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| Nashville's Mayor and selected dignitaries gather to hear opening remarks to the assembled crowd before the ribbon cutting ceremony at Fort Nashborough. Author photo |
According to The Tennessean...
"The new Fort Nashborough, which is the third replica of the original Nashville settlers' fort on the Cumberland River, reopens with a ribbon cutting and dedication and an invitation to the entire community to explore the new fort grounds.
Metro Parks Assistant Director Tim Netsch explained that this week's opening of the $1.7 million phase one of the riverfront fort in downtown Nashville will give visitors a more comprehensive look at the lives of the early settlers than previous fort replicas offered.
The new fort and interpretive center, which will be free to visit and will be operated by Metro Parks, showcase how the settlers lived and worked, and allow people to see the exterior of the fort's log cabins and block houses that were built with historically accurate construction...
...One important addition is an interpretive plaza area on the south end that focuses on Nashville's Native American history and includes an 8-foot-tall feather sculpture as well as interpretive signage detailing the various tribes and their roles in early Nashville history."
On January 1, 1780, James Robertson founded Nashville when he led his group of pioneers across the frozen Cumberland river to a place called The Cedar Bluffs. These men built a fort called Nashborough, which is replicated here.
I'm happy to see this important period of early Tennessee history back on display in a prominent location in Nashville's growing skyline. I'm particularly pleased to see that the story of Nashville's Native American settlers--here long before Robertson and Donelson--have a place of honor in this plaza. Hopefully, with the opening of this new interpretive center, more people will learn about the deep and diverse history of Nashville.
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| The eagle feather honors the heritage of Nashville's indigenous peoples. Author photo |
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| "The First Peoples" interpretive panel at Fort Nashborough. Author photo |
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| Fort Nashborough History Center is now open to visitors. Author photo |
I took a few more photographs of the fort and the ceremonies and posted them on Twitter. I invite you to click the preceding link for a sampling.
Gordon Belt is an information professional, archives advocate, public historian, and author of The History Press book, John Sevier: Tennessee's First Hero, which examines the life of Tennessee's first governor, John Sevier, through the lens of history and memory. On The Posterity Project, Gordon offers reflections on archives, public history, and memory from his home state of Tennessee.
