Downtown Nashville

Downtown Nashville Community is located in the heart of Nashville and includes the richest of Nashville History and its streets contain some of the cities best tourist attractions and ultimate urban lifestyles.

County:
Downtown Nashville is located in Davidson County.
Local Trivia:
The Historic Ryman Auditorium, known as the Mother Church of Nashville, still stands in this community, but at one time it came pretty close to being destroyed by a wrecking ball.
Nashville Subarea:
Subarea 9
Zip Codes:
37201
37219
37213
Area Code:
615
Council Districts:
Council District 5
Council District 6
Council District 19
School Clusters:
Hillsboro
Maplewood
Local Neighborhoods within the Downtown Nashville Community:
Downtown Nashville
Lower Broadway
Church Street
Capitol Hill
East Bank
Gulch
Printers Alley
SoBro

Real Estate

Downtown Nashville is a fast-growing residential neighborhood, and the District is at the heart of the community, offering an attractive and unique place to call home. From historic lofts to cutting-edge condominium towers, Downtown Nashville is the region's most exciting address for folks from all walks of life. Following is a list of some of the residential buildings located in and around the District:

320 Broadway (Broadway)
Lofts at 160 (Second Av.)
Ambrose Lofts (4th Av.)
Lofts at the Exchange (Church St.)
Art Avenue Lofts (5th Av.)
Market Street Apartments (Second Av.)
The Bennie Dillon (Church St.)
The Phoenix (Printer's Alley)
Church Street Lofts (Church St.)
The Quarters (Second Av.)
The Cumberland (Church St.)
The Stahlman Building (Union St.)
The Kress (5th Av.)
The Viridian (Church St.)

History

Nashville was founded on Christmas day in 1779 on a bluff overlooking the Cumberland River. Its riverfront birthplace remained the heart of the settlement and grew into what is now Downtown Nashville. A replica of Fort Nashboro stands in Riverfront Park as a reminder of those earliest days. Most of the nearby nineteenth century buildings are included in three National Register Historic Districts - Second Avenue, Broadway, and Printer's Alley - which are collectively referred to as the District, now the entertainment hub of the central city. The DISTRICT, Inc., was formed in the 1980s as a non-profit organization dedicated to fostering economic revitalization and preservation of these historically and architecturally significant sections of downtown.

In 1972, Second Avenue became the first district in Nashville to receive National Register status. Known as Market Street until 1903, the street was the commercial heart of the city in the latter half of the nineteenth century. Dry goods, hardware, and groceries shipped down the river and unloaded at the wharf where Riverfront Park is now were received in the entrances along Front Street (now First Avenue) then sold out the front doors on Market Street. Most of the block-deep warehouses and their Victorian commercial facades date from 1870 to 1890. Beginning in the 1970s, interest in renovation and restoration led to the transformation of these warehouses into restaurants, shops, and entertainment venues.

Like Second Avenue, Broadway's proximity to the Cumberland shaped its nineteenth century development as a mercantile district, with its outstanding Victorian buildings housing varied retail businesses. The Grand Ole Opry's move to the Ryman Auditorium on Fifth Avenue just north of Broadway in 1941 brought Broadway a new identity with country music and was the impetus for numerous music and tourism related businesses.

Printer's Alley takes its name from its early connection with Nashville's printing and publishing industry, then located in the immediate area. The alley also became the center of the city's nightlife and serviced the hotels, restaurants, and saloons fronting on Fourth Avenue, which was known as the Men's Quarter in the late nineteenth century. Nightclubs opened here in the 1940s, and the alley became a showcase for the talents of performers such as Boots Randolph, Chet Atkins, Waylon Jennings, Hank Williams, Dottie West, Gretchen Wilson, and Rascal Flatts. This historic district's architecture includes elegant late Victorian styles, Nashville's first automobile parking garage, and the city's first "skyscraper."

Things To Do

While you are in Nashville, be sure to visit the other attractions in Music City. The unique history, culture, charm, and hospitality of Nashville offer a little something for everyone.

Adventure Science Center  
Nashville Downtown Library
Belle Meade Plantation  
Nashville Sounds AAA Baseball
Cheekwood Botannical Gardens             
Nashville Superspeedway
Country Music Hall of Fame                    
Nashville Symphony
Farmer's Market                                         
Nashville Zoo
Fort Nashborough                                      
Opry Mills
Frist Center for the Visual Arts                
Parthenon/Centennial Park
Gaylord Entertainment Center                 
Ryman Auditorium
Gaylord Opryland Hotel                            
Tennessee Performing Arts Center
General Jackson Showboat                       
Tennessee State Museum    
Hermitage, Home of Andrew Jackson    
Tennessee Titans NFL Football
Nashville Predators NHL Hockey

Dining and Night Life

Check out what's happening on Historic 2nd Avenue, the first district in Nashville to receive National Register status. Today it is notable for its beautiful architecture and for shops, nightlife, and restaurants unique to Nashville.

