RESTORING THE SOUL OF NASHVILLE

The resiliency of Second Avenue knows no bounds

BY MARY SKINNER

At no time in their days of yore did the words “Nashville Strong” greater represent those on historic Second Avenue than when the devastation of Christmas morning 2020 hit. A bomb blast, which tore through this important area of the city—home to historically and architecturally significant buildings, artists and community leaders—left untold destruction. We delve into the rich history of the area and tell the inspiring stories of those who’ve worked and played on this iconic Nashville street before and in the wake of the aftermath.

HISTORIC IMAGES COURTESY TENNESSEE STATE LIBRARY & ARCHIVES; BOTTOM RIGHT: ©JOE HENDRICKSON/SHUTTERSTOCK Almost 250 years ago on Christmas Day 1779, James Robertson, one of the founders of Nashville, arrived on the banks of the Cumberland River. He was soon joined by his friend, John Donelson, along with some 60 families, including women and children who came in 30 flatbeds up the river. The settlers built a stockade named Fort Nashborough that would become the city of Nashville, Tennessee. Today, visitors can see the small replica of the fort built in the 1930s and located in the downtown historic district along First Avenue North, several hundred meters from the original site.

The Cumberland River played a large part in the development of what is now called the Second Avenue Historic District. Originally, riverboats would unload their goods on the docks just below Front Street (now First Avenue) and store them in the warehouses whose front entrances faced Market Street (now Second Avenue). In the 19th century, steamboat transportation and the riverside location were key factors in the success of the wholesale businesses that were established here.

After the Civil War, brick structures began replacing the older wooden ones, and storehouses were built a full block wide so that the backsides of the buildings would have large entrances facing the wharves along the river. The fronts of the buildings faced Market Street and successful merchants erected “modern” Victorian edifices displaying their newly acquired wealth. The segment of the old Market Street went from Broadway to the public square and was the

Opposite page: Men stand in front of the Silver Dollar Saloon, circa 1900. Clockwise from top: A 1887 illustration of Market Street (now Second Avenue) looking south; Historic Front Street warehouses (now First Avenue) have been turned into bars, restaurants and lofts; late 1800s look at Second Avenue and Church Street.

Clockwise from top left: Tour Nashville on the General Jackson Showboat; the wharf at Broad and Front Street (now First Avenue), in the 1870s; Steel barge built by Nashville Bridge Company on Cumberland River, early 1900s; Dudley Brothers and Berry’s Wholesale Drug Co. on Second Avenue, late 1880s. most important business street in Nashville in the last half of the 19th century.

Twenty-first Century Nashvillians and visitors to Music City have always admired the ornate brick structures not only for their history, but also for their architectural value. The detailed cornices and facades represent a rare variation on a Victorian-Italianate theme. Historians believe many of the structures were influenced by the Chicago School of commercial architecture, which was popular at the time.

On the corner of Second Avenue and Broadway stands a three-story Romanesque brick building designed by architect Julius G. Zwicker and completed in 1893, known as the Silver Dollar Saloon. The building’s name came from the floors made of silver dollars. In 1889, V. E. Schwab purchased the property. His brother-in-law was George A. Dickel. The saloon served Dickel’s whiskey and attracted riverboat crews who worked nearby. During prohibition, the saloon transformed into a soft drink emporium and restaurant. Today, the building houses the gift shop for Nashville’s Hard Rock Cafe, where you can still see the silver dollars embedded in the floor.

The story of Maxwell House coffee also has ties to the history of the Second Avenue Historic District. Cheek & Norton, importers, roasters and blenders of high-grade coffee, were located at 212 North Market Street in the early 1900s. Former school teacher, Joel Cheek, opened a coffee shop in downtown Nashville with the help of investors in 1901. They persuaded the owners of the Maxwell House

Hotel to serve their coffee, and began using the slogan, “Good to the Last Drop,” in 1917. In 1928, Cheek sold the brand to Postum Co. for $42 million; it was subsequently purchased by General Foods.

Across the street from this location was the building that once housed the Gray & Dudley Hardware Company. Incorporated in 1895, the company boasted that its Market Street headquarters was “the largest business house ever built in the city.” Today, the location houses the 21c Museum Hotel, a perfect example of adaptive reuse that preserves the building’s historic elements while creating a versatile space to display contemporary art. It also houses the hotel’s restaurant, Gray & Dudley, popular with locals and tourists alike.

Because the Second Avenue Historic District has weathered several catastrophes in its history, fundraising efforts have also been part of its rich history. After it was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1972, the nonprofit organization, Historic Nashville, began hosting the Market Street Festival, which ran through the 1980s, bringing awareness and funds for historic preservation efforts. Tennesseans have been galvanized by the 2020 crisis and have been organizing several concerts and fundraising events to raise the millions needed to rebuild the district and bring it back to its former glory. As a reborn Second Avenue rises again, it will forever maintain its rich history and captivate generations to come. 

A look at Second Avenue North as it appeared before December 2020.