These are non-circulating, closed-stack collections. Patrons wishing to access these materials should inquire at the service desk. Many of these collections have been cataloged, and a fuller description may be obtained by searching the library's catalog by author, title, subject, or keyword. Some of these collections have not been processed, and access may be limited. Please contact the Special Collections Division for more information.

All finding Aids are in PDF format unless otherwise noted. You may download Adobe PDF Reader free here.

19th Century Song Books and Sheet Music Collection, ca. 1824-ca. 1892
These 19th century volumes of sheet music are comprised of favorite songs and piano-forte compositions, characteristic of a cultural era in America when educated young ladies entertained family and friends in their home parlors. The original sheet music imprints, circa 1824-ca. 1892, were collected and published as bound volumes, by Nashville "blank book manufacturers," with the names of the individuals printed on the front cover: Maggie J. Greig, Mary Coving, Eliza B. Lindsley, Ada A. Mitchell, Sarah C. Sharp, Ida Strong Doss, Mollie E. Norris, Susie Hunter, and Edward R. Pullen. A wide variety of musical forms are represented in the collection, such as marches, polkas, waltzes, operatic arrangements, quadrilles upon Scottish airs, and ballads by popular 19th century composers. In addition to the popular period music are several American Civil War imprints. Many of the sheet music covers are illustrated, including a few that are color lithographs. Several imprints were either published in Nashville or related by topic to Nashville, such as "The Buds have Bloomed to Flowers," by Randal M. Weber and B. Olordo, dedicated to the "Graduates of the Nashville Female Academy."

Advance Publishing Company Records, 1910-1937

Business records of the Advance Publishing Company in Nashville document the entire history of that company's weekly, The Presbyterian Advance (1910-1934). The records include the charter of incorporation, company by-laws, letters to stockholders, minutes of stockholders and directors meetings (annual and called), fundraising letters, and special reports prepared for stockholders, directors, or the editorial council.

Anita Williams Papers, 1926-ca. 1942 (bulk 1940)
The bulk of the collection consists of correspondence in 1940 to and from members of the U.S. House of Representatives concerning the Wool Products Labeling Act (H.R. 944), sent and received while Williams was a member of the Nashville Federation of Women's Clubs and served as Chairman of Special Legislation for the Nashville Woman's Club. A small quantity of correspondence ca. 1926-1929 concerns Williams' activities with the Tennessee League of Women Voters; her advocacy for legislation concerning marriage in Tennessee and the Sheperd-Towner Act in Congress; her support of Thomas Edmund Durritt Jr. to secure an appointment to West Point; and her ownership of bonds in the Tennessee Coal and Oil Company. A genealogy poem associated with the Daughters of the American Revolution entitled, "Ancestry of Mrs. Mildred C. Shinn" and two "Women's Playlets" from World War II, entitled "Mother Buys a Bond" and "Father Wins the Peace" are also part of the collection.

Bailey School Parent-Teacher Association. Records, 1930-1972
Records of the Bailey School Parent-Teacher Association of Nashville, Tenn., 1930-1972 contain a wide variety of information about the activities of the organization, as well as various school and community issues. Foremost among these records is a history record book, consisting of annual entries documenting activities of the Bailey School PTA throughout the academic year, from 1930 to 1970. Records are most verbose for the period prior to the 1960s, though all contain rich details about a wide variety of subjects. These include the establishment of the Bailey Junior High PTA in 1930 and the numerous projects undertaken that year, including establishing a school library and furnishing it with 1500 books, landscaping school grounds, and sponsoring projects with nearby Eastland School. Numerous other topics in the volume as a whole include: recovery from the 1933 East Nashville tornado; assistance to needy children by providing free lunch, clothing, and medical assistance; honors for specific teachers, PTA members, government officials, and others; awards, honors, and recognition given to the organization; scrap drives during World War II, as well as a clothing drive for Russian children; the purchase of Civil Defense identification bracelets and tags in 1954-1955; advocacy of certain positions on matters before the City Council and school board, including opposition to the consolidation of city and county schools in the late 1950s; concern about polio and tuberculosis outbreaks; performances by students such as concerts, plays and skits; notes about guest speakers, including government officials and representatives from other PTA organizations; documentation of fundraisers of all types and for many purposes benefiting both the school directly and outside agencies; financial records; and more.

Baker v. Carr Papers, ca. 1959-ca. 2003 (bulk ca. 1960-ca. 1965)

A collection of documentary sources related to the Baker v. Carr "one man, one vote" case about Tennessee reapportionment, spanning ca. 1959 to ca. 2003 (bulk ca. 1960-ca. 1965). The papers relate to the lawsuit filed by urban voters against Tennessee's Secretary of State and Attorney General in the U.S. District Court of Middle Tennessee, (Civil Action No. 2724).

Banks Committee for Negro Business Development. Loan Committee. Records, 1968
Two folders of records, consisting predominantly of meeting minutes, and supplemented by a variety of other materials including promotional literature, applications, and reference materials from organizations such as Operation Northtown of the Middle Tennessee Business Association; the Small Business Administration; and the Businessmen's Development Corporation of Philadelphia, Penn., which served as a model for the N.B.D. and which was developed in part by First Pennsylvania Banking and Trust Company.

Beasley Watkins Institute Collection, 1947-1987
Course catalogs 1947-1948, 1954-1956; class schedules 1958-1969, 1987; a promotional pamphlet from 1954 which includes a history of the school; and list of faculty 1964-1965.

Behind The Headlines: The Story Within The Story of Hoodlums, Big Wheels, and Celebrities
The typed manuscript is the working paper for a book to have been titled Behind The Headlines: The Story Within The Story of Hoodlums, Big Wheels and Celebrities. Bob Battle looks back on significant or memorable people, places, and events from his journalistic career with the Nashville Banner newspaper, a career which began in 1943 during World War II and ended with the closing of the paper in 1998. Each folder contains material loosely linked by subject. The writings are not in chronological order. The material contains many anecdotes as well as behind the scenes information from Battle's days as a police beat, city, regional and business reporter and editor. Battle writes about the famous (and often infamous) individuals with whom he came in contact, especially those in country music. There are many interviews ranging from Marguerita Oswald (mother of Lee Harvey Oswald) to Roy Orbison, providing extensive quotes. Some of the pieces stretch over a period of time, while others are single incidents.

Bellevue Store Ledger, 1882-1907
Ledger book from an unidentified dry goods or general store in the Bellevue, Tenn. area, just southwest of Nashville, Tenn. Probably operated under the name T.L. Herrin Jr. or Herrin & Sweeny. Entries span from 1882 to 1898. A partial name index is at the front of the volume. Most entries record accounts with individuals; many entries are for women or African-Americans. Some accounts are with other businesses, such as Turner Bros. of Nashville. Accounts show debits and credits, including specific purchases. Items include shoes, hats, cloth, tobacco, meat, foodstuffs, hardware, tools, and similar purchases. Some of the surnames include members of the DeMoss, Carter, Harding, Herrin, Vaughn, Shelton families, among many others. A check drawn on the Fourth National Bank in Nashville, Tenn. signed by T.L. Herrin and payable to L.H. Hitchcock & Son from 1907 is inserted in the front of the volume. The last 100 pages of the book are blank.

Belmont-Hillsboro Neighbors, Inc. Records, ca. 1970-ca. 1988
A collection of organizational records of Belmont-Hillsboro Neighbors, Inc., including correspondence, photographs, newsletters and topical research files created by the organization. Also includes numerous publications produced by the Metropolitan Government of Nashville and Davidson County. The documentary resources, spanning ca. 1970 through ca. 1988, relate to the organizational leadership and activities of the citizens advocacy group, with information about the Belmont-Hillsboro neighborhood, community development, zoning issues, fair housing, I-440, interracial issues, open housing investment, and other topics.

Buford College Collection, 1903-1920
Yearbook, 1912; commencement invitations; programs to performances, concerts and recitals addressed to the Meguiar family of Madison, Tenn.; clippings; a copy of the Buford final exam; and a funeral program for Mr. E.G. Buford.

Central High School Alumni Association Records, 1963-1986
Records of the Central High School Alumni Association (Nashville, Tenn.), 1963-1986. Materials include programs and invitations; correspondence; mailing lists; and clippings. Also included is a certificate honoring H. Wade Young as a member of the class of 1920, the third class to graduate from the school. A poem entitled, "Class History of 1921" and an initial draft by Rebecca Whitsitt Young is also included.

Century III Clippings, 1979-1980
Newspaper clippings and scrapbook containing clippings concerning various activities related to the Century III celebration, a year-long commemoration of the 200th anniversary of the founding of Nashville.

