10.30.2023

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Today’s Forecast

51º | Cloudy | 0% chance of rain | Sunrise 6:58 a.m. | Sunset 4:48 p.m.

City

What’s with the “castle” in West Nashville?

The exterior front side of the Tennessee State Prison with a high metal gate surrounding it.

The main entrance of the Tennessee State Prison in 2006. | Photo via Wikicommons

If you’re driving along Briley Parkway ~6 miles west of downtown, you might notice a towering fortress sitting off the side of the highway and ask yourself a similar question.

In reality, that’s no castle at all. Rather, it’s the former Tennessee State Prison, which opened in 1898 and closed in 1992.

A black and white photo showing a staircase and bench in the entry. — The interior, main stairway.
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Photo via Wikicommons

Then

Also called “The Wall,” the 120-acre prison cost $500,000+ to build — that’s over $15 million today. From day one, the operation had its problems with 1,400 prisoners admitted but only 800 single-person cells. Overcrowding and poor conditions were present throughout the prison’s nearly 100-year history, ultimately leading to its closure.

High-profile individuals served time at the maximum-security facility — like James Earl Ray, who was convicted for Martin Luther King Jr.'s death. And other well-known figures just spent time there. This list includes Johnny Cash (does “A Concert Behind Prison Walls” ring a bell?) and even Elvis Presley, who visited Johnny Bragg. He was the lead singer of The Prisonaires, a blues group known for “Just Walkin’ In The Rain,” which was cut during his incarceration.

Multiple levels of cells line an interior wall and paint is chipping and scattering the floor. — A cell block at the Tennessee State Prison.
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Photo via Wikicommons

Now

Though the building may look abandoned, it’s not. The Tennessee Department of Corrections has restricted access to the property, primarily for safety reasons.

Prior to the March 2020 tornado, which caused extensive structural damage, the public could get a rare view of the grounds during an annual 5K run benefiting Big Brothers Big Sisters of Middle Tennessee. The interior was partially utilized for storage by TDOC.

Since its closure, you’ve likely seen the prison used as a backdrop on the big screen. Movies filmed on the property include “The Green Mile,” “Ernest Goes to Jail,” and “Nashville.”

Bonus: Watch this walk-through of the property via TDOC from 2016. Skip ahead to ~7 minutes in to see portions of the interior at that time.

Asked

The first Tennessee State Prison stood where in Nashville?

A. Between Church Street and Charlotte Avenue
B. Trick question — Cockrill Bend is the original location
C. Between Division Street and Demonbreun

Tell us what you think

Events

Monday, Oct. 30

Nashville Design Week | Monday, Oct. 30-Friday, Nov. 3 | 8:30 a.m.-9:30 p.m. | Locations vary | $5+ | Nashville Design Week returns with 19 events slated at venues across the city.

Tuesday, Oct. 31

Halloween Harvest Fest | Tuesday, Oct. 31 | 4-7 p.m. | 12 South Farmers Market, Sevier Park, 3000 Granny White Pk. | Cost of purchase | Enjoy live music, trick or treating, a bounce house, costume parade and contests, shopping with local vendors, and more.
Here Come the Mummies | Tuesday, Oct. 31 | 8 p.m. | Brooklyn Bowl Nashville, 925 3rd Ave. N. | $40 | The band will be joined by special guest Perpetual Groove on their “Harmonic Gravity” tour.

Wednesday, Nov. 1

Book Discussion: Vanderbilt Alumna Ashley Winstead | Wednesday, Nov. 1 | 5:30-7 p.m. | Vanderbilt University Bookstore, 2501 West End Ave. | Free | Vanderbilt alumna Ashley Winstead will stop by the university bookstore to discuss her new gothic thriller, “Midnight Is the Darkest Hour.”
Wheel of Fortune LIVE! | Wednesday, Nov. 1 | 8 p.m. | TPAC’s Andrew Jackson Hall, 505 Deaderick St. | $32+ | Guests are randomly selected to go on stage and step into the game.

Thursday, Nov. 2

Corea’s Concerto + Romeo & Juliet | Thursday, Nov. 2-Saturday, Nov. 4 | 7:30 p.m. | Schermerhorn Symphony Center, 1 Symphony Pl. | $25+ | New York Philharmonic principal trombonist Joseph Alessi takes center stage with a work written for him by the late jazz legend Chick Corea.

Friday, Nov. 3

Fawkestoberfest | Friday, Nov. 3-Saturday, Nov. 4 | Times vary | Black Abbey Brewing Company, 2952 Sidco Dr. | Cost of purchase | Expect Oktoberfest drinking games + a few of the brewery’s own like a pretzel eating contest and steinholding competitions.

Events calendar here

Click here to have your event featured.

