Historic Tours of Nashville

Name: Historic Tours of Nashville
Address: 4408 Wyoming Avenue, Nashville, TN, 37209, US
Telephone: +16154068939
Price range: $$

Home
United States
Nashville, TN
Historic Tours of Nashville

Three to four hour private tours for small groups of 1-4 persons are offered by longtime Nashville native and history buff Jim Hardaway. Mr.

Here are a few of the sites you will visit in a tour entitled:

“THE CIVIL WAR AND MORE”

The first tour stop is our wonderful OLD CITY CEMETERY, founded in 1822. You’ll hear stories of the original native inhabitants, the white settlers who arrived in 1780 and much more. Much of the tour will be visits to key sites relating to the decisive Battle of Nashville, December 15-16, 1864: Fort Negley, Belmont Mansion, the “Peace” monument, Confederate Redoubt. No. 1, and Shy’s Hill, where the decisive encounter of the battle occurred. Hardaway has studied this battle for many years and has walked the battlefield more times than he can count. He will also display relics of the battle he and others pulled from the ground. After Fort Negley you’ll visit the grounds of the magnificent Belmont Mansion, located in the heart of Belmont University, the former centerpiece of a 177 acre ante-bellum estate. You’ll hear stories of the amazing Adelicia Acklen, once the wealthiest woman in the South, often called the “real Scarlett O’Hara.” For many years the estate functioned as the unofficial park for the city of Nashville. Just before and during the battle of Nashville in December 1864 the Union army used this house as the headquarters of General Thomas Wood and as an observation post. After the CW portion we will visit “Dutchman’s Curve” in West Nashville, site of the worst train wreck in US history occurring on July 9, 1918 while the US was involved in the “Great War” in France. You will see stunning photos of the disaster and learn how this disaster connected to the war effort. Hardaway will also speak from his own experience of other disasters that affected this same area: the tornado of 1998 and the Great Flood of 2010. Along the way we’ll travel through some of Nashville’s finest and most picturesque residential areas including Belle Meade and the Belle Meade mansion. If you love a good neighborhood home tour, you’ll love this! Next will be the Parthenon at Centennial Park- centerpiece of the 1897 Centennial Exposition, a “world’s fair” type of event celebrating one hundred years of Tennessee statehood. Today our best loved city park marks the site. Of the many buildings and structures featured in the Exposition, only the Parthenon survives,a full scale replica of the original in Athens, Greece. Hardaway will tell the story of the construction of the original structure and show photos of the 1897 event. As a graduate of this fine school himself, Mr. Hardaway will also talk about the founding of Vanderbilt University. We’ll drive by Kirkland Hall, the original administration building, constructed in 1877 and view a statue of the “commodore.”

If time permits the final stop of the tour will be the old Marathon Motor Car factory building that functioned from 1910-1914, now a major event/destination center featuring a car museum , an art museum, a distillery, a live music venue,and various gift shops including the “American Pickers” Antique Archeology store. RATES: basic rate is $150 per tour. The tour guide and driver will pick up tourists, take them on the tour in his van (a Chrysler Town and Country) and return them to the place of their choice. IF the pick up and return spot is outside the downtown area, such as Opryland and the general airport area, the rate is $175. This is not a rate per person but that of the tour itself-1 to 6 persons. For scheduling call Jim Hardaway @: 615-406-8939, tours are offered in morning or afternoon time slots- 8:30-12:30 or 1:30 to 5:30

05/20/2026

The Old Drake Motel Reimagined

Wasn’t aware of this place until I checked on our damaged car the other day at a repair shop across the street. On Murfreesboro rd about a mile and a half SE from downtown Nashville .

This is a restored version of an old timey late forties, 1950s style drive up hotel of the sort that thrived along old state highways across the country during that era when people started taking long trips in their automobile instead of in a train.

Like so many other things, interstate highways and the hotels alongside them at exits eventually relegated these “motels” to the dusty old “back shelf” except for those areas far from the main interstate corridors, a bit like the place where our heroes stayed in that perennial favorite: Planes, Trains and Automobiles- love that movie!

But a few remain open along good ole Hhwy 41 between Nashville and Chattanooga. Mostly theyre functioning relics. Those that escaped the wrecking ball. Very few anywhrre close to thriving towns or cities did escape the wrecking ball.

How did the Drake Motel, so close to downtown Nashville, survive? What kept it open in the lean years? I’m guessing that the proprietors rented rooms “by the hour.” One can still see women walking along the sidewalk nearby who seem to be “working women” involved in the “world’s oldest profession.” This is still a part of town attracting a certain class of men wanting a”date.” Not exactly a “family oriented” part of town.

