Civil War Driving

Hello, and welcome to the Nashville Sites Civil War driving tour! The outbreak of the Civil War in the spring of 1861 revealed a divided nation, and Tennessee was no exception. Tennessee seceded from the Union and joined the Confederate States of America on June 8, 1861. As the state’s capitol, Nashville was a hotbed of activity and eventually fighting. The Union gained control of the city in February of 1862, and in December of 1864, the Battle of Nashville essentially destroyed the second largest Confederate army. 

This tour was sponsored by the Tennessee Civil War National Heritage Area and the Center for Historic Preservation at Middle Tennessee State University. The narrative was co-written by Marley Abbott, a graduate of MTSU’s Public History Program and Caroline Tvardy, a graduate of Belmont University’s Honors Program. And I am Myers Brown—your narrator and guide. I’m the Executive Director at the Belmont Mansion on the campus of Belmont University, a college professor and a Fellow of the Company of Military Historians. I’m excited to take you back in time, as we learn about the role of Nashville in the American Civil War. 

We encourage you to also take our Downtown Civil War walking tour, which visits sites in the downtown core. Conveniently, it ends at Bicentennial Mall and the Tennessee State Museum, so you can begin this driving tour after you finish the walking tour. Also be sure to tag us on social media @NashvilleSites and consider supporting Nashville Sites by clicking on the donate button.

So without further ado, buckle up, crank up the car, and let the adventure begin! Our first stop is the Tennessee State Museum at 1000 Rosa Parks Blvd.