Nashville, TN

6 Jun 2013--Got here to Tennessee on Tuesday, 4 Jun, and staying at an RV Park about 10 miles north of downtown Nashville.  Somewhat boring license plate and state flag, although you can see some rolling hills on the plate in the background and the 3 stars are for what they call the "3 grand divisions" of Tennessee.  A woman told us the 3 stars represent the 3 different geographical sections of the state (East, middle and West) that really represent almost 3 totally different cultures.  We are in the "middle" of the state, and she said each section makes fun of and basically looks down on the others.  She went on to say that the blue stripe on the end simply makes it easy for people to know how to hang it...although no matter which way you look at it, it is a mirror image of itself so I couldn't see how that mattered!  haha




Yesterday we headed out to the State Capitol and the History Museum, starting at the Capitol which is at the top of a very hilly section of town, so it looks down on everything in all directions.  It is very, very big on the outside, but inside is a bunch of small rooms so it doesn't feel that way when you go in. The day started out overcast and raining, but was nice later.



They have lots of statues on the grounds outside, including the 3 guys who were either born here or lived here and ultimately became president: Andrew Jackson, Andrew Johnson and James Polk.  Polk and his wife are actually buried under that crypt.




Looking down into the city from 3 sides of the building.



The 1st pic here is the 1st floor entrance and is surprisingly small.  After all the capitols we have been in that have the large rotundas leading up to the huge domes, we were surprised at how enclosed this one was.  Pretty, but not grand!  The other pics are of the 2nd floor, which is larger, and more statues of the presidents.



This is a picture of the House of Representatives...blow it up and tell me you don't think of the films we have all seen of the Nazi era...Cathy and I were laughing when we 1st walked by the open door leading to it...quite jarring at first!



This is the Senate...nothing great, but a nice ceiling I guess.  This legislature is closer to a full-time body than most we have visited.  They meet 4-6 months a year, depending on the amount of bills they have to pass.



So off to the state museum we go, and of course they start with the Mastodons!  haha  This place has 3 floors of exhibits, so I have tried my level best to only put up pics of things we haven't seen before.

 

This is pretty cool.  Showing how they used to throw spears, called Atlatls.  I would think that would take some getting used to.





This tells us how we came to call the dollar bill the "buck", and that Daniel Boone was the most famous "Long Hunter".



Seems like a lot of work to build one of these to take only a one way, one-time trip on it.



Nashville was originally called Nashborough.



Immigrants from 3 states.  I wonder if that is how the state ended up with the "3 grand divisions"?  They didn't say.



I have always found this interesting.  Can you imagine any of us expecting a 3 or 4 yr old to do any of this stuff today?  My God, most of us don't even expect our 20 yr olds to do it!  haha



I always loved the cottage we got as kids where there was a loft...like Brian's cottage...I wonder if that is in our DNA and that was why we loved it!?  haha (inside joke to family.)



Cleanliness is next Godliness?  Not back then it wasn't!  And check out some of the "cures"!




So Tennessee was for a short time the illegitimate State of Franklin.  And check out how Michael Johnson had both ears tacked to the pillory and then cut off!!!!



Is it bravery or sheer stupidity to stand 24 ft from someone and trade bullets!?  You will have to answer that one for yourself!  haha



How Tennessee came to be known as the "Volunteer State".



Growth of the slave population in Tennessee from 1830-1860, after the invention of the cotton gin.



Tennessee was the last state to secede from Union, and the 1st to rejoin it after the war, but only after armed guards held the legislature in place, forcing a vote on ratification of the 14th Amendment, making African Americans citizens.  And by the way, Tennessee was the last state to ratify the 19th Amendment giving women the right to vote...it passed by only one vote!!!



Andrew Johnson, Lincoln's Vice president, who succeeded him upon his death.  Largely blamed for not following through with Lincoln's Reconstruction plans, and I think the only president besides Bill Clinton to ever be impeached.  Like Clinton, he wasn't convicted.  (But most importantly here, doesn't he look like Tommy Lee Jones?!)  haha



Didn't know that the KKK was actually started here in Tennessee.  The 3rd pic says that the KKK here didn't decrease "until Southern whites regained control of their state governments."  I have no idea what that means, other than that the Confederates could now be elected to office?  Again, you be the judge as to how that worked out for everyone!



13 years and still an open wound.



I have heard of Ida B Wells, but didn't really know who she was.  I would say she had to be one of the most courageous women in history to be a black woman and do this in the 1800s!  Rosa Parks, no disrespect, but Ida is "da bomb"!



If you hadn't noticed, The Civil War, The "War Between the States" or the "War of Northern Aggression" is still being fought.  Oh, for the good ole days!




Now these were the good ole days!  In the gift shop for sale...just think how young and innocent we used to be!



After leaving the museum we got back in the car and drove around a bit to try to get our bearings for future sightseeing trips...here are just a few snapshots that we found interesting.  The last picture is of what they call "the batman" building!  We are here for the week of the CMA Music Festival, so things are really hopping!  haha

 

And last but not least...for your viewing pleasure!