Tennessee

The Tennessee State Capitol is at the highest point in downtown Nashville on Capitol Hill. If you arrive from the north to the Tennessee Capitol Steps, you will either immediately fear for your quads, accept the fitness challenge, or find another way in.

If you need another way in, the Tennessee State Capitol provides up-to-date visitor information. This page also provides a history of the Tennessee State Capitol.

My favorite way to enter, the Motlow Tunnel on Charlotte Avenue, is closed as of this writing due to renovations to the Legislative Plaza across the street.

Getting around downtown Nashville is not that difficult; I parked at a meter a couple of blocks away from the capitol with no problem. Of course, I arrived first thing in the morning when I found things less busy.

Overall, the Tennessee State Capitol is understated and small. It makes for a quick visit. The capitol is one of 11 without a dome; it has a 37-foot cupola. The interior is beautiful but not grand or overwhelming. There is a rotunda that is small compared to others I have visited.

The capitol is home to the office of the Tennessee Governor on the first floor. The Tennessee General Assembly meets at the capitol. Unfortunately, both the House of Representatives and Senate chambers were under renovation during my visit. I drive through Nashville frequently, so I will stop for updated photos in the future.

The surrounding capitol grounds are the best part of the visit. They include statues and memorials to the three Tennesseans who eventually became President of the United States.

Andrew Jackson’s statue has him tipping his hat on horseback to the capitol building.

Andrew Johnson’s statue is near Charlotte Avenue. He is best known for being the first impeached President.

For my fellow Texans, head over to the grave of former Tennessee governor and president James K. Polk, who was president when Texas was admitted as a state in December 1845. The annexation led to the Mexican-American War, which took up most of his presidency. Mexico didn’t recognize the Treaties of Velasco signed by Gen. Antonio López de Santa Anna that made Texas an independent nation for 10 years before statehood.

Polk died only a few months after he left office, so he had a short retirement. Don’t make your job your life, people.

After my visit, I made a quick stop at the Nashville Farmers Market nearby. Shops and restaurants in the indoor Market House are open all week, but if you are around on the weekend, the outdoor shed will have a better selection of vendors. 

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