Century III Records, 1977-1980
Incomplete records of the Century III Commission and several of its subcommittees, documenting various facets of commemorative activities and planning for the celebration of Nashville's first 200 years and the beginning of its third century. Records include reports; newsletters; minutes of the Historical Records committee and the Festivals, Pageants, Events and Parades committee; background on the formation and development of the Nashville Heritage Project, an oral history project to interview over 100 Nashvillians selected for inclusion because of their age, position, or knowledge of Nashville, under the direction of Paul Clements; contracts, correspondence, and related papers concerning a history to be written by Vanderbilt professor Dr. Don Doyle; programs and souvenirs from festivals and special events, including Founders Day, Birthday Week, Celebration of the Arts, Market Street Festival, and others; commemorative advertisements and other items from organizations, businesses or individuals not directly a part of Century III, but who supported commemorative efforts in unofficial partnerships termed "salutes"; communications and publicity efforts for Century III events; plans for a Century III Center(a multi-use convention center and sports arena facility); development of Riverfront Park and the erection of a marker in honor of the Cumberland Compact; and a variety of other materials.

Chamber of Commerce Directories of Nashville Organizations, 1974-1990 (bulk 1974-1980)
Lists of Nashville area organizations including officers, contact information, and meeting times and locations, compiled and distributed by the Nashville Area Chamber of Commerce. Directories are for particular types of organizations and titled as follows: business and professional organizations; civic organizations; service and luncheon clubs; state, regional, and national associations headquartered in Nashville; and women's organizations.

Charles C. Trabue, Jr. Diaries
Mr. Trabue's diaries of 1928-2002 offer insights into Nashville's legal profession, its civic leaders, library, charitable institutions and various other matters. Some of the diaries are restricted. Patrons interested in this collection should contact the Special Collections Division for more information.

Christine Webb Performing Arts Collection, 1923-1978
Programs, advertisements, and clippings of selected performances in Nashville from 1923 to 1978 are included, arranged loosely by type of performance. Among these are concerts (including ballet and opera), drama, and lectures. Some of the musical performances are by guest artists appearing with the Nashville Symphony. The programs for these symphony concerts (1923-1978) are grouped together and are not complete. Programs and clippings for the Community Concert Association and the Ward-Belmont Conservatory are grouped separately. Concert appearances at the Ryman Auditorium and War Memorial Auditorium by artists such as John McCormack, Marion Anderson, and James Melton are grouped together as "musical performances." Other musical performances form yet another group. These include concerts at local educational institutions (Vanderbilt University, Peabody College). The theater materials come from touring professional plays and musicals performed almost exclusively at the Ryman Auditorium. All theater performance materials are filed together. In some cases, the newspaper clippings are filed with the programs. However, other clippings are in a separate folder labeled "Clippings." There is also a folder related to lectures by emiment visiting speakers. One event featured a panel including Clarence Darrow, Quin O'Brien, Rabbi Julius Mark, and Bishop H.M. DuBose. Another lecture was by Ruth Bryan Owen, the American Minister to Denmark and daughter of William Jennings Bryan. At the end of the collection are a few miscellaneous items. Included are a 1958 program for the Nashville Arts Festival and a letter with advertising brochure from Loew's Vendome Theatre for an upcoming film. In a separate folder is an assortment of clippings from a variety of music and theater performances.

Daughters of the American Revolution. Rachel Stockley Donelson Chapter (Hermitage, Tenn.). Scrapbook, 1939-1960
Clippings, correspondence, a yearbook (1939-1940), and related information concerning activities and interests of the Rachel Stockley Donelson Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution of Hermitage, Tenn.

David C. Morton DeFord Bailey Collection, 1927-2006 (bulk 1970-2006)
Primarily through photographs, musical recordings, interviews, and clippings, this collection documents the career and legacy of Nashville's legendary African-American harmonica player DeFord Bailey (1899-1982). The collection was gathered by Bailey's friend and biographer David C. Morton over many years, some of which served as research material for his 1991 biography, DeFord Bailey: A Black Star in Early Country Music, co-written with Dr. Charles K. Wolfe. Bailey's posthumous honors and awards are well documented in this collection.

David H. Steinberg Papers, ca. 1917-1978

The materials included in this collection provide an abbreviated timeline of Nashville's transportation history from circa 1917 to the middle part of the twentieth century. This collection covers some of the major companies doing transportation-related business in Nashville such as the Nashville Railway and Light Company, the Tennessee Electric Power Company, the Tennessee Transportation Company, the Nashville Coach Company and Southern Coach Lines, Inc.

Earl E. Craig Modern Bible Schools course notebook, ca. 1902
Notebook inscribed on cover: "The Modern Bible Schools - E.E. Craig." Appears to be a notebook for a course of the same name; first pages of the book include an outline. Contents concern religious instruction; historical information about religious education, study, and teaching, including references to Judaic and Christian history; information about curriculum; charitable, educational and mission work in schools; methodology; financial and equipment considerations; and other topics. The 1902 Nashville, Tenn. city directory shows Earl E. Craig as a student at Nashville Bible School, so it is assumed that these are his notes from a course he took at that institution. The school was affiliated with Churches of Christ.

E. F. Falconnet Field Notes for Tennessee and Pacific Railroad, 1866-1867
Small pocket notebook containing notes relating to the survey of a route from Nashville, Tenn. to Knoxville, Tenn. for the Tennessee and Pacific Railroad. His notes appear to be field notes taken at the time of survey and building of the railroad, which he later reported in a more detailed and fuller form in a formal report. Notes are very brief, but include dates and activities, with occasional mention of weather, working conditions, geography, or personnel matters. Camp locations, routes, stations, line condition, supplies and costs of provisions are also included. Locations mentioned include Lebanon, Gallatin, Carthage, Cookeville, Wartburg, and Yankeetown, among others.

E.L. McNeilly Robertson Academy Legal Correspondence, 1930-1934
Correspondence, 1930-1934, from lawyers E.L. McNeilly and Henry E. Colton to Joseph Thompson, president of the Board of Trustees of Robertson Academy, concerning land ownership. Documents contain a copy of extensive legal research performed by E.L. McNeilly in 1911 and forwarded to Joseph Thompson in 1930, concerning the legal status of the land where Robertson Academy was built and the relationship of land ownership to its use as a school. This research begins with the establishment of the academy in 1806 by an act of the Tennessee General Assembly, and continues forward through various laws concerning academies in general throughout the state, as well as individual acts relating to Robertson Academy. Deed research relating to the property is also included, which mentions among other things, the use of a spring on Jesse Maxwell's land by Robertson Academy students. The use of this spring, and the ownership of the property in general where the school is located, is dependent upon the property being used for educational purposes. Correspondence from attorneys McNeilly and Henry E. Colton to Thompson in the early 1930s seems to indicate that Thompson may have inquired about whether or not the trustees can sell or dispose of the land, and under what circumstances.

English Speaking Union of the United States. Nashville Branch. Records, 1957-1978
The records of the Nashville (Tenn.) Branch of the English Speaking Union of the United States, 1957-1978, include financial records, administrative data, membership rosters, newsletters, clippings, and materials about visiting speakers. Many speakers were from overseas. Among the speakers were Margaret (Mrs. Denis) Thatcher (1969) and retired General Maxwell Taylor (1976). Clippings and rosters mention such Nashville members as: Mrs. Victor (Ila) Stromquist, secretary-treasurer of the Nashville Branch for many years; Mr. (Joseph) Olin White, member of the National Board of Governors 1953-1972 and former Nashville Branch president; and Herschel Gower, member of the Nashville Branch Board of Directors.

Excellence in Development Project Nomination Files, 2003-2004
These files document those Middle Tennessee projects in design, construction, and environmental sensitivity nominated for Excellence In Development Awards, primarily in 2003 and 2004. Files contain project names, locations, types of development, project summaries, and several colorful graphic representations, interior and exterior, of the structures. Notable nominated projects include Blair School of Music, Green Hills Family YMCA, Father Ryan High School, Shelby Street Bridge, Rolling Mill Hill Master Plan, and many others. Check the corporate added entries for a complete list.

Fannie Battle Day Home Records, ca. 1905-ca. 1998 (bulk 1905-1972)
The collection, spanning nearly one hundred years (ca. 1905-ca. 1998, bulk 1905-1972), documents Miss Fannie Battle's humanitarian vision to build and maintain a charitable day care facility for the care, nursing, and education of underprivileged children in the Nashville area, spanning nearly one hundred years (ca. 1905-ca. 1998, bulk 1905-1972). The sources consist of historical journals, scrapbooks, and photographic sources related to the United Charities organization and its "agencies," the Addison Avenue Day Home, and the subsequent Fannie Battle Day Home, renamed in 1924 in honor of the day care pioneer and social reformer. The collection documents the benevolent service of the social workers, child care, education, contemporary economics, social, religious, and health conditions addressed by the charitable organization in the 20th century.

