What is the Parthenon?

Located in Athens, the original Parthenon is a temple dedicated to the worship of Athena, goddess of wisdom, located at the top of the Acropolis.

More relevant to this publication is the full-scale replica of the Parthenon on West End Avenue. This Parthenon was built for Tennessee’s 1897 Centennial Exposition (hence Centennial Park). The original was made of wood, but was so popular with residents of the city—which was rebounding from a devastating cholera epidemic—that a permanent one was built in its place and remains today as a symbol of Nashville’s classical interests. (See “Why is Nashville called the Athens of the South?”) Since 1990, the Parthenon has been home to sculptor Alan LeQuire’s 42-foot Athena statue, which is currently receiving a lovely new frock of 23.75 karat gold leaf. Visit www.parthenon.org for pictures and updates, or call 862-8431 for more information. Or take a trip to Nashville’s Parthenon yourself, open between the hours of 9 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. Tues-Sat. $3.50 adults; $2 for senior citizens and children (ages 4-17); 3 and under admitted free.

—Jessie Morris

Why is Nashville called the Athens of the South?

Maybe you’re thinking Athens, Georgia, is the Athens of the South, but it isn’t. Additionally, there is no Athens of the Northwest or Athens of Middle America, so we couldn’t tell you why Nashville’s not just the Athens of America. Interestingly, Nashville was once known as the Athens of the West, but that was before settlers had moved into the great frontier beyond the Mississippi River. The current moniker is a nod to the classical theme that permeates the city. The most obvious commitment to these values of yore—and the answer you’ll get from most people when you ask this question—is Nashville’s vast array of educational institutions. (There are over 20 institutions of higher learning here, though they include such places as the Auto Diesel College.)

But Nashville is Athens-like in ways beyond schooling as well. Much of our public architecture, including legislative buildings like the Capitol, has distinctly Doric touches, and the neoclassical influence is evident in the design of private homes everywhere around town. Acropolites embraced all art forms; likewise, we strive to become “cosmopolitan” (from the Greek “kosmos,” the world) through our new art museum, or ballet troupe and of course, Music Row. Who knew Zeus played the banjo?

—Jessie Morris

What river is that downtown?

That river, less smelly than in years past (yet generally not swimmable or potable), is the Cumberland, which flows roughly 700 miles from east to west. At Barkley Lake, a canal connects the Cumberland to the Tennessee River. The Cumberland dips down into Nashville and flows back up to Paducah, Ky., where it meets the Ohio river—the major source of the mighty Mississippi. As a Nashvillian, you can enjoy a number of river-related activities, including the riverboats, which offer dinner, entertainment and area tours. Visit www.oprylandhotelnashville.com or call 871-6100 to book your reservations on Opryland’s General Jackson Showboat, named after the very first riverboat to arrive in Nashville in 1819. Gaylord Entertainment also offers the Music City Queen for large events. The river cuts right through downtown Nashville, where Riverfront Park is home to a number of attractions. Check out Red Grooms’ Fox Trot carousel, the annual Fourth of July fireworks display, RiverStages (our annual music festival) and Dancin’ in the District, a weekly summer musical event.

—Jessie Morris

Is all the music here country music?

No more than every car in Detroit is made by GM. Indie rock? Clubs such as East Nashville’s Slow Bar, Elliston Place’s The End and Church Street’s Indienet offer everything from emo to metalcore to touring national acts. Rap? A thriving hip-hop underground exists in Music City—just check out Fisk’s WFSK-88.1FM or Vanderbilt’s WRVU-91.1FM for a start. Jazz? The late-night live shows at Cafe 123 and Virago are jumping long after midnight, and the promotion team at Voight-Kampff brings the cream of contemporary free-jazz/improvisational talent to the ruby green performance space at 514 5th Avenue South. Indeed, until the early 1990s, country was about the only form of music you couldn’t see live in Nashville. I hear we have some of that now, too.

—Jim Ridley

What are the best shortcuts around town?

Finding the quickest, if not shortest, way around Nashville is an art form. As the city becomes ever more dependent on freeways, knowledge of our meandering surface streets takes on the quality of secret lore.

