City: Nashville, TN

Category: Tours & Attractions

Telephone: (615) 862-8400 (Parks Departme

Address: 170 First Ave. N.

Description: On the banks of the Cumberland River at Riverfront Park stands the reconstruction of the original settlement of Nashville. The original log fort was built slightly north of this location by James Robertson when he and his party first settled in the area in 1779. It occupied about 2 acres of land on a bluff overlooking the river. Named in honor of Gen. Francis Nash, who was killed during the Revolutionary War, the fort is where early Nashvillians met and adopted the Cumberland Compact for government of the new settlement. In 1930 the Daughters of the American Revolution sponsored the construction of a replica of the original structure near the site of Fort Nashborough. The current fort, built in 1962, consists of 5 reproductions of the early cabins; it is smaller than the original and contains fewer cabins. It was restored and renovated by Metropolitan Nashville–Davidson County government. The reconstruction is authentic in many details. Exhibits of pioneer furniture, tools, and other items are featured, allowing visitors a glimpse at the lifestyle of Nashville’s first settlers. The fort is open to the public for self-guided tours daily, weather permitting.