Charlie Daniels Museum
110 2nd Av North

Market Street Mercantile
112 2nd Av N

Night Owl Cafe
112 2nd Av N

Windows on The Cumberland
112 2nd Av N

MainStreet Cafe
112 2nd Av N

Paranha's Bar & Grill
113 2nd Av N

Mulligan's Pub
117 2nd Av N

Wild Horse Saloon
120 2nd Av N

Robin Realty
125 2nd Av N

Graham Central Station
128 2nd Av N

Willie Nelson's Gift Emporium
132 2nd Av N

Market Street Brewery
134 2nd Av N

Miss Marple's Dinner Theatre
135 2nd Av N

Butler's Run
138-140 2nd Av N

Pralines by Leon
138 2nd

Lower Broadway

Lower Broadway is known worldwide for its honky tonks and its close association with Country Music. Enjoy the sounds of Nashville and the shops and restaurants that make their home on Broadway.

Rippy's
429 Broadway

Legends Corner
428 Broadway

Legends Gifts
424 Broadway

Tootsie's Orchid Lounge
422 Broadway

The Second Fiddle
420 Broadway

Nashville Crossroads
419 Broadway

Layla's Bluegrass Inn
418 Broadway

Ernest Tubb Record Shop
417 Broadway

Roberts Western World
416 Broadway

Jack's Bar-B-Que
416A Broadway

The Stage on Broadway
412 Broadway

Lawrence Record Shop
409 Broadway

Bailey's Pub
408 Broadway

Merchants Restaurant
401 Broadway

Gruhn Guitar
400 Broadway

Dixieland Delights
325 Broadway

Flag World
323 Broadway

Global Cafe
322 Broadway

Decades
320 Broadway

Casabona Restaurant
317 Broadway

Hatch Show Print
316 Broadway

Bogey's on Broadway\
308 Broadway

Red Iguana Club
305 Broadway

Crazy Louie's
3rd Av S & Broadway

Richards & Richards
110 3rd Av S

Billy Joe's Tattoo Parlor
301 Broadway

The Mathews Company
300 Broadway

Trail West
219 Broadway

Kinko's
212 Broadway

Kelly's Western Wear
211 Broadway

Riverfront Photo
210 Broadway

Mike's Ice Cream Fountain
208 Broadway

Cotton Eyed Joe
200 Broadway

Big River Grill
111 Broadway

MJM Architects
105 Broadway

Hard Rock Cafe
100 Broadway

Joe's Crab Shack
123 2nd Avenue South

The Ryman Auditorium
116 5th Av N

Printer's Alley

World famous Printer's Alley started out as the center of Nashville's printing industry before becoming notable for its 'colorful' nightlife and personalities. Many of Music City's stars made their debuts in this intimate alley in the heart of downtown. Entertainment is what Printer's Alley does best.


Fiddle & Steel
Printer's Alley

Brass Stables
206-1/2 Printer's Alley

Donnie's Nightlife
207 3rd Av N

Lonnie's Western Room
208 Printer's Alley

Bourbon Street Blues & Boogie Bar
220 Printer's Alley

Miss Kelli's
Printer's Alley

Parco Cafe
Printer's Alley

Demos' Steak & Spaghetti House
300 3rd Av N

Nashville Events

The following is a list of the top calendars for all kinds of events in and around Downtown Nashville. There is always something to do for all types of interests.

1. Now Playing Nashville
The Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee has put together NowPlayingNashville.com by partnering with the local community and businesses to try to eliminate the need for duplicate calendars throughout Nashville.

2. Nashville Parent Magazine
Find all of the current local kids happenings within the Local Nashville Parent Magazine. Rated as Middle Tennessee's #1 Parent Resource.

3. Nashville Downtown Partnership
The Nashville Downtown Partnership is a non-profit management organization whose purpose is to make downtown Nashville a great place to live, work, play and invest in. They offer a weekly calendar the keeps everyone up to date on all of the events and activities happening in Downtown Nashville.

4. Nashville Scene
Nothing to do tonight? Find out where tonight's hotspots are from the Nashville Scene. Check out a complete list of clubs, from the Bluebird to the Wildhorse, to find out who's playing in town tonight.

5. Nashville.com
You will find more Middle Tennessee Events and happenings in Nashville.com's Community Calendar.

6. Christian Events
94 FM The Fish offers an information calendar on local Christian Events and Activities in the Nashville Area.

7. Tennessee Vacation
The Tennessee Vacation, offers an extensive listing of events for the entire state of Tennessee.

8. Nashville Performing Arts
Find all of the local performing arts events at the Nashville Performing Arts Calendar of Events.

9. Pollstar
Check out Pollstar.com for the latest Nashville concert information and upcoming shows.

10. Tennessean
Find more events and happenings in Nashville in the Tennessean Newspaper Events Calendar.

11. Nashville Convention and Visitors Bureau
While the Nashville Convention and Visitors Bureau no longer offers it's very own Events Calendar it does offers some of the best visitor information on Nashville.