Fort Family Papers, 1855-2001 (bulk 1940-1943)
This collection sketches out a larger Fort family history, but it primarily focuses on Cornelia Fort Clark (1919-1943) and her immediate family. Through photographs, correspondence, clippings, official documents, personal effects, artifacts, and oral interviews, Cornelia's short life is reconstructed. Her writings and correspondence relate a unique perspective on the Pearl Harbor attack, general WWII military life, the challenges that women encountered in the military, and the passion one pilot felt for her vocation. One can also learn of the lives of Cornelia's immediate family through clippings, photographs, correspondence, and personal effects. Additionally, because Cornelia has become the subject of biographies and histories, the research process of authors Doris Brinker Tanner and Rob Simbeck is evident in this collection. Tanner has made duplicates of much original material, most of which is present in this collection, and also of material not included in this collection. These duplicates often include Tanner's notes. Furthermore, both she and Simbeck have performed oral interviews, the tapes of which appear in the collection.

Foster Family Mexican War Letters, 1846
Three letters written to members of the Foster family of Nashville, Tenn. during the Mexican War. The first letter, dated June 15, 1846 is to Robert C. Foster from his brother, J[ohn] D., from Nashville. John writes of their mother's health, stating she has improved. Everyone at the family home "Mansfield," in Nashville, is well. Grandma has been confined to her bed. John says Nashville is deserted since the troops have left. The letter is postmarked in New Orleans on June 26 and was forwarded to the army at the Rio Grande. The second letter, dated Sept. 29, 1846 from Camargo, [Mexico] and addressed to "Uncle Ephraim" from his nephew, "Caswell," (otherwise unidentified) reports that Monterrey has been taken and provides details of battle and capitulation of city. The Tennesseans are reported to have fought well. The third letter dated Nov. 24, 1846 is from Robert C. Foster to his mother, Jane Dickinson Foster, written from Camp Allen, near Monterrey, Mexico. Robert complains about lack of mail; worries about his mother's health; praises his father and mother; and expects his regiment to remain in camp until spring. He reports on the taking of Saltillo by Taylor; Santa Anna is at St. Louis Potosi and anticipates a fight; hears rumors of peace; and tells of the gathering of U.S. forces at Monterrey, including new arrivals from the U.S. He is in good health. He asks his mother not to tell his father and sisters that he has not shaved since New Orleans, in June.

Francis Craig Papers, 1920-2003
Print, manuscript and audio materials document the career of Nashville's big band maestro Francis Craig (1900-1966), composer, pianist, recording star and long-time Hermitage Hotel bandleader.

Franklin Turnpike Company Ledger, 1836-1855
Ledger contains financial accounts, 1836-1855, maintained by R.H. Barry. Barry is believed to have been an officer of the Franklin Turnpike Company, perhaps its treasurer, president, or both. Records from 1836 to 1839 are the most detailed, containing debits and credits to individuals as toll gate keepers and for construction and maintenance of the road. Some entries relate to the hiring of slaves to work on the road. Toll gate receipts are included for most years, though many do not contain much detail. Expenses for the turnpike company are also included for various years, particularly 1836-1840 and 1847, including a great deal of rock-breaking activity in 1838 and 1839.

Gladys Charlestine Matlock Autograph Book, 1933
Diary used as autograph book. Inscription in front indicates that Gladys Charlestine Matlock of Knoxville was given the diary by Peg Kessner at Christmas 1929. The book is signed by classmates of Matlock at Tennessee Agricultural and Industrial State College in Nashville, Tenn. during the spring of 1933. Inscriptions include quotes, aphorisms, rhymes, humorous ditties and poems, and an occasional drawing or sketch. Some students write about their school memories of Gladys or give her well-wishes. Others include their address, hometown, or indicate their affiliation with a club or Greek organization.

Gold-Sanderson Collection of American Popular Music, 1903-2002

Sheet music, songbooks and a photograph from the personal collection of jazz violinist Carolyn Gold document a slice of 20th century American popular music, and constitute a useful supplement to the massive Kenneth A. Kanter Collection of American Music and Theater.

Grand Ole Opry Performance Log, 1961-
Photocopied set of handwritten logs detailing each year's Saturday night Grand Ole Opry performances week-by-week beginning in 1961. Log is chronological with song titles for each week's program, performing artist for each song, and occasional marginal anecdotes (announcers, recent events, encores). Each year's list concludes with statistical tables on appearances by regular Opry cast members, a log of each week's Friday night Opry performers, a table of each year's guest artists with dates of appearances, cross references to shows on identical dates in earlier years, special features on artists in the year of their deaths, and hosts listed for each week's "Midnight Jamboree" (WSM program which immediately followed the Grand Ole Opry) at the very end of each year's log.

Greater Nashville Association of Realtors Records, 1867 to present (bulk ca. 1950-1995)
The Greater Nashville Association of Realtors Records collection contains four series of primary and secondary sources created by or collected by the Nashville Board of Realtors and the Greater Nashville Association of Realtors. The sources include board minutes, scrapbook albums, newspaper clippings, correspondence, special publications, ephemera, photographs, and memorabilia. A historical 1867 real estate assessment in Davidson County also forms part of the collection. The materials provide an historical perspective on the growth of both organizations and focus on people, places, and events related to real estate in the Nashville area. Geographic coverage is mainly focused on Nashville and Davidson County and the membership of either organization. The collection relates to charitable fundraising events and the Greater Nashville Association of Realtors' affiliation with the Nashville Area Habitat for Humanity.

H. A. French Music Catalogs, circa 1885-1889
Catalogs of sheet music and musical instruments produced or sold by H. A. French, music publisher and dealer, of Nashville, Tenn. in the 1880s.

Harrison House Collection, 1841-ca. 2000 (bulk 1841-1864)

A collection of primarily 19th-centry documentary sources related to the Harrison House, the plantation home of the William Harrison family, located in Franklin in Williamson County, Tennessee.

Helen Hayes Materials
Vintage Nashville memorabilia consists primarily of one scrapbook, "Our Friends," with photos of Hayes family members made in and around Nashville about the 1900s. Later items include two letters (1927-1928) from a friend living in Germany; World War II ration books and stamps; Scarritt College brochures; and an invitation to attend the opening of the new Nashville Public Library on January 16, 1966.

Henry C. Hibbs Papers, 1882 – c. 1988
The papers of Henry C. Hibbs (b. 1882, d. 1949), architect and A.I.A. Fellow, document the life and career of this leading designer of academic, religious, and institutional buildings in Nashville, the south and beyond. Mr. Hibbs is best described as a practitioner of “collegiate gothic / neo-gothic” architecture whose designs won him, among other honors, two gold medals from the Southern Architectural and Industrial Arts Exposition in Memphis in 1929. The Henry C. Hibbs Papers contain approximately 70 cubic feet of materials, dating from 1882 to ca. 1988, and include documents, photographs, oversize materials, negatives, lantern slides and architectural plans focusing primarily on Nashville during the first half of the twentieth century. The collection contains numerous materials related to the history of area higher educational institutions Scarritt College, Fisk University, Peabody College and Vanderbilt University, as well as Southwestern (now Rhodes) in Memphis, Davidson College in Davidson, N.C. and the University of Tulsa in Oklahoma. Researchers may find useful items such as building dedication programs, promotional brochures, periodical articles, announcements, board of trustee documents, photogravures, news clippings and notes related to the construction of new buildings, where available. Researchers may also be interested in the artistic value of some of the architectural drawings found in this collection, such as the drawings for the original Fisk Library, Scarritt College and residences such as the one designed for the Edward Potter family. In addition, there is a wealth of information pertaining to Mr. Hibbs’ active and impressive architectural career, along with materials relating to his personal life. The work of architects W. Terrill Hall and H. Clinton Parrent, Jr. is also represented in this collection. The Henry C. Hibbs Papers were donated to the Nashville Public Library in February 2002 by Harriet Hall Cates, A.I.A, and granddaughter of Mr. Hibbs. Researchers interested in viewing architectural plans should inquire in advance of visiting the Special Collections Division as the oversized nature of these materials typically requires special preparations to be made by staff. Arrangements may be made for researchers to view the architectural plans, based on interest, staff availability, and condition of the plans. Detailed lists of buildings associated with Scarritt College and Fisk University are available.

H.G. Hill Co. Ledgers
1922 Appraisal, plus account ledgers for 1921-1932 and 1946-1950 for Nashville's H.G. Hill Company, a prominent local chain grocery.

Historic Nashville, Inc. Downtown Survey, 1977-1994 (bulk c.1980) (pdf)
Documents and photographs composing a detailed architectural and historical survey of downtown Nashville buildings, c. 1980. The area included in the survey is bounded on the east by the Cumberland River; on the west by 10th Ave.; on the north by the State Capitol; and on the south by Demonbreun Street. Documents contain detailed architectural descriptions; deed and city directory research; and other research notes. Photographs show front (street) views of most buildings, and frequently include front views taken from an angle to the side. Many properties also have photographs of architectural details, and occasionally side or rear views of a building. Nearly all photographs are of exteriors. Additional finding aid lists properties by address.

