Nashville.gov

Publications

Our Newsletters

• Historic Preservation Zoning News: The newsletter of the Metro Historic Zoning Commission is published occasionally by the MHZC, and contains items of relevance to  property owners, architects, designers and contractors regarding historic zoning.
• Metropolitan Historical Commission Newsletter:  The newsletter of the Metro Historical Commission is published monthly by the MHC and contains information about local history and preservation. 

Historic Preservation and Historic Zoning Brochures

• An Introduction to the Metropolitan Historical Commission black & white brochure
• Historic Preservation and Neighborhood Conservation Zoning: This brochures provide a brief introduction to Nashville's historic zoning overlays.  These types of overlay zones are tools used to protect the architectural character of Nashville's historic neighborhoods by managing growth and change.
• This series of publications is designed to acquaint the owners of Nashville's historic houses with the basic considerations involved in rehabilitation of specific styles of Nashville's architecture. Brochures in this series include:
  • Victorian Era Architecture (1850-1900)
  • Turn-of-the-Century Neoclassical (1895-1915)
  • The Revival Styles (1900-1945)
  • The Bungalow and Related Styles (1910-1930)
  • Also available in this series is a guide to researching your historic property, called "Open the Door: Tracing the History of Your Historic Nashville Home."
• Financial and Zoning Incentives for Preservation

Local History

• Davidson County Courthouse:  The Davidson County Courthouse was constructed in 1936-1938 as a Public Works Administration project.  This brochure explains the history, architectural style, and symbolism found at the Courthouse, which was listed in the National Register of Historic Places in 1987. black & white brochure
• Nashville: What's in a Name? This brochure explores the several names and nicknames that the city has become known by: Nashboro, Nashville, Capital City, Athens of the South, Music City.
• African American Historic Sites: A brief introduction to the rich history and contributions of African-Americans, this brochure provides a driving tour of some of the most prominent sites related to Nashville's African-American history.
• Nashville City Cemetery: Nashville's oldest public cemetery, the City Cemetery holds rich historical significance to the community and is listed in the National Register of Historic Places. This brochure describes the history of the City Cemetery and provides a walking tour of the graves of some of the more prominent Nashvillians who have been interred here.
• Look and See the Town: Nashville's historic buildings and sites provide a visible link with our city's history and are the keys to discovering its character, culture, and charm. This publication contains brief descriptions of over sixty historic sites, buildings, districts, and museums in Nashville and Davidson County.
• Nashville Footnotes: Our most popular brochure, Footnotes contains two self-guided walking tours of downtown Nashville. The tours point out some of Nashville's most architecturally and historically significant buildings. Whether you take one tour or both, this brochure will provide you with an excellent introduction to Tennessee's historic capital city. black & white brochure
• Battle of Nashville Driving Tour: A joint publication of the Metro Historical Commission and the Battle of Nashville Preservation Society, this full color map and brochure provides an introduction to the most significant sites of the Battle of Nashville, one of the most decisive of the Civil War.

Books

• Andrew Jackson Slept Here (Out of Print) - A Guide to Historical Markers in Nashville and Davidson County : Davidson County is home to some 275 historical markers, erected by both the Metro Historical Commission and the Tennessee Historical Commission. This publication contains the text and location of every marker erected prior to 1993 and should be available at all Davidson County public libraries.
• Nashville: A Short History and Selected Buildings - The MHC's first book contains an excellent introduction to Nashville's early history and some four hundred historic buildings, sites, and neighborhoods in Davidson County. Now out of print, the book should be available at all Davidson County public libraries.