Im guessing it’s under new management. Obviously the Drake Motel folk have now tried a different business model: “Stay Where the Stars Stay.” Says the sign. LOL. I cant imagine wealthy stars wanting to spend time in this part of town except when the place functions as a film set. For professional reasons. With plenty of security at hand.

Furthermore, this area ain’t exactly the part of town featured in anybody’s tour itinerary. I’ve never taken tourists down Murfreesboro Rd this close to town, an area bordered by massive housing projects to the West and auto dealerships, and other commercial-industrial enterprises to the East. Fast food joints. Used car lots. No, not the part of town you show off to tourists.

Nevertheless, I hope the Drake Motel investors have discovered a successful business model. Good luck to them.

04/21/2026

Fisk Jubilee Singers

This photo comes from a recent TV special in which this well known Nashville based group of singers wore 19th century clothing and adopted the persona, hairstyles etc of the original 1870s group. Very interesting, entertaining and informative.

Nowadays many in the Nashville African American community are claiming the Nashville is called “Music City USA” not because of the Grand Ole Opry and Music Row, the location of the music business, as has been the common belief, here but due to the history and heritage of the Fisk Jubilee singers of Fisk University and their performance for Queen Victoria circa 1880 where she commented: “Your group comes from a musical city.” Or something like that. The Fisk University Jubilee Singers sre the real reason Nashville is called “Music City USA” they insist.

“Success has many fathers, failure is an orphan.” No one doubts that the Nashville musical phenomenon is and has been a great success. Now it seems this success now has yet another “father.”

Ive heard about, known about the Jubilee singers nearly all my life but I must admit, this is a new angle.

I dont think Im gonna be too bold if I say that most Nashvillians and music historians are politely and respectfully shaking their heads and saying: “I dont think so. Nice try.”

01/03/2024

Kris Kristoferson “liked” my page. I’d love to give him a tour!

07/04/2023

The article says simply that this iconic “Cash” car, One Piece at a Time”, was built by “an Oklahoma man” and displayed at the House of Cash in Hendersonville for several years.

Well, Louise (my wife) knew that particular Ok man very well. He owned and operated a coal company outside Welch, Ok and most of her family worked for him for several decades.

His name was Bill Patch and he had that special car made and presented to Johnny in the late seventies. They became good friends as a result.

In early 1981, Bill P and wife Jennie came to visit Johnny and June, called us up and offered to take Louise and her newborn back to Ok to allow her family to see the new baby. I drove Louise to Hendersonville where Bill and Jennine were staying with the Cashes and we got to in and have coffee with the famous couple before it was time to head West. Johnny and June were gracious and sweet as was their nature.

It was a cold morning in January but unforgettable. Bill Patch, also a very generous fellow, later put Louise and Amanda on the plane and had them flown back to Nashville.

But.. it all started with that silly car! I think the car is in a museum, curiously, down in Williamson county at this time. Why I don’t know.

Maybe I’d better check on this.

06/20/2023

Recording Studios

Here in Nashville they’re everywhere, more than can be found in any other part of the USA. Music Row, along 16th and 17th Aves South was, and probably still is, the highest concentration of major label recording studios in the area, a big part of just why Nashville is called “Music City USA” a nickname that began to come into use with some frequency in the mid sixties.

But traditionally recording studios were pretty low profile affairs, often located buildings/structures that would attract little attention. Very ordinary. A flashy attention getting structure, lighting, or signage not needed. Indeed- not wanted.

Look at the listing or add for two iconic Nashville studios that I found in a 1972 phone book. The RCA studio doesn’t even have an add! The Bradley studio? Not much of an add. But… in 1972 if you had wanted to catch a glimpse of Johnny Cash? The Bradley Studio was a good bet. Elvis? RCA Studio B. He spent alotta time there.

Just off Music Row was the Quadraphonic Studio, where Neil Young, James Taylor, Linda Rondstat, Dan Fogelburg, Jimmy Buffet and many others recorded hits. No add, just a routine mention of the address.

06/10/2023

It was a great thrill to be present at the dedication today of the Chet Atkins Statue at its new location in front of the Musicians Hall of Fame. Chet is now just where he belongs with fellow musicians! Unveiling done by Linda Chambers and Steve Wariner.

05/28/2023

Took a big family on my downtown Nashville Walking tour this am. This fellow wanted to do an “air gun” photo next to one of Tennessee’s most famous crack shots- Alvin C York, hero of WW 1. Statue on the Capital grounds, not far from presidential statues. Fortunately rioters in 2020 left him alone. Maybe he frightened them a bit.

Now look at that crowd on Lower Broad! Crazy baby. I usually escape Lower Broad as quickly as possible.

And the new Bettie Page historic marker next to Hume Fogg High. Cool. She graduated from that esteemed institution in 1940.

And, shortly before getting back to my van, after three or four miles of walking, I enjoy a cold one at “The Pub” down in the Gulch. Great weather today. Warm, almost cool. Enjoy it while it lasts.

