containing over 200 black-and-white images, highlights the county's settlement, the early slave culture, the legacy of its many soulful and talented musicians, such as Anna Mae Bullock (better known as Tina Turner), the hard-fought strides in bringing education to African-American citizens, the importance of church in molding the social and spiritual elements of life, and some of the county's most recognizable faces and names.

Author and historian Sharon Norris has composed a wonderful tribute, in word and image, to the black experience of Haywood County, capturing life of yesteryear in Brownsville and some of the smaller communities, such as Nutbush and Stanton. A visual treasure, Haywood County serves as fitting testimony to a community that has persevered through much of the South's darkest moments and has created a truly special place, full of spirit, fellowship, and melody.

While known for the twang of its country music, Nashville is also home to a colorful and salacious past. A must-read for Nashville history enthusiasts.

The earliest settlers to lay claim to the land surrounding Nashville brought with them betrayal, murder and thievery. As the city grew, authorities unsuccessfully attempted to outlaw and remove vice. During the Civil War, the number of soiled doves in Nashville forced the army to legalize and regulate prostitution. The death of outspoken politician Edward Carmack triggered the state to outlaw booze for nearly thirty years, but that did not stop alcohol from flowing in the city. One local mayor even bragged about his patronage of saloons.

Elizabeth Goetsch dives into Nashville's wicked past and explores some of Music City's more tantalizing history.

Join local author Bud Phillips as he explores the fascinating, and occasionally uproarious, lost tales of Bristol.

Legend has it that in 1842 a local slave, Silas Goodson, dreamed of a large city spreading over the hills, and ten years later Bristol was founded on the border of Tennessee and Virginia. Much of Bristol's most unusual history is long forgotten, but local author Bud Phillips's collection of his Bristol Herald Courier columns brings light to the overlooked pages of the past. With stories of a jilted suitor's porcine revenge, the legendary fiddler Nora Cross and the Devil's Hideout and the search for the gold of Rosetta Bachelor, readers will delight in the history that they always wish they knew.

Local Historian G. Wayne Dowdy tells the tales of Memphis's triumphs and tragedies through the civil rights movement and beyond like only a true Memphian can.

First purchased in the early 1800s from natives to serve as a vital port for the emerging American river trade, the city flourished until the tumultuous years of the Civil War brought chaos and uncertainty. Despite its compelling story, no concise history of this home of soulful music and unmistakable flavor has been available to modern readers until now. Thankfully, archivist G. Wayne Dowdy has filled this gap with a history of Memphis that is as vibrant and welcoming as the city itself.

Tennessee has never been a stranger to strangeness.

Stories of the weird, wild, and wonderful abound in the Volunteer state. Join author and seasoned journalist Kelly Kazek as she tracks down the extraordinary stories that other history books overlook. Each section covers a different outlandish theme of Tennessee history colorful characters, strange sites, intriguing incidents, tombstone tales, odd occurrences, and curious creatures. Readers will discover the brilliant phenomenon of synchronized firefly flashes in the Smoky Mountain town of Elmont, take on the world's largest Moon Pie in Chattanooga and learn Tennessee's history of damaging earthquakes. From the humorous to the haunting, the madcap to the macabre, Forgotten Tales of Tennessee offers a collection as remarkable as the state itself.

Experience the historic superflood that decimated the Ohio and Mississippi Valleys and the resilience displayed by the people of Memphis.

The greatest flood in United States history struck the Ohio and Mississippi Valleys in January 1937. Perhaps no single flood in the United States had caused as much damage, displayed as much brutal natural force and displaced as many people. Not even the calamitous flood of 1927, which has eclipsed the '37 flood in terms of historical coverage was as massive. Author and Memphis local Patrick O'Daniel illustrates how this national natural disaster affected Memphis, in particular, and how the politicians of the day, from national figures like FDR to local political bosses like Ed Crump, handled unprecedented infrastructural challenges. Yet beyond politics and policy, O'Daniel tells the story of this historic disaster through the eyes of everyday Memphians, their struggles, care for thousands of desperate refugees and the measures they took to save their city from this devastating flood.

For locals and visitors alike, read about the events that uncover the history behind the legendary Memphis culture, and examine the stories of music, murder, natural disaster and other River City blasts from the past.

Far more than blues and barbecue, Memphis deep and fascinating culture has evolved one day at a time. Author G. Wayne Dowdy pins an exact date to a host of important, quirky and forgotten events in the history of Tennessee's largest city--an entertaining footnote for each day of the year. Earth, Wind and Fire founder Maurice White entered the world in a Memphis hospital on December 19, 1941. On January 15, 1877, a severe thunderstorm mysteriously left the city covered in snakes. On December 31, 1902, a resident was murdered on Main Street after taunting a Native American named Creeping Bear. A day or a month at a time, enjoy a year of entertaining River City blasts from the past.