Historic Nashville, Inc. Records, 1974-c.1988
Records, consisting primarily of press releases for the period 1976-1985. Other items include by-laws 1974-1975; a fact sheet c. 1988; and recognitions by the governor and General Assembly 1985. The press releases document a wide variety of Historic Nashville Inc.'s activities, including their successful efforts to save Union Station; their annual Market Street Festival; regular and special meetings of the group; and awards received and bestowed by the organization, including receiving the Preservation Honor Award from the National Trust for Historic Preservation in 1985 for their preservation education programs in the community, most especially their work in providing resources for teachers through PAST - Preservation Awareness Source for Teachers.

Historic Nashville, Inc. Sacred Sites Survey Project, 1946-2003 (bulk 1999-2003)

Records of the Sacred Sites Survey Project of Historic Nashville, Inc., conducted between 1999 and 2003, encompassing a survey of houses of worship in Davidson County, Tenn. over fifty years old as of 2000.  The bulk of the collection is comprised of the church survey forms and photographs of the churches. The collection also includes administrative papers which provide information about the creation and implementation of the project, including preliminary research.

Howard Boyd Lectures and Articles, ca. 1974
Several lectures and articles by Howard Boyd, Fire Marshal of Metropolitan Nashville, Tenn. in the 1970s. Subjects include fire and building codes and their enforcement; residential, high-rise, and office fire prevention; atriums and stairwells (using the construction of the Hyatt Regency Nashville hotel as an example); fire prevention and education; fire dampers; public apathy and ignorance about the work of the fire department; fire testing of fabrics and building materials; and volunteer fire departments and training. Items include his testimony before the Tennessee Legislative Council Committee concerning statewide building codes and enforcement, and his testimony before the National Commission on Fire Prevention and Control. Many of his lectures and articles, although for a national audience, include examples, statistics, and anecdotes from Nashville, including mention of Nashville fires and fire deaths.

Jack Knox Artist Reference Files, ca. 1932-ca. 1900 (bulk ca. 1952-ca. 1972)

The collection consists of topical subject files and photographs collected by Jack Knox, the editorial cartoonist of the Nashville Banner from the mid-1940s to the early 1970s.

Jack Knox Political Cartoon Collection, ca. 1918-ca. 1975 (bulk ca. 1946-1968)
The Jack Knox Political Cartoon Collection, spanning ca. 1918-ca. 1975, consists of 240 original editorial cartoon drawings by Jack Knox, primarily created during his career with the Nashville Banner newspaper (1946-1972). The collection also includes a series of fifty-four cartoons created by peers of Jack Knox. Present in the collection are two metal print plates of original Jack Knox cartoons, along with a few print reproductions. Includes a few pamphlet publications and newspaper articles related to Jack Knox's cartooning career.

Jeter-Smith Dance Collection, 1927-1974 (bulk 1927-1940)
This collection documents the many recitals, concerts, and musical revues co-produced in Nashville by Sarah Jeter and Louise Smith between 1927 and 1940 -- either through Ward-Belmont, the studio of Dancing, the School of Dancing of the Nashville Conservatory of Music, or the Dance Center. Also documenting the history of these various dance schools (students, curricula, hours, prices, etc.), the collection serves as a history of dance performance and instruction in Nashville for those years.

John F. Kennedy Address on the 90th Anniversary of Vanderbilt University Collection, 1963
Invitation, program, 30 min. radio broadcast recording, and welcome sign for President John F. Kennedy's speech at Vanderbilt University on May 18, 1963. His speech was in commemoration of the 90th anniversary of the university's founding, and also was in observation of the 30th anniversary of the act which established the Tennessee Valley Authority. At the conclusion of the speech, a button was pushed which triggered the first explosion in the construction of the Cordell Hull Dam near Carthage, Tennessee. The broadcast is by Roland Wolfe of Nashville radio station WSIX and produced as a public service of the Tennessee Association of Broadcasters.

Joseph L. Weakley Account Books, 1848, 1854, 1863
Two account books containing records relating to store accounts, student accounts, and presumably some personal accounts. Both books contain accounts from 1848, 1854 (predominantly store accounts), and 1863 (predominantly students' accounts). The two books may have been used in conjunction with each other, with one serving as a daybook, and the other as a journal. Store accounts include name of individual, items purchased, and their debits and credits. Student accounts include name of student, tuition paid with date and amount. Personal accounts itemize expenses for items such as clothes, fabric, shoes, tobacco, charitable donations, and various other purchases. One book doubles as a scrapbook, containing advertisements, some in color; it also includes two sheets about the American Humane Education Society.

Kenneth A. Kanter Collection of American Music and Theater, ca. 1840-2006
Materials include recordings, souvenir brochures, show posters, sheet music, books, and periodicals, tracing American popular music and musical theater from the mid-1800s into the twenty-first century. The sheet music collection of approximately 2,500 pieces includes the oldest items (dozens from the 1800s) and is strongest for the era of 1900-1930 popular songs, the heyday of Irving Berlin, Bert Kalmar, Harry Ruby, Jerome Kern, Charles K. Harris, Jack Yellen, Andrew B. Sterling, Harry Von Tilzer, Gus Kahn, Edgar Leslie, and many other titans of Tin Pan Alley. Recordings, playbills, souvenir brochures and programs document Broadway musical productions from the 1940s to 2006.

League of Women Voters of Nashville handbooks, 1986-1997
Handbooks published by the League of Women Voters of Nashville. Handbooks contain statement of principles; unit meetings; local, state, and national programs concerning areas of interest to the League, including outlining general positions on particular issues; schedule of events for the year; officers; membership rosters; and by-laws. One folder circa 1986 includes two fliers for events.

Leland Hume Scrapbook, ca. 1877-ca. 1919
The collection consists of one scrapbook and a folder of materials related primarily to the careers and civic interests of Mr. and Mrs. Leland Hume, of Nashville, circa the late 19th and early 20th century. Includes newsclippings about the Hume family, Cumberland Telephone and Telegraph Company, telephone business sources, poetry, philosophical gleanings, political tickets, school report cards, travel ephemera, correspondence, and memorabilia of Vanderbilt University. Several of the invitation banquet menus of special dinners in honor of famous persons include the Nashville banquet tended Admiral George Dewey by the Chamber of Commerce, May 11, 1900; Southern Commercial Congress banquet in honor of General John J. Pershing, Dec. 8, 1919, and an autographed dinner program of the Telephone Pioneers of America at Hotel Astor in New York City, Nov. 15, 1912. The scrapbook provides biographical sources about Mrs. Leland Hume, an officer of the United Daughters of the Confederacy, their children, and Alfred Hume (1808-1853) the "father" of Nashville public schools. Additional topics include the Nashville Chamber of Commerce, the Telephone Pioneers of America, Woodland Street Presbyterian Church, and Mrs. Hume's father Reverend George A. Trenholm. The correspondents include William Hume to Leland Hume, Woodland Street Presbyterian Church, and the Southern Commercial Congress. Includes an 1899 imprint publication entitled "Memorial Sermon on Rev. Geo. A. Trenholm, D.D. at Woodland Street Presbyterian Church."

Little Theatre Guild Scrapbooks, ca. 1921-ca. 1932
A collection of three scrapbooks, featuring newspaper clippings about The Little Theatre Guild, Inc., of Nashville, Tennessee. The articles were published in "The Banner," and "The Tennessean" newspapers, ca. 1921-ca. 1932. The main theatrical performance venue was Hillsboro Theater.

Louisville and Nashville Railroad Co. Record of Accidents, 1954-1958
In a single large 165-page volume (11" x 16"x 1.75"), the Louisville & Nashville Railroad Co. recorded all accidents (most very minor injuries to employees) which took place from January, 1954 through May, 1958. Ledger book entries tell the who, when, and where of these injuries, plus additional remarks from the company's standpoint. All entries are handwritten on pages 1-62; the remainder of the volume is blank.

Madge West Joseph Scrapbooks, ca. 1926-ca. 1972
The collection consists of two theatrical scrapbooks and individually foldered photographs that belonged to the American actress Madge West Joseph (1892-1985). The primary and secondary sources include biographical newspaper articles, theatrical programs, theatrical reviews, photographs, correspondence, telegrams, and ephemera. The collection documents the actress's involvement with Nashville theatrical guilds and organizations that commenced after her marriage to Nashville native J. Barthell Joseph. The collection provides information about the history of Nashville's theatrical productions in which the actress performed or directed while living in Nashville during the 1920's through 1950's. The collection includes several published articles describing her career in New York.

