Metro Nashville Archives

When a patron asks, "Why isn't everything digitized?" 👀😶Me mentally calculating how many lifetimes that would take. 😉

Happy Friday everyone, from your friendly neighborhood Metro Archives team, powered by coffee and patience. ☕📜

📸: Unamused child riding the carousel at the Fair Park; Banner Negatives Collection (courtesy of .specialcollections Nashville Public Library- Special Collections Center )

It's that time of year again, Nashville. 🤠🎶

Whether you're heading downtown or strategically avoiding it, CMA Fest has officially arrived. We're marking the occasion with a look back at some classic line dancing and square dancing from years past—proof that Nashvillians of all ages have been boot scootin' long before the crowds showed up.

📸: TNN Nashville Network Show -Wildhorse Saloon Dancers (9-21-1994); Jim Hagans Collection.
📸: Dancing at unknown Parks/Community Center; Metro Parks and Recreation Collection.
📸: VFW/Christmas Party, unknown date; Syd Levine Collection.

Photo ingredients: Mayor Briley, one ceremonial shovel, a shiny new rendering, and a healthy dose of proper posing (plus another familiar face 👀). 📸✨

What's cooking? The recipe is a groundbreaking ceremony—but what's the building, and when was this photo taken? And go! 🧐🎵

📸: Metro Photographer Collection (RG 3 583).

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Happy Berfday, Tennessee! 🎉 You don’t look a day over 200 (even if you are 230 today). 🎂🎊

It's Statehood Day in Tennessee, marking the anniversary of the Volunteer State joining the Union on June 1, 1796, as the 16th state in the young United States.

Today's featured map may not have originally come from the Metro Archives collections—it was likely copied from the Tennessee State Library & Archives—but it's still worth sharing. Created by J.H. Colton & Company in 1856, it shows Tennessee at the youthful age of 60, highlighting counties, cities, roads, and railroads across Tennessee and Kentucky.

You can also view another version of this map through the Tennessee Virtual Archive:
https://teva.contentdm.oclc.org/digital/collection/p15138coll23/id/323

📸: Unknown Source/Collection, credit: State Library & Archives

T-U-R-N-B-A-C-K Titans! 🏈

In the blink of an eye, this moment was nearly 30 years ago 🫣— back when Nashville was still getting acquainted with its brand-new pro football team and getting its first look at the uniforms to match. So, who wore it better: the players… or the young Titans fans? 😄

Bonus points if you can identify the players in the second photo!

📸: Jersey reveal event for the Tennessee Titans, date: May, 1998; Metro Photographer Collection, photographer: Gary Layda.

We’ve been deep in property research lately… which means it’s time for more 🐿️ You know — when we search a random term in our photo drive like “2nd Ave” or “aerial” and uncover something amazing 🤩

Today’s search term 👉 “Madison”
Result 👉 5th & Madison in Germantown

📸: The corner of 5th and Madison in Germantown, date: 1953; City Photographer Collection.

In honor of all who have served and made the ultimate sacrifice, we will be closed Monday, May 25th, in observance of Memorial Day. We wish everyone a safe and meaningful holiday weekend! 🇺🇸💐

📸: Memorial Services Parade in downtown Nashville (on Capitol Blvd); date: unknown; Banner Negatives Collection (courtesy of Nashville Public Library - Special Collections). Nashville Public Library- Special Collections Center .specialcollections

Nashville hosting the 2030 Super Bowl means football will probably look a little different around here. 🏈🎶

Less tackling. More harmonizing.
And every touchdown comes with an encore. 😂

Happy Thursday, everyone! 🙃

📸: WSM/National Life staff in a football pose, unknown date; Robinson-Craig Collection.