With a lively downtown area, blossoming sports franchise and ever-busy music industry Nashville is very much alive and well in the present, but for those visiting the area there is also a number of ways to relive Nashville’s interesting past as well. From presidential homes and immaculate plantations to “The Mother Church of Country Music,” there are a number of ways to explore the history of Nashville during your next Tennessee vacation.
As the birthplace of the Grand Ole Opry, the Ryman Auditorium has a special place amongst the hearts of country music fans and Nashville locals alike. And with a tour of the historic building you’ll be able to relive the glory days of country as you stroll past various artifacts belonging to the likes of Hank Williams and Minnie Pearl, and even get a chance to take to the actual Ryman stage!
The Belle Meade Plantation offers a taste of gentile plantation life during the mid 19th century. Along your tour of the Belle Meade you’ll experience a wide array of plantation life including the actual antebellum mansion, outbuildings and log cabins. And for those that are horse racing enthusiasts, you’ll also view stables that are linked to the lineage of Secretariat, Seabiscuit, Smarty Jones and other renowned horses.
The Hermitage, home of President Andrew Jackson, offers not only a pristine look at early 19th century architecture, but also at Andrew Jackson himself. From Andrew Jackson the plantation owner to Andrew Jackson the soldier to Andrew Jackson the president, a visit to The Hermitage can offer insight into every facet of the historic man’s life.