Map Index to Historical Houses in the Vicinity of Nashville, 1973, 1975
A typescript book of annotated U.S. Geological Survey 7.5 minute quadrangle maps, cut into quarters, showing locations of pre-1875 homes and other historic sites in the vicinity of Nashville and Davidson County, Tenn., with commentary and source citations, compiled in 1973 by Laurence Trabue. His book includes a site index by name of house, owner, or property. Trabue's findings were based on research, personal knowledge, and visits to the sites in the field. He began his research in the late 1950s, and states in his preface that "since I started the project...a number of the houses shown have either burned or have been destroyed." His work also includes two oversize annotated maps c.1975 of Greater Nashville and Davidson County (produced by the Jersey Farms Milk Service), which provide an overview of properties throughout the city. One is entitled by Trabue, "Historical Houses of Nashville" and makes explicit reference to his map index book. The other Trabue called, "Pre-1875 Houses in Nashville" and refers in part to the book, "Nashville: A Short History and Selected Buildings" published by the Historical Commission of Metropolitan Nashville-Davidson County in 1974.

Margaret Lindsley Warden Papers, ca. 1897-1997
Half of the collection contains Margaret Lindsley Warden's typescript autobiography, originally begun in 1993, expanded in 1998, and later published as Life Has Been Very Kind to Me. The rest of the collection primarily consists of detailed research notes about Nashville history, including prominent Nashville families; organizations and general historical minutiae; music and theatre; and streets and the residents and businesses along them. Some notes have been abstracted from sources such as newspapers and city directories, but in many cases, the notes are from interviews Miss Warden conducted with Nashville residents, mostly in the 1950s. Some of the information was probably also gathered by her aunt, Louise Lindsley, which she then shared with Margaret. Many of the research notes are on the back of Pony Club newsletters, announcements, or bulletins. A small but significant collection of programs (ca. 1897-1922), mostly from musical performances, are also a part of the collection.   Note:  Recent additions have been made to this collection, including family correspondence and photographs.  These materials are currently unprocessed.

Margaret McGee Higgins Public Health Scrapbook, ca. 1937-1942
Photocopy of scrapbook of newspaper clippings, ca. 1937-1941, concerning public health, school health programs, and related topics in Nashville, Tenn. compiled by
Margaret McGee Higgins. Many pages in the scrapbook are arranged in a "layered" fashion. Such pages have been photocopied in their entirety, in their original layout, followed by copies of the individual articles from the same page. Each original layered page is identified by a letter designation; copies of full articles from the original layered page are further identified by a page number. The latter portion of the collection includes photocopies of articles, advertisements, and fillers from the Nashville Banner newspaper special section relating to medicine in Nashville, issued July 18, 1937. A number of these advertisements are for local businesses. One original photograph of an exhibit at Pearl High School for Negro Health Week in April 1937 is also part of the collection.

Margaret Parker Performing Arts Collection, 1892-2002

Print, manuscript, and photographic materials document Nashville programs at a variety of local venues (primarily the Ryman Auditorium) between 1892 and 2002, with concentration on the years between 1945 and 1994. Materials include news clippings and reviews, ticket stubs, souvenir programs, publicity and news photos, correspondence, and personal appearance contracts between venues and performers. While most of the documented performances took place at the Ryman Auditorium, a few programs from the War Memorial Auditorium, Vanderbilt University, and the new Grand Ole Opry House are documented. These Nashville performances reflect a wide variety of styles: ballet, circus, classical concerts, popular concerts, dance, drama, and others.

Marian Ledford Scrapbook, ca. 1936-ca. 1957
Marian Ledford's scrapbook album (ca. 1936-ca. 1956) contains several published biographical clippings about several of the Nashville military soldiers in World War II and "Nashvillians at Camp Forrest." Several of the clippings pertain to soldiers reported missing-in-action or killed during combat. Miss Ledford's scrapbook contains articles about the special social events hosted by the YMCA-USO during WWII, an organization in which she was affiliated with as a hostess in Nashville. Other topics and materials include articles about military insignia and uniforms, original letterhead clippings, marriage announcements, and several letters of Christmas and Easter card correspondence that the WWII military soldiers sent to Miss Ledford. The scrapbook includes travel memorabilia such as dining menus, art-designed napkins, and matchbook covers. Includes Marian Ledford's West End High School diploma and school-related memorabilia. The collection includes a few sports-related and Big Band souvenir programs circa the 1940s. Some, but not all, of the servicemen referred to in the newspaper clippings include Harold Clark, Charles Horace Warfield, William H. Anthony, Joe A. Watts, Bernard Curran, William Brantley, Walter M. Newland, James Albert Harper, Carl H. Castleman, Herman Norris Criswell, Alvin B. Tidwell, Jack Little, Charles G. Caldwell, and Sydney S. Thomas, Jr.

Mary S. Buckner Scrapbooks, ca. 1953-ca. 1984
A collection of seven scrapbooks of business-related newspaper clippings compiled by Mary S. Buckner (Mrs. Henry K. Buckner, Sr.), spanning ca. 1953-ca. 1984. The scrapbooks are comprised chiefly of Nashville-related business articles published in "The Banner," and "The Tennessean" newspapers. The business writings cover topics about property purchases for commercial development, banks and various bank mergers, the NLT Corporation, Capitol Boulevard project, highway work of the proposed I-65 route, Music Row plans, Hillsboro center development, Jack C. Massey and Hospital Corporation of America, Minnie Pearl's firm, John J. Hooker, Cornelius A. Craig II, and Opryland U.S.A. Several of the newspaper clippings are related to highway planning in the Nashville area and Henry K. Buckner, Jr., attorney for the State highway department.

Mechanics' Institute and Library Association of Tennessee Reports, 1855-1857
Published reports for annual exhibitions of the Mechanics' Institute and Library Association of Tennessee which include the organization's charter; constitution; memoranda; addresses; and exhibit reports including classifications, awards, award winners, and judges' comments.

Memoir of Marcus Woodcock, 9th Kentucky Infantry (U.S.A.), 1864-ca. 1865
An original handwritten memoir (359 pages), written in the year 1865, by the Civil War soldier Marcus Woodcock, 9th Kentucky Infantry (U.S.A.). A native Tennessean, Woodcock was an educated Union sympathizer who joined a pro-Union militia in Kentucky that became the Ninth Kentucky Infantry in the Union Army. Woodcock's own account of his experiences during the Civil War provides narrative descriptions of military battles, camp life, and period politics. Includes three documents that are distinct from the memoir: 1) Letter to the citizens of Macon County, Tennessee, July, 1864 (20 pp.); 2) Speech, May 22, 1865 regarding an "efficient plan of reconstruction (10 pp.); and 3) an undated political speech, (19 pp.). This manuscript was edited and published as the book: "A Southern Boy in Blue: The Memoir of Marcus Woodcock, 9th Kentucky Infantry (U.S.A.) by Kenneth W. Noe, ed. University of Tennessee Press, 1996.

Montgomery Bell Academy Grammar School Examination Book, 1883 Mar. 30
Book of student examinations in arithmetic, grammar, geography, spelling and a "class examination" in grammar from the middle class of the Grammar School at Montgomery Bell Academy under the instruction of P.H. Manning, dated Mar. 30, 1883. Includes individual student examination papers which have been bound into a single volume. The volume was presented to the student with the highest average scholarship, Charles C. Trabue.

Mrs. Grissom's Salads Records, 1955-2005
Records include two ledger books and other financial records; publicity and advertising materials, including a printed version of the Mrs. Grissom's Salads advertising song, "The Legend of Mrs. G.;" two photographs; news clippings and magazine articles; and a 50th Anniversary video recording on DVD.

Multiple Listing Service, 1968-1971
Cards describing various real estate properties for sale in Middle Tennessee, 1968-1971, created as a multiple listing service by the Nashville Board of Realtors. Although all types of property are included, most cards are for residential property. Geographic area covered by this collection includes Nashville and Davidson County, as well as urban and rural properties located in Cheatham, Robertson, Rutherford, Sumner, Williamson, and Wilson Counties. Cards typically include a photograph, or occasionally a map, on the front of the card, with detailed information about the property on the reverse. Property information generally consists of: street and subdivision location; selling price; date of listing; type of structure; type of construction; number of rooms and features; square feet; amenities and appliances; bus service; school district; special notes about the property or lot; salesperson; and realtor.

Myra Bender Scrapbook, ca. 1922-ca. 1957
A scrapbook of newspaper clippings, programs, and correspondence related primarily to the music career of Nashville operatic singer Myra Bender, the Nashville Conservatory of Music, Little Theatre productions, and the Peabody Demonstration School. Also present are a few materials about Hidenari and Gwen Terasaki and their daughter Mariko's marriage to Mayne Williams Miller, of Johnson City, Tennessee.

