TARBORO

NASHVILLE

A mural greets motorists as they enter downtown Nashville.

Years before Nashville, Tenn., emerged, the Town of Nashville, North Carolina, claimed the name and took its place as the county seat of the newly-formed Nash County.

Construction began on the new county’s first courthouse in 1777 and the Town of Nashville grew up around it. By 1780, the town was named Nashville to honor General Francis Nash, who was killed during the Revolutionary War.

Eventually, 12 other towns in the United States would be named Nashville, but Nashville Mayor Brenda Brown said her town earned the title most honestly.

“Nash County and Nashville are the only one of his namesakes that General Nash ever actually visited,” Brown said.

Since those early years, the town, rooted in such a rich past, has emerged as a traditional community with strong family values and an eye toward progress. Now billed as the “original Nashville,” the town features a rare collection of Queen Anne and Victorian style homes, a quaint and thriving downtown and multiple amenities that lie within walking distance. It is also known as one of the safest municipalities in the area.

Though the town limits only encompass about 4.14 square miles and the town’s population is roughly 5,600, the Town of Nashville offers its own police force, fire station, library and active cultural and recreational programs in addition to all the county offices and resources that are located in the town.

Brown, who has been mayor sinde 2019, is enthusiastic about the town. She grew up just outside the town limits and many of her early memories are tied to the place where

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she worked and played in her youth.

“Nashville was a great town to grow up in,” Brown said. “It is so family-oriented and has high expectations of its citizens. Almost everyone knew one another when I grew up, so we couldn’t get away with anything.”

Brown said Nashville still has that same vibe. She has been a resident of the town for 20 years and ran for mayor because of her love for Nashville, she said.

“When you drive through Nashville, it still has great appeal,” she said. “It still has that same family-friendly feeling. When I get up early in the morning to walk my dog, there are other people up walking the streets at 5:30 a.m. People feel safe here.”

Poised on the edge of U.S. 64 and within an easy commute to Raleigh, the town was and still is poised for growth. Though it has featured a railway and sawmill and building supply company since the early days, it now is also the home of Braswell Family Farms, which is the second-largest franchisee of Eggland’s Best Eggs in the United States. It is actively recruiting other industries in its own business park.

The town has also gained other businesses over the past 20 years or so while its growth rate has been 130 percent.

“When I was a child, we didn’t have any fast food restaurants,” Brown said.

Now, multiple restaurant chains have invested in the small town because of its prime location. But most of these new businesses have sprung up on either side of the traditional downtown tract, leaving that area with its small-town charm and easy walkability. The traditional downtown area is quickly attracting niche eateries and stores that offer their own personal appeal.

Though the latest census showed that the Town of Nashville is the fastest growing town in Nash County this century, Brown said town leaders are committed to balancing that small-town charm with progressive innovation. The town’s website proclaims, “It is our desire to make sure Nashville remains ‘A Great Place to Live, Work, and Play.’”

The town’s active Chamber of Commerce supports this notion with activities and events typically held throughout nonCOVID-19 years. The town is well-known for its annual Blooming Festival traditionally held on Mother’s Day weekend. The event, which has spanned two decades, features vendors, live music in the street, parades, carnival rides and the “Mother of the Year Award.” The Nashville Chamber of Commerce also traditionally sponsors a Children’s Christmas Parade in downtown Nashville each year.

Brown said the town welcomes visitors and new residents.

“I think people will feel at home here,” she said. “Our citizens embrace newcomers. You would feel like you belong.”

Downtown Nashville features a variety of small shops, restaurants, county government facilities and other businesses. The annual Blooming Festival is traditionally held on Mother’s Day weekend in Nashville.

The Town of Nashville was named in honor of Gen. Francis Nash, who was killed during the Revolutionary War.

Since those early years, the town, rooted in such a rich past, has emerged as a traditional community with strong family values and an eye toward progress.