Take a fascinating journey through the history of Dyersburg, Tennessee with more than 200 vintage photographs and anecdotes from the locals who experienced it.

In the early 1800s, West Tennessee was wild country, covered with dense hardwood forests and rich soil, with clear rivers and creeks winding through. In 1818, a final treaty was signed with the Native American tribes in the area, bringing white settlers from East Tennessee, North Carolina, and Virginia.

In 1825, the town of Dyersburg was laid out and quickly began to thrive. By 1911, the present courthouse was completed, anchoring a classic Southern town square that now belongs to the National Register of Historic Places. Just a few months before the historic crash of the stock market in 1929, Dyersburg became the site of a cotton mill transplanted from Oswego, New York. Nearby, the mill built about 100 small houses for its workers, and this neighborhood became Milltown, a name that still shines in residents' memories.

The Dyer County Historical Societyhas offered the best of its photo collection, along with images from the Tennessee State Library and Archives, for Images of America: Dyersburg. In addition, the warm-hearted residents of Dyersburg have supplied photographs from their personal albums.

Determination, Strength & Courage on the Early Frontier

The Overmountain people began settlements along the Watauga River at Sycamore Shoals and the nearby Nolichucky and Holston Rivers during the eighteenth century. The settlers overcame what seemed impossible. They created their own government, bought land from the Cherokee people, and then ultimately had to defend their families from Cherokees hoping to recover their ancestral lands. When the Southern Campaign of the American Revolution began, the Overmountain Men joined the fight for independence, defeating the British in 1780 at Kings Mountain. This nationally significant event changed the direction of the war in favor of the Patriot cause.

Author Jennifer Bauer shares the challenges, conflicts, and accomplishments of both the European and Indigenous people in this fascinating look at the first frontier settlement west of the thirteen English colonies.

In this 150th anniversary edition of Meharry history, Parham documents graduating classes since 1877. This second volume is a must-have for Meharrians past, present, and future.

Since 1876, Meharry Medical College has been a beacon of light to a people of color who were determined to obtain an education to ensure the survival of a race of people who, in the words of the second president of Meharry Medical College, John Mullowney, were “a people brought here without assent or knowledge of being removed from their native land.” Thus began the succession of physicians who have for 150 years marched forth to serve mankind with these words indelibly marked on their hearts and their souls, “the spirit of this place called Meharry.” Over the past 150 years, the departments and programs of Meharry have dramatically changed. The Meharry of today encompasses the future of medical technology the ancestors would have dared to imagine.

Author Sandra Martin Parham was born and raised in Nashville. She currently serves as a commissioner on the Nashville Historical Commission and as executive director of the Meharry Medical College Library and Archives. Her first title for Arcadia Publishing was Campus History Series: Meharry Medical College, a historical chronology dated by each president’s administration. 

Established in 1900, the University of Tennessee at Martin (UT Martin or UTM) is a public university in Martin, Tennessee.

Nestled in the small town of Martin, Tennessee, the University of Tennessee at Martin (UTM) serves as a vital cultural, academic, and economic force for the development of rural West Tennessee. UTM’s history traces back to the Hall-Moody Institute, a private Baptist institution established in 1900, which later evolved into a teacher training normal school. As the Baptist organization decided to close its doors, the University of Tennessee recognized the importance of establishing a presence in the western part of the state and brought the institution under its system. Today, UTM enrolls over 7,500 students and boasts more than 50,000 alumni. The university features a Division I athletics program and offers academic resources that play a crucial role in driving economic growth throughout the region. In 2025, UTM celebrates its 125th anniversary.

Sometimes the coolest places are right outside your front door. Learning about Memphis’s interesting and unique culture has never been so super fun!

Did you know Memphis got its name from an ancient Egyptian city? Or that the famous jazz musician Louis Armstrong performed on Beale Street? Have you ever heard of the ghost at Hebe Fountain? From the Mississippi River to the Crystal Shrine Grotto, Super Cities!: Memphis covers it all and is sure to engage any reader with fun facts about the history, culture, and people who make this place great. Attend a show at the Orpheum Theatre, camp along the Wolf River, and rock out with Elvis, all right here. Take a peek inside to learn more about the impressive, unusual, super history of the Bluff City!

Bursting with delightful colors and bright illustrations, Local Baby: Nashville engages babies’ attention and encourages families to explore what makes their city so great.

See Centennial Park’s dogwood trees, Dragon Park’s native wildlife, stroll along Radnor Lake, and view Opryland’s twinkling holiday lights come Winter. Explore your city with this joyfully grabbable and wonderfully local board book that is sure to bring generations together.

Ghost stories from the Birthplace of Rock ’n Roll have never been so creepy, fun, and full of mystery!

The haunted history of Memphis comes to life—even when the main players are dead. Come for the blues and barbecue, but stay for the ghosts. Have you heard about the spirits at the Memphis Zoo? Or how about the grisly history surrounding the Grand Carousel? Dive into this spooky chapter book for suspenseful tales of bumps in the night, paranormal investigations, and the unexplained; just be sure to keep the light on.