Nashville Area Chamber of Commerce Publications and Reports, 1932-1998
Statistics, annual reports, planning reports, promotional materials and related publications from the Nashville Chamber of Commerce and the Nashville Area Chamber of Commerce. Contents of these reports include statistics on population, economy, business, education, transportation, taxes, cost of living, personal income, and a wide variety of other subjects. Taken as a whole, these documents enable a view of Nashville growth and development through the middle part of the twentieth century, including the period surrounding World War II, the building of the interstate highways, and the urban renewal movement in the 1960s. Reports provide documentation about various Nashville businesses, particularly those relocating to Nashville. Some materials include lists of various sorts, such as largest employers, population growth, and similar compilations of information. A 100th anniversary publication produced in 1947 provides a chronological list of presidents of the Chamber of Commerce through its history, and tracks the various name changes of the organization. Some reports from 1996-1997 provide information about the Partnership 2000 economic development initiative.

Nashville Banner. Business Manager. Advertising correspondence, 1891-1915. (bulk 1900-1901)
Various types of advertising correspondence, including letters, postcards, testimonials, advertising samples and artwork, and similar materials, 1891-1915, apparently compiled by Nashville Banner business manager, Edgar M. Foster. Collection also includes two items relating to the Nashville Banner excursion train to the Panama-Pacific Exposition, in San Francisco, Calif. June 25-July 17, 1915.

Nashville Community Playhouse and Theatre Nashville Records, ca. 1950-ca. 1996 (bulk ca. 1950-ca. 1977)
A collection of documentary sources pertaining to the history of two theatre groups of Nashville: 1) The Community Playhouse, and 2) Theatre Nashville. The Community Playhouse. Documentation consists of minutes of the board of directors, spanning ca. 1950-ca. 1957. The documentary sources about Theatre Nashville include eight scrapbooks containing newspaper clippings, theatrical programs, photographs, and ephemera, spanning the dates ca. 1965-ca. 1978. Several reviews and articles by Nashville theatre critics Clara Hieronymus, Sara Sprott Morrow, and Emmie Caldwell are featured. The collection includes audio recordings (compact discs) of fourteen performances of Theatre Nashville.

Nashville Early History, 1954
Short writings by students of Miss Irene Spivey's sixth grade class at Hattie Cotton Elementary School in 1954 concerning Nashville history, and field trips taken to various sites in and near Nashville in 1953. Writings range in length from a paragraph to a page. Subjects include Kasper Mansker, long hunters, Indians, agriculture and manufacturing, churches, commerce, and other topics, with emphasis on early Nashville settlement prior to 1800. Sites visited include museums, historic sites, old buildings, churches, cemeteries, the Tennessee Supreme Court, the Hermitage, and the inauguration of Governor Frank Clement.

Nashville Gospel Arts Day Program Records, 1983-1990

Administrative and other materials document the three-year history of Nashville Gospel Arts Day (1987-1989). Materials include planning notes, proclamations, publicity releases, grant funding requests, correspondence, performance contracts, local press coverage clippings, expense receipts, souvenir booklets, invitation lists, guest lists, and descriptive reports.

Nashville Junior Riding Club Scrapbooks, ca. 1958-ca. 1967
A collection of two scrapbook documenting the Nashville Junior Riding Club, spanning the dates ca. 1958-ca. 1967. Includes newspaper clippings, annual horse show programs, photographs, and ephemera. Topical coverage includes, but is not limited to, officers and membership, community service, annual horse shows, honorees, holiday parties, and horsemanship. Includes several articles by Margaret Lindsley Warden, the author of the "Horse Sense" column published in "The Tennessean."

Nashville Public Library Scrapbooks, ca. 1920-ca. 2000 (bulk ca. 1947-ca. 1973)
A collection of scrapbooks pertaining to the history of the Nashville Public Library. These scrapbooks span the 1920s through early 1970s, providing biographical and historical information about the library's administrative officials, the four original Carnegie Libraries (Main and branches), the library services and public programs. Includes a scrapbook about the Business Branch of the Carnegie Library, established in the Nashville Chamber of Commerce in 1931. Present are several scrapbooks about "National Library Week" and the library departments of the Ben West Library.

Nashville Publishers Sheet Music Collection, 1863-1912
Sheet music published or distributed in Nashville, Tenn. A few items may have been published elsewhere but bear connection to Nashville through subject matter, illustrations, or printing house. Most items date from the late 1800s with a few from the early 1900s. Publishers featured prominently in the collection include: R. Dorman & Co.; Jas. A. McClure; Frank G. Fite; Jesse French; and H.A. French. Printing firms include: Brandon Printing; Benson Printing; Marshall & Bruce Co., and others. Many of these firms were located along Church Street. Most illustrated covers are black and white, although several are in color. A few feature photographs. Type of music varies, but includes marches and waltzes. Some music includes advertisements and catalogs for music and pianos, and occasionally other types of businesses. A few works were written specifically to highlight a particular brand or model of piano, such as the Starr piano, which was manufactured in Indiana, but sold at the Jesse French Piano and Organ Company in Nashville.

Nashville Relief Society and United Charities Records, ca. 1887-ca. 1948 (bulk 1910-1942)
A collection of official records of the Nashville Relief Society, the United Charities, the Addison Avenue Settlement Workers, Camp Thomas Social Workers, and the Fannie Battle Day Home. The sources pertain to the charitable work of the social workers as well as social conditions in the Nashville area spanning the late 1880s to the 1940s. Present are minutes of board meetings, lists of charitable donations, and treasurers reports. The earliest document in the collection is a typescript of the Nashville Relief Society Charter of Incorporation, ca. April 16, 1887.

Nashville Room Oversize Collection, 1845-2002 (bulk 1970-1995)

Genealogical charts of prominent families and related materials; posters related to Nashville and Tennessee events and history; diplomas; certificates; photographs; and artwork.

Nashville Water Works Correspondence, 1887-1941 (bulk 1889-1891)
Routine correspondence to and from the Superintendent of Water Works, Nashville, Tenn. from 1887 to 1941 with the majority of materials from 1889-1891. Most items relate to George Reyer's tenure as Superintendent of Water Works, though a few concern Jonathan T. Ahearn's time in office (circa 1899). Content includes requests from citizens and businesses to tap into water mains, build hydrants, or extend water lines. Some correspondence comes from Vanderbilt University professors who are providing analysis or assistance to the Water Works Department. Business correspondence from vendors of pipe and other related materials is also included; most of the vendors are from out of state. Notable correspondents include: John Ashford, Superintendent of Buildings and Grounds at Vanderbilt; J.C. Napier, African-American politician and lawyer; Overton Lea (son of Judge John M. Lea); Luke Lea, president of the Belle Meade Company; Olin H. Landreth, professor of engineering at Vanderbilt; William L. Dudley, chemistry professor at Vanderbilt; J.W. Thomas Jr. of the Nashville, Chattanooga and St. Louis Railroad; William D. Trabue of the Federal Can Company; attorney Walter Stokes Sr.; James M. Head, mayor of Nashville in 1899; and others.

Osta Underwood Papers, 1947-1995 (bulk 1965-1979)
The collection documents Underwood’s life through photographs, correspondence, newspaper clippings, speeches, certificates, and a notebook compiled at her retirement. Her activity in various women’s rights advocacy capacities is documented by publications from the Secretary’s Advisory Committee on the Rights and Responsibilities of Women and the Tennessee Commission on the Status of Women. Underwood’s work with both the Tennessee/Nashville and the National Business and Professional Women’s Federations is also clearly documented in this collection. In addition to Underwood’s activity in these organizations, much can be learned about the organizations themselves through publications such as pamphlets, convention programs, and annual reports and through administrative information such as bylaws, policy and procedure guides, board meeting minutes, contact directories, and programming materials. Passage of the Equal Rights Amendment receives strong focus in the collection with information on the campaign to pass the ERA both nationally and in Tennessee. Underwood’s own statements, B&PW’s testimonies and pamphlets, and articles from ally organizations and individuals appear in this part of the collection.

Parthenon Drawings
Detail and architectural drawings By Russell Eason Hart, 1921-1929, for the renovation of Nashville's Parthenon replica in Centennial Park.

Peter J. Williamson Letters, 1862-1918 (bulk 1862-1865)

The bulk of the collection dates from 1862-1865 and consists of letters from Peter J. Williamson back home to his wife, Eunice, during the Civil War. There are a few letters written by relatives, including Peter's brother, William Williamson. The collection also includes 10 letters from 1869 written by Peter J. Williamson to his wife when she was visiting relatives in California.   Williamson's war-time correspondence sheds some light on his life in various military encampments.  While there are no return letters from Eunice in the collection, Peter's letters give some insight into Eunice's plight back home, including her financial hardships, the loneliness of being without her husband and worrying about the fidelity of soldiers far from home, and dealing with two young sons on her own.

