Classical Nashville
Classical Nashville: Athens of the South provides readers who are classically defunct in the areas of classical architecture, and also those knowledgeable on the subject of classical architecture, a vigorous and enlightening journey into the origins of classical architecture in Nashville. Classical Nashville does not merely offer an insight into the architectural makeup of the city. Far from it, Classical Nashville stems back to the earliest beginnings of Nashville, before it was a wild frontier town, to the year of John Donelson’s discovery of the future site of Nashville in 1780, in order to establish a firm base for which to rest on while looking to assert Nashville’s right to the title, “Athens of the South”. The land was new, undeveloped, and therefore could be molded into a conceptualized city, which is exactly what the early founder’s intended to do. Much like the strong base with which a classical architectural building tends to establish itself as part of its design, Classical Nashville attaches the historical base origins of classical architecture in the city of Nashville to the idea that the city would be committed to the principles of the Athenian education in its design. The prospect of a city committed to the standards and principles of a classical, Athenian style education was at the heart of the founders intentions for the city of Nashville. The concept is fascinating and quite observable when one drives through Nashville, and within a large radius of Nashville one can observe classical influences. The Tennessee State Capital being one of the most recognizable of these classically influenced structures. Classical architecture is easily observed for those looking for it, and Classical Nashville gives meaning to the observable. The authors of Classical Nashville intended for the book to be both informative and revealing. I say revealing due to the fact that before reading Classical Nashville, not many individuals would likely know that
Bibliography: Kreyling, Christine, Wesley Paine, Charles W. Warterfield, Jr., & Susan Ford Wiltshire. Classical Nashville: Athens of the South. Nashville: Vanderbilt University Press, 1996.