Sometimes the coolest places are right outside your front door. Learning about Nashville's interesting and unique culture has never been so super fun!

Did you know Nashville is nicknamed Music City? Or that the famous musician Bob Dylan recorded an album here? Have you ever wanted to visit the Parthenon without traveling to Greece? From the Belle Mead Mansion to the Tomato Art Fest, Super Cities!: Nashville covers it all and is sure to engage any reader with fun facts about the history, culture, and people who make this place great. Attend a show at the Grand Ole Opry and catch a Nashville Predators game, all right here. Take a peek inside to learn more about the impressive, unusual, super history of the Music City!

This pictorial history of Carson-Newman College illustrates the people, places, and events that have shaped this institution's legacy.

Carson-Newman College, a private, Christian liberal arts college, is located in Jefferson City, Tennessee, approximately 25 miles east of Knoxville. In the early 1840s, a number of Baptist leaders desired to offer better-prepared ministers to area congregations. Afforded the use of a local Baptist church building, Mossy Creek Missionary Baptist Seminary opened to students in the fall of 1851. In 1880, the school was named Carson College and for several years existed alongside Newman College, a separate facility for the education of women. In 1889, the two colleges united as one of the first coeducational Baptist institutions. As Carson-Newman College celebrates 160 years of rich history steeped in the ideals of truth, beauty, and goodness, it continues to prepare students academically and spiritually to meet the challenges of the 21st century.

Rare, historic images lift the veil on a town's history, revealing heroes and villains that will shock and delight.

Named for its ebullient natural springs, Fountain City, Tennessee, has a rich history and a truly unique identity. Originally established in 1788 by John Adair as Adair's Fort, this area was a depot for the Cumberland Guard, which protected emigrant families traveling to settlements in present-day Nashville. With a population of about 30,000, Fountain City was thought to be the nation's largest unincorporated city by the mid-20th century. Though this distinction was lost when the community was incorporated into Knoxville in 1962, Fountain City has maintained a separate identity and preserved its extensive history. Filled with detailed images of the area, this volume provides a rare glimpse of the people, places, and events that have molded the suburb into an ideal environment in which to learn, relax, and enjoy a myriad of recreational activities.

For centuries, the majesty and mystery of the Great Smoky Mountains have lured mankind.

The Cherokee were among the first to build thriving communities here, and backcountry frontiersmen were next to put down roots. In time, visitors arrived, eager to take in the cool mountain air, and returned home with stories of ""hillbillies."" Then came those who used the mountains for their own advantages, such as lumber barons, armed with steam shovels and skidders. Eventually, civic boosters from western North Carolina and east Tennessee took note and began advocating for the protection of the Great Smoky Mountains. Before a national park could be established, though, there were competing interests to be sorted and a consideration of the lives affected.

In January of 1866, with the devastation of the Civil War far from assuaged in the slowly recuperating South, Fisk University made its home in abandoned Federal barracks near Nashville, Tennessee.

The entire region faced hardships after the conflict, but Southern blacks still encountered what seemed to be insurmountable obstacles, even after the emancipation of slaves. Within five years of its opening, Fisk was in such a dire financial situation, many expected its closure; however, in an effort to raise funds for the university, Professor George L. White and nine students traveled the country performing in a musical ensemble known as the Jubilee Singers. Their hard-won rise to fame led them to the White House where they performed for President Ulysses S. Grant, and the money they earned touring the country literally saved Fisk. The spirit of the first Jubilee Singers lives on at Fisk today, but it is a university much different than the one that opened in 1866. Today Fisk is an institution fully equipped for the challenges of the future, noted for its excellence in academics, and celebrated for the achievements of its distinguished alumni. Whether in the classroom, on the playing field, or on stage, Fisk students and faculty are torchbearers of achievement in all areas of life. It is their unyielding determination that is celebrated within these pages, as the university's history comes to life in vintage photographs. Early classrooms, beloved professors, civic and social organizations, sporting events, famed alumni, and the Jubilee Singers are all included in this retrospective.

Join authors Darlene Hooker Sawyer and Dr. Jane Howles Hooker as they recount the rich history of Cordova, Tennessee through vintage images.

The simple lifestyle once shared by many families on rural farmlands in Cordova is but a dream of yesteryear, as those days are long gone. Early settlers spread into the adjacent communities of Sanga, Bethany, Pisgah, Lenow, and Morning Sun, and children from these areas went to the original brick Cordova School. Families held social gatherings at the school and local churches. At one time, 92 percent of the fresh flowers sold in Memphis were grown in Cordova; thus the town's motto: ""Farms, Flowers, Fellowship."" Though it was eventually annexed by the City of Memphis, many historic homes and buildings still remain in the old town area in the heart of Cordova.