05/26/2023

So Nashville is famous for guitars. Yes some of the best guitar stores in the country are found here. This is a photo of yours truly playing a Johnny Smith Gibson arch top at Carter Vintage guitars on Eighth Ave. Lordy, I loved this guitar! Played like a dream and sounded like a dream come true but… the price tag? Way more than I wanted to spend!

My friend advising me that day reminded me of something I had only suspected: working musicians cannot, for the most part, afford such instruments. Yes, every now and then a hot shot famous ir almost famous player strolls in but for the most part they sell these instruments to moneyed collectors.

01/09/2023

Jan. 8 Celebration and William Carroll

I often take tourists by the William Carroll grave monument in the Nashville Old City Cemetery. Listed on the side of that large monument are his battle honors, which includes the famous January 8 Battle of New Orleans. He was there, commanding rough hewn Tennessee volunteers. A few years later, with good ole Andy Jackson’s help, he would be elected governor of Tennessee.

Carroll would be a successful governor, serving six two year terms-12 years in all, more than any other Tn governor before or since. But the law required only three consecutive terms at a time so Carroll had to step down in 1826 to allow another man to fill the position.

This man would only serve one year. Due to problems and a scandal in his personal life* he would only serve 13 months before resigning and leaving the area. As a Tn governor he was not successful. Carroll ran again a few months later and served three more terms while his old friend Jackson finished up his time in the White House.

History can be cruel. Carroll, a great success, is pretty much a forgotten figure. That man who interrupts his terms and resigned? The big loser? There is now a little town in Texas named for him.

HOUSTON.

01/05/2023

Tour Companies: the Good, the Bad and the Mediocre

When you visit a place for the first time you often wanna do a tour of some sort. The tour guide, Somebody who knows the lay of the land, especially a local, someone who actually lives in that community, is usually your best bet.

When such tours are considered, it’s pretty much like anything else in that ya get what ya pay for. Bus tours are popular in that ya climb on board, get to see the sights, hear the bus driver give a very short canned description. Maybe even get off the bus, walk around a bit, and then jump back on the next bus when it arrives and then off to the next spot. Here in Nashville for the “Hop-On, Hop-Off Trolley” the day pass is about 30 bucks per person and, IMHO, not a bad value.

But ya Get what ya pay for. It’s pretty much city transportation. And, there will be some walking involved. Maybe even parking fees.

Then there are the historic sites, usually historic homes, with on site tour guides. At the more popular well known sites they’re running crowds through these places like cattle. You’re gonna get very little personalized attention. In this area Andrew Jackson’s Hermitage is gonna be that way. Whereas down the road at Belle Meade its gonna be slightly different. Neither site is “walkable” from downtown. The Nashville Hop On buses don’t go out to either of these places- too far out.

Then there are the Grayline ( and similar) “Tours.” The bus driver might say a few things, tell a joke or two but essentially these tours are not really “tours” at all but simply transportation. You arrange transport to a meeting place and hop on the bus. The bus is not gonna come to your hotel and pick you up.

Recently a fellow contacted me wondering just how my Nashville Civil War tour compared to the Nashville Grayline CW tour. I responded that first of all the Grayline tour is not really a “tour” at all but simply transportation to two CW sites in Franklin and to downtown Franklin for lunch. And then back to Nashville by 4:00 pm or so. The only tour guides involved are the on site guides at the two CW sites.

I haven’t checked the cost but I’m guessing it’s gonna be $80-100 per person which would include transportation and admission fees. Probably not lunch. Not bad but, IMHO, a mediocre intro to the Middle Tenn CW Nashville campaign especially since it includes on site tour guides who might know their own site pretty well but being young and new at their jobs have a pretty limited knowledge of Tennessee’s CW experience.

Second, I told him that, unlike Grayline, on my all day tour I actually visit and interpret CW sites both in Franklin and Nashville. And third, when you hire me, It’s a private tour, you’re hiring a professional historian and getting a personalized tour. Got a question? You won’t be clamoring for my attention in competition with fifty other people. It’s gonna be a bit more than just transportation. You won’t be hearing canned speeches from part time temporary guides who probably wouldn’t know the answers to your questions even if they had the opportunity to answer them.

Another thing. I usually come to wherever the tourists are, pick them up, and return them at the end of the day.

Hire me? Of course I’m gonna cost a bit more. But Like I said. With historic tours it’s like anything else. Ya get what ya pay for.

Address

4408 Wyoming Avenue
Nashville, TN
37209

Telephone

+16154068939

Website

http://historictoursofnashville.com/

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Historic Tours of Nashville posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The Business

Send a message to Historic Tours of Nashville:

Want your business to be the top-listed Travel Agency in Nashville?