Phil Clinard Collection (ca. 1985)
Photographs, maps and documents, collected and created by Phil Clinard in the mid-1980s concerning the Civil War battles of Nashville and Franklin and documenting Clinard's involvement in the Sons of Confederate Veterans. Originally housed in two scrapbooks, the first scrapbook contained materials relating to Civil War battles and historic sites, including numerous photographs. Many of the photographs concentrating on the battle of Nashville, taken around 1985, show the locations of trenches and redoubts, as well as sites of important battle events. Some document the loss of these sites as historic structures were destroyed or property was developed or paved over. Notable sites include the Compton house, Shy's Hill, Ft. Negley, and the Confederate redoubts. Several maps drawn by Clinard show battlefield sites within the context of 1985 surroundings. Other photographs show sites in Franklin, and at other battlefields in Tennessee including Shiloh, Dover and Ft. Donelson. The second scrapbook included information about Clinard's participation and membership in the Sons of Confederate Veterans and other Civil War heritage groups. A number of photographs show the groundbreaking ceremony at the Sons of Confederate Veterans general headquarters office in Franklin, Tenn. on Feb. 22, 1986.

Philharmonic Society Minute Book, 1898-1900
Minute book of the Philharmonic Society of Nashville, Tenn. includes minutes of their organizational meeting on Oct. 19, 1898 and subsequent meetings through May 1900. Minutes include election of officers; meeting activities including performances by members mentioning the piece played, the instrument, the composer, and the performer; activities of other arts and educational organizations in Nashville; announcements; welcoming of new and associate members; and similar information. A separate section of the minute book includes lists of members 1898-1900.

Pilcher Family Invitations, 1881-1888
Eighteen invitations, predominantly to weddings. Other invitations include: Phi Delta Theta public literary exercises at their national convention in Washington, D.C. in 1884, featuring music by Pellettieri's Band; Nashville Literary Club; Columbia College (N.Y.) Law School Commencement, 1882; and two invitations to art exhibitions by students of Miss Sallie Thomas' art class, 1882, 1883.

Rebecca Whitsitt Young Sheet Music Collection, 1904-1935
Sheet music, most arranged for piano, with some including arrangements for ukulele. Some items bear marks from music stores H.A. French and Standard Music Company in Nashville.

Records of the Twentieth Century Club, ca. 1899-ca. 1928
The documentary sources of the collection consist of minute book records, yearbooks, handwritten narratives, correspondence, photographs, and various receipts and financial statements. The thirteen illustrated yearbooks are published booklets, spanning 1909-1911; 1914-1918; 1919-1923; 1924-1926; 1927-1928, with detailed information about the literary programs, officers, and membership. Several pages of handwritten notes provide further information about the founding and history of the Club.

Reminiscences of Meyer Wolfe, [ca. 1980s]
Reminiscences of artist Meyer Wolfe as dictated to his nephew, Dr. Lawrence Wolfe. A three-page biographical sketch of Wolfe is followed by Wolfe's fifty-page reminiscences of Nashville during the first part of the 20th century. The reminiscences are divided into chapters which correspond primarily to different geographic areas of Nashville: Capitol Avenue; Public Square; College Street; Union Street; Cherry Street or Fourth Avenue; The Arcade; Summer Street or Fifth Avenue; High Street or Sixth Avenue; Vine Street or Seventh Avenue; Spruce Street or Eighth Avenue; Church Street; Broad Street; and 1903 to 1916. Wolfe describes life in each area of Nashville, including the residents, architecture and buildings, recreation, businesses, and transportation. He also discusses local theatres and actors, including his own roles in several productions and working as a program boy. He discusses Nashville during Prohibition and describes the city's red light district.

Roads, 1935-1936
Report consisting of photographs with captions showing rural road improvement projects of the Works Progress Administration throughout eastern and middle Tennessee during the 1930s. Arranged by county, the photographs show work crews, grading and improvement projects, quarries, construction equipment, and road conditions before and after WPA projects.

Sarah Foster Kelley Genealogical Papers, ca. 1897-2002 (bulk ca. 1971-ca. 1999)

The collection contains genealogical research files researched and collected by author-historian Sarah Foster Kelley, a seventh-generation descendant of General James Robertson and Charlotte Reeves Robertson.  Includes research papers documenting the lineage and family trees of pioneer Nashville families such as the Robertsons, Cockrills, Dunns, Mays, and Napiers.  Also present in the collection is a portion of Kelley’s research for her book, West Nashville:  Its People and Environs, relating to building property research files with a documentation sheet with deed information for specific homes in West Nashville.  Includes several historical publications authored by Kelley.

Scrapbooks of the Circle Players, Inc. of Nashville, Tennessee, ca. 1949-ca. 1974
The collection consists of fourteen documentary scrapbook volumes pertaining to the history of The Circle Players, Inc., spanning the dates ca. 1949-ca. 1974. Includes newspaper clippings, theatrical programs, photographs, telegrams, primary sources, and ephemera, documenting each season's theatrical productions, directors and cast members, and the history of the organization. Includes the 1949 by-laws of the theatrical organization, as well as the 1955 resolution for consolidation of the Circle Players and the Nashville Community Playhouse during the 1958-59 season when the two theatrical groups merged into "Theatre Nashville," presenting a unified season of eight plays. The scrapbook collection documents the reestablishment of Circle Players as a unique theatrical organization, spotlighting theatrical productions through the 1973-74 season. Present in the collection is the music manuscript for "The Popcorn Song" by Lucy Stokes.

Second Presbyterian Church Sabbath School Minute Book, 1863-1880
The minute book includes information about the operation of the Second Presbyterian Church Sabbath School, apparently a school operated under church auspices, but not directly related to church services or Sunday schools. Some of the kinds of information appearing in the minutes include: fundraising and offerings for the school; operations of the school library; financial reports; committee reports; the annual picnic; the number of teachers, classes, and students enrolled; social activities; election and resignation of officers; and a variety of other subjects.

Society of Church Workers of the First Presbyterian Church of Columbia, Tennessee minute book, 1897-1914 (bulk 1897-1899)
Minute book of the Society of Church Workers of the First Presbyterian Church of Columbia, Tenn., from 1897 to 1914, with the vast majority of entries from 1897-1899. No entries exist outside of this two year span except for very brief entries for 1910 and 1914. The front of the book indicates it is volume 4, but no other volumes are in the holdings of the Nashville Public Library. The constitution of the organization appears at the front of the volume, along with election of officers and their responsibilities. Minutes include reports of individuals and committees, such as activities to aid the poor, visiting the sick and welcoming strangers, providing flowers for the altar, and various charitable activities, including financial contributions to the Second Presbyterian Church in Columbia and the Monroe Harding Orphanage in Nashville, Tenn. Illnesses and absences of members are recorded, as is a 25th wedding anniversary tribute to Rev. F. B. Webb and his wife, the former Miss Mary Paxton. The minutes recorded by secretary Mrs. Annie White are detailed with sometimes flowery and extravagant prose. Besides documenting the numerous activities of the organization, she includes sentimental comments, reports on the weather, and sometimes refers to activities of other members or groups in the church, including the pastor, the Young Ladies Society, and others. She also makes occasional reference to activities outside of the church in the broader community at large. The back portion of the book includes several memorials for deceased women, ranging from simply their name inscribed upon a page, to full obituaries clipped from a newspaper. Many do not provide a date of death; the first entry is dated 1899.

Some Tidbits of Nashville History, 1975
Brief writings about various facets of Nashville history, most of which are self-explanatory by their title. "Early historical markers" is about sites marked in 1897 as locations where early settlers had been killed by Indians prior to 1800. The essay about Waverly Place refers also to A.W. Putnam, owner of the former residence by that name. A few articles include personal reminiscences by Beasley. Early historical markers -- Description of Granny White's farm -- University of Nashville stone relics -- Buildings of the University of Nashville and Peabody Normal College -- Cottage Presbyterian Church -- Location of Fort Zollicoffer -- How Waverly Place got its name -- Union Station alligator pool -- When automobiles were manufactured in Nashville -- Some recollections of Fall School -- Recollections of Hume-Fogg High School -- A biographical sketch of C.A. Asmus

South Carolina Club Yearbooks, 1914-1990
Yearbooks of the South Carolina Club of Nashville, Tenn. containing lists of officers; meetings, hostesses and topics; and membership rosters. Yearbooks are self-published and are usually decorated with artwork depicting South Carolina symbols or scenes.