Following are three favorite shortcuts to cool locations. (Pssst. As you learn more about the locations, you’ll realize how valuable this information is. Guard it with your life.)

Hillsboro Village to Percy Warner Park: At the south end of Hillsboro Village turn west off 21st Avenue S. (Hillsboro Pike) onto Fairfax Avenue. Proceed to Natchez Trace and turn left (south). At the next four-way stop, turn right (west) on Blair Boulevard, then watch for the sly, downhill left hander at Hillsdale Drive, which will lead to Sharondale Drive. At the three-way intersection, take the right fork onto Compton Road, then turn right again onto Woodlawn Drive (heading west). At Estes Road, turn left (south) and proceed until it terminates at Harding Place. Turn right (west) and make your way to Belle Meade Boulevard, then make a left. The entrance to Percy Warner Park awaits at the southwest terminus of the boulevard.

Green Hills to Germantown: On the south side of the Green Hills commercial district, turn east off Hillsboro Pike onto Overhill Drive, and proceed to Lone Oak Road. Turn left (north) and make a right turn at Shackleford Road, heading east. At the three-way intersection, turn left (north) onto Granny White Pike, which eventually becomes 12th Avenue S. After crossing Division Street, veer right alongside the railroad “gulch” onto 11th Avenue S., also known as 11th Industrial. Cross Charlotte Pike and turn right (east) onto Harrison Street, then turn left (north) onto 8th Avenue N. At Monroe Street, on the right, Germantown beckons.

Briley Parkway: Although hardly a shortcut, Briley Parkway is Nashville’s traffic equivalent of a secret outer circle. It completely surrounds the city, yet its meanders and name changes often obscure its value as the quickest way between two points. At the south end, Briley Parkway is known (from east to west) as Thompson Lane, Woodmont Boulevard and White Bridge Road. Heading north, then east from White Bridge Road is perhaps the parkway’s best kept secret. It’s by far the easiest way to reach the Opryland Hotel/Opry Mills complex from the west side of town. Heading south again past Opryland, Briley Parkway circles back onto itself when it changes into Thompson Lane just past the old Nashville airport.

—Marc K. Stengel

Isn’t Stonewall Jackson’s house around here?

Sorry. Stonewall Jackson, famous Confederate general, is from Virginia. You’re thinking of Andrew Jackson, seventh President of the United States, whose mansion is located right here in Nashville. (Jackson was born in South Carolina but married Nashvillian Rachel Donelson. As in Donelson Pike.) He countrified the Oval Office from 1829-37, and then returned here, where he’d bought property in 1804. He began building his famous home in 1819 for his wife, who died before it was completed.

Nashville’s preoccupation with Jackson is apparent everywhere—you just have to learn to decode it. Jackson, a longtime soldier and a general/hero in the War of 1812, raised the army of Tennessee volunteers that has since begotten the state’s nickname (thus, the Tennessee Vols). He was also affectionately nicknamed “Old Hickory” for “standing strong” in wartime. So anything bearing these names is a tribute to Andy—and it gets ridiculous out by Old Hickory Lake when you see things like Andrew Jackson Elementary on the corner of Andrew Jackson Boulevard and Andrew Jackson Street. The Hermitage is now a historical monument—one that’s worth checking out. A visiting friend found it “very creepy that we can happily stroll through President Jackson’s burial site,” but I find that “historically costumed interpreters” make anything fun. Or funny. Plan your visit to the living museum at www.hermitage.org.

—Jessie Morris

Is East Nashville really that bad?

Once you tire of doing fluorescent test tube body shots on Second Avenue and drinking tendollartinis in the Village, you’ll hunger for the road less traveled. Then it’s time to discover the glory of East Nashville. If you can make it to the stadium, you’re only a few blocks away from the jukebox at Slow Bar, queso blanco at Rosepepper Cantina, polka night at the Gerst Haus, first rate cuisine at Margot Café and a hip crowd at Family Wash (to name but a few great joints across the river). If you keep in mind that Shelby Avenue, Woodland Street and Main Street all run parallel to each other, you won’t realize your fear of winding up in what are deservedly considered some bad parts of town. But there is plenty of culture across the Cumberland, so check it out at no risk.

—Danny Solomon