Centennial Park
Centennial Park is home to an iconic Parthenon replica, beautiful gardens, and sand volleyball courts. It also hosts many arts and cultural events and attracts nearly three million visitors a year. The Parthenon, the city’s only full-scale replica of a Greek temple, attracts over 300,000 visitors each year.
Centennial Park was once farmland, but was developed into an open space after the Civil War. It served as the site of the Tennessee Centennial and International Exposition, which was held in 1897. The original farmland was replaced with a landscaped area that included an artificial lake named Lake Watauga. The park also features an old bandshell and sunken gardens. Check out this article
Nashville’s Centennial Park features an array of attractions and lessons about Tennessee history. Highlights include a 200-foot-high granite map of Tennessee, complete with county lines and rivers. There is also a pathway through history, which takes visitors through the city’s history. There are also restrooms and picnic tables.
A new initiative in Centennial Park aims to promote environmental awareness. The Nature Conservancy and Metro Parks have partnered to create an educational series entitled “If Trees Could Sing”. This series features performances by Nashville musicians and information about the benefits of trees. Custom tree signs placed around the park contain QR codes that visitors can scan with their smartphones to watch videos of the trees’ sounds. This initiative is not only good for the environment, but will also encourage park visitors to visit the trees and interact with them in new and unique ways.
The Centennial Park Master Plan was created in 2010 to preserve the unique elements of the park. The plan emphasizes landscape stewardship and innovation, allowing for continued improvements. The first phase of improvements began in 2015, when the lake was cleaned and daylighting of Cockrill Spring was completed. It also included restoring the Great Lawn. A second phase of improvements is currently underway, which will revitalize the Park Plaza area and add an events pavilion. Browse more articles
Centennial Park is owned by the city of Nashville and managed by the Metro Parks and Recreation Department. In addition, the Centennial Park Conservancy is a nonprofit organization that supports the park. The Conservancy is responsible for maintaining the park’s public amenities. It is also the nonprofit organization that oversees the Centennial Performing Arts Studios, which holds music and dance programs.
Located 15 miles west of downtown, Cumberland River Bend Park is a natural park of eight hundred acres that hosts an outdoor center and outdoor classes. The park is also home to a 3.5-mile river trail. Leashed dogs are welcome.