Sylvan Park Neighborhood Survey, ca. 1983
Deed research sheets and color Polaroid photographs, providing architectural and historical information about the Sylvan Park and West Nashville areas of Nashville, Tenn. A planned subdivision at the turn of the 20th century, Sylvan Park was an integral part of the growing manufacturing town of West Nashville, located near the Nashville, Chattanooga & St. Louis Railway, the Cumberland River, and Charlotte Pike. A number of the early residents in Sylvan Park worked in skilled trades for the railroad, mills, or other industries. Used by Sarah Foster Kelley as research for her book, West Nashville, Its People and Environs, each folder contains photograph(s) taken around 1983 of the building on the property as well as a documentation sheet with deed information for that address. In some cases, there may be properties lacking photographs or detailed descriptions. Deed information sheets contain architectural descriptions, information on original and successive owners and other research notes. Photographs taken around 1983 show front (street) views of most buildings and frequently include front views taken from an angle to the side. Most photographs are of bungalow-style houses built in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, although some reflect structural changes made over the years. Other buildings include churches, schools, and civic buildings. Some business structures, primarily located on Charlotte Ave., are also included. The primary focus of the survey is in the vicinity of Richland Park, bounded to the east by 42nd Ave., to the west by 54th Ave., to the north by Charlotte Ave., and to the south by Murphy Rd. Within this area, the survey includes the streets of Charlotte, Park, Elkins, Nevada, Dakota, Idaho, Wyoming, Utah, Nebraska, and Colorado Avenues and Murphy Road, as well as 46th, 49th, 50th, 51st and 54th Avenues North. Other locations outside of the Richland Park vicinity include scattered sites north of Charlotte Ave. on Georgia, Illinois, and New York Avenues; and areas to the west of White Bridge Rd. on Robertson Rd. [Ave.]; Annex Ct., Osceola Ave.; and Stevenson St. [Dr.].

Tennessean Tribute to America Collection
Readers of the Tennessean sent in essays, poems, songs, and other items to the newspaper concerning their thoughts and feelings about the one year anniversary of the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. Some reflected on how their feelings have changed since that time; others wrote about their experiences on that day. Submissions came from communities throughout Middle Tennessee, including Columbia and Clarksville, although the majority of submissions were from the Nashville metropolitan area.

Tennessee Chronologies, c.1916
Lists of Nashville and Tennessee historical minutiae covering a wide variety of subjects, including events, transportation, people, organizations, politics, religion, geography, natural resources, entertainment, crime, and other topics. Some topics are rather obscure or very specific, such as Body Snatching (grave robbing); Dog Laws; and Milk Sickness, to name a few.

Tennessee Municipal League Publications and Records, 1959-1965
Items include brochures and other materials which provide position statements and local government platforms of Tennessee Municipal League conventions for 1962, 1963 and 1965. Also included is a convention itinerary for a tour of Nashville in 1962, highlighting major developments throughout the city. A statement printed by the Grundy County Herald opposing the Tennessee Municipal League and the effort to combine the state departments of Conservation and Commerce in 1959 is also part of the collection.

Tennessee Sheet Music Collection, 1897-1924
Sheet music about Tennessee. Covers are illustrated, most in color. A few feature notations that the arrangements are "as sung by" artists such as Al Jolson and Eddie Cantor, and show a photograph of the famous performer on the cover.

Tom Little Scrapbook, ca. 1967-ca. 1972
The Tom Little Scrapbook, ca. 1967-ca. 1972, represents a sampling of published articles about the Pulitzer Prize winning editorial cartoonist who illustrated for the Nashville Tennessean newspaper. Includes several newsclippings of political cartoons.

Tom Tichenor Scrapbooks, ca. 1947-ca. 1988
The collection consists of three scrapbooks and miscellany related to the life and career of Nashville puppeteer Tom Tichenor (1923-1992). Materials include photographs, newsclippings, ephemera, articles, correspondence, and several original writings of Tom Tichenor. The articles are primarily from "The Nashville Tennessean" and "The Nashville Banner" newspapers and pertain to Tichenor's career and his puppet theatre productions while an employee of the Children's Division, Nashville Public Library's Main Library. The photographs are generally the 8 x 10 black and white prints that accompanied the newspaper articles. The original writings, correspondence, and program fliers of original theatre productions such as "To the Moon" and "Carnivale!" provide information about the puppeteers' achievements and career. Includes sources, circa 1970's, about Diane McNabb, a former Director of the Children's Division, Nashville Public Library's Main Library.

Tyne-Meade Garden Club Yearbooks, 1952-1979
Yearbooks of the Tyne-Meade Garden Club of Nashville, Tenn. containing constitution and by-laws; lists of officers; membership rosters; meeting schedules, topics, and hostesses; exhibit guidelines and criteria; and related information.

Weakley Scrapbooks, ca. 1890-ca. 1949 (bulk ca. 1928-ca. 1940)
A collection of newspaper and magazine clippings, ephemera, correspondence, photographs, and postcards related to Nashville history, ca. 1890-ca. 1940. Includes more than 600 pages, comprised chiefly of illustrated published articles, several written by Mary French Caldwell. A few pages have handwritten notes about the Weakley family. The documentary scrapbooks cover multiple topics, such as published aerial photographs of Nashville's Capitol and cityscape, historic buildings of the downtown district and lower Broadway, Civil War history, the Parthenon and Tennessee Centennial Exposition, Ward's Seminary for Young Ladies, the Public Square, City Hall and Davidson County Courthouse (1935), Southern Turf Saloon, President Franklin D. Roosevelt's visit to Nashville (1934), Market House, historic mansions, James Robertson and the original pioneers, Mayor Hilary E. Howse, Louisville & Nashville Railroad and Union Station, Odd Fellows in Nashville, Adams family reunion at Beersheba Springs, Knights of Pythias, President Grover Cleveland's visit to Nashville in 1887, Vanderbilt University, Fort Negley, Hume-Fogg's English teacher Mrs. Mary C. Armstrong, Nashville Female Academy, Cumberland River wharf and river transportation, Dr. Richard Dake, Beersheba Springs resort, electric street cars, William Walker, Dr. J. H. McNeilly, Granny White, Andrew Jackson, and J. C. Napier.

Wednesday Morning Musicale Secretary's Book, 1899-1904
Secretary's book contains membership lists of the Wednesday Morning Musicale, 1899-1904. Wednesday Morning Musicale was a music appreciation and performance group active in Nashville at least as early as 1895.

William A. Eichbaum Sketchbook ca. 1857
A mounted and bound volume of twenty-five pen-and-ink wash drawings, and two pen-and-ink maps of Nashville created by William A. Eichbaum circa 1857. Subjects are finely detailed drawings of various buildings in Nashville, Tenn., including a number of structures that were destroyed by fire in 1856-1857. Buildings include churches, banks, schools, public buildings, storefronts, and others. Two maps are of Nashville in 1804 "from notes of an intelligent resident at the time" and in 1854. The former map shows a scattering of a few buildings (identified) and primitive streets. The latter map provides a sharp contrast and shows the growth of Nashville in 50 years, with a full formal street plan, and numerous buildings identified, including many featured in Eichbaum's sketchbook. The book also includes one watercolor still life of fruit by Eichbaum's wife, Catherine M. Stearns.

William Hague Letters, 1852-1872 (bulk 1852-1858)
Letters, mostly from the 1850s, written by William Hague from Nashville and Richland, Tennessee, and a few other locations, to his brother, Rev. Isaac Hague in Illinois, and other family. William Hague writes a great deal concerning agricultural matters, especially prices, livestock, and training horses. He also writes in some detail about his personal finances, his health, and land deals in Illinois, Iowa, and Texas. One letter (June 2, 1856) tells about his purchase of elk in Iowa for Belle Meade plantation and his trip by river to Nashville. He makes only brief mention of his work as a stonecutter. Only one letter, dated April 14, 1861 is from the Civil War era.

Willie Williams Papers, 1893-c.1940 (bulk 1893-1895)
Parents' correspondence with teachers concerning students' performance; pupils' notes of excuse for absences, tardiness, or necessity of leaving classroom; teacher reports; lessons; forms; and an unidentified tintype of a group of women, probably of Willie Williams during her time as principal at Tarbox School, with her teachers. Also included is an undated personal letter from Williams to a Mr. Cunninggum, in which she is distressed and saddened at being told by a church friend that she is sinning and not doing her Christian duty because she is "gloomy," possibly due to a death in the family, perhaps her mother, about a year before. She makes reference to "Charity and Help Com." and "the League;" it is unclear if these are organizations at her church or elsewhere in the community, though it seems she may have been asked to chair the Charity and Help Com. and is considering declining because her life is, in her words, "a Christian failure." She thanks Cunninggum for being a sympathetic friend, and asks for his guidance and compassion.

Young People's Society of Christian Endeavor of the Second Presbyterian Church of Nashville, Tennessee Minute Book 1888-1907
The minute book of the Young People's Society of Christian Endeavor of the Second Presbyterian Church of Nashville, Tennessee begins with the first meeting of the group, held on Dec. 30, 1888 at the prompting of the pastor of the church, J.W. Stagg. Minutes include attendance and membership matters, including some rolls; financial reports; synopsis of committee reports; fundraising and social activities; the selection of delegates to city-wide "Union" meetings, and regional, state and national conventions; election of officers; mission and relief activities; prayer meetings; and a wide variety of other information. Many of the minutes include such details as the opening hymn for the meeting, the scripture reading, and reference to vows or pledges taken by new members. Mention is sometimes made about other Christian Endeavor groups in the city, or other churches. Occasional news clippings indicate activities of the group were sometimes mentioned in local newspapers.