Festival

Dive into arts + culture at Frist Arts Fest Weekend Celebration

Slideshow of Nashvillians looking at exhibits at the Frist Art Fest.

Are you ready for Frist Arts Fest this weekend? | Photos provided by The Frist Art Museum

Feeling artsy? The Frist Art Museum is spotlighting several new exhibitions — including “Multiplicity” and “Art and Imagination in Spanish America, 1500-1800” — with a weekend of exciting events at Frist Arts Fest, Nov. 4-5.

The all-ages event will include:

Artist discussions
Music and dance performances
Art-making activities
Scavenger hunts
Exhibition tours
Live art demonstrations
Food trucks
Games and more

Admission is $15 for adults and free for kids 18 and under, and advance tickets are not required.

Plan your weekend with the full schedule

News Notes

Open

And that’s a wrap on opening weekend. Tanger Outlets Nashville debuted its 290,000-sqft shopping center in Antioch on Friday — 4060 Cane Ridge Pkwy. If you have yet to see the finished product with your own eyes, check out this clip we took.

Biz

An Atlanta-based seafood eatery is reeling in two Nashville locations. Fishmonger signed leases at Germantown’s Neuhoff development (spring 2024) + another at an undisclosed location. Expect elevated fish sandwiches, salads, a raw bar, and more. (Nashville Business Journal)

Sports

The Titans came off of a bye week with a win against the Atlanta Falcons, 28-23. The team was sporting their Oilers throwback uniforms as Will Levis made his NFL debut and threw four touchdown passes. The Titans will take on the Pittsburgh Steelers on Thursday, Nov. 2.

Festival

Friends of Harpeth River State Park will host the inaugural Harpeth Harvest Fest benefiting the state park this Saturday, Nov. 4. Tickets include access to live music, crafts, nature walks, and children’s activities + guests can purchase from on-site food trucks and over 20 vendors.

Show

Comedian Ron White, known by his fans as “tater salad,” returns to TPAC’s Andrew Jackson Hall on Saturday, Jan. 27. Tickets are on sale now.

Drink

Bartender Bash is back on Saturday, Nov. 4 — this time with a brunch edition twist. Nashville Lifestyles gathered bartenders from Common Ground, STK, Noelle, Layer Cake, and more to battle it out and see whose brunch cocktails reign supreme. Secure your spot as a judge by buying tickets now.

Announced

Congrats to Abbey G., our winner of our Opry Mills Fall Haul Giveaway with Opry Mills. Abbey has been contacted by our team and will enjoy $1,000+ worth of gift cards to Opry Mills hot spots. (Enjoy!)*

Travel

Want to travel the world — without leaving the country? Enter: Greenville, SC, featuring 200+ restaurants downtown (a quarter of which are international), so you can indulge in flavors from around the world. Plan your foodie getaway.*

Finance

$300 is the new $200. This card is offering a rare $300 welcome bonus, and bonuses like that don’t come around that often. That’s why thousands are lining up for it. Learn more and apply.*

Outdoors

🍁 Fall in love with these hikes

Happy trails: Our guide to hiking around Nashville

A view of the Harpeth River and treetops surrounding it as the leaves turn from the Narrows of the Harpeth overlook.

Editor Skylar also suggests planning a trip to the Narrows of the Harpeth trail — here’s a view of the leaves from Friday. | Photo by NASHtoday

We love spending time outdoors on Nashville’s hiking trails — especially after the leaves turn. That’s why we put together a guide highlighting eight hiking trails in the area. Start planning your next adventure and experience breathtaking views with some of these local hikes.

Key: Easy = 🥾 | Moderate = 🥾🥾 | Hard = 🥾🥾🥾

Rogers Walk Trail, Ellington Agricultural Center

Difficulty: 🥾
Length: 2.4-mile loop

Harpeth Woods Trail, Edwin Warner Park

Difficulty: 🥾🥾
Length: 2.5-mile loop

Ganier Ridge And South Cove Trail, Radnor Lake State Park

Difficulty: 🥾🥾
Length: 5.4-mile loop

Psst — what’s your favorite hiking snack? Let us know and maybe we’ll give it a try.

5 more trails

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The Wrap

Today’s edition by:
Skylar

From the editor

As promised, here are a couple of more homes decked out in Halloween decór to check out today and tomorrow — thanks to our readers.

A home at night shows orange lights lining the sidewalk and several glowing "ghostly" figures around the exterior. — The ghosts come out at night at 4402 Nevada Ave.
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Photo via Alicia T.

Alicia T. sent in 4402 Nevada Ave. with the pro tip that it’s best to view after dark. While you’re in the general area, be sure to check out the house I shared last week on Illinois Avenue.

Reader Dennis K.'s home in Goodlettsville (4866 Brick Church Pk.) was built before the Civil War and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Plus, they go all out this time of year.

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