Centennial Park
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Why go
- Cockrill Springs flows at more than 100 gallons per minute after a century capped and piped to the sewer.
- Tree signs with QR codes link to videos of Nashville music artists discussing trees.
- A bench dedicated to Taylor Swift was installed after her 2023 return to Nashville.
- A statue of Pallas Athena by Nashville sculptor Alan LeQuire stands inside the Parthenon’s art gallery.
- The Confederate powder wheels were moved from Sycamore Mills during the 1897 exposition.
Don't miss
- The Parthenon replicaWilliam Crawford Smith designed it as the exposition’s Fine Arts building.
- Lake WataugaIt was named for an early pioneer settlement along the Watauga River in northeast Tennessee.
- Sunken GardensOriginally Lily Lake in 1897, this became a Japanese Water Garden from 1922 to 1949.
- Tennessee Woman Suffrage MonumentIt depicts Carrie Chapman Catt, Anne Dallas Dudley, Abby Crawford Milton, Juno Frankie Pierce, and Sue Shelton White.
- 1906 bridgeThe bridge between the Sunken Gardens and Lake Watauga was Tennessee’s first reinforced concrete bridge.Between the Sunken Gardens and Lake Watauga
With kids
- Children can approach and feed the ducks at the pond.
- Look for the real steam locomotive dating to the 1800s and the fighter jet mounted on a tall stand to appear airborne.
Shorts
History
After the exposition closed on October 30, 1897, its leaders called for the grounds and Parthenon replica to be preserved as a public park. The bandshell hosted the Nashville Shakespeare Festival’s Shakespeare in the Park for thirty years. The festival moved in 2019.
- 1897The exposition drew 1.8 million visitors and gave the grounds the name Centennial Park.
- 1903The park opened to the public and began hosting Gilbert and Sullivan operettas and art exhibits in the Parthenon.
- 1931Reconstruction of the Parthenon in concrete was completed after its plaster exterior deteriorated.
- 1960sPat Boone performed among the early acts in the park’s Sunday afternoon concert series.
- 1961On July 18, six African Americans were turned away from the park’s public swimming pool.
Show all
- 1972The former swimming pool site became the Centennial Art Center and a sculpture garden.
- 1975Robert Altman filmed the climactic scene of his movie Nashville in the park.
- 2016Alan LeQuire’s Tennessee Woman Suffrage Monument was unveiled on August 26.
How to get there
- On footAbout two miles west of downtown Nashville, across West End Avenue from Vanderbilt University.
Sources: Centennial Park (Nashville) - Wikipedia · Nashville - Wikivoyage (do) · Centennial Park | Nashville.gov · Centennial Park - Wikipedia · Centennial Park: booking (its own site) · checked 11 Oct 2026
- Phone
- 6158628400
Plan from here: Evening walk →
Questions and answers
Can I reserve an athletic field at Centennial Park?
Athletic fields can be reserved through the park’s website.
Is there a walking trail at Centennial Park?
The park has a one-mile walking trail.
Can I reserve a picnic shelter at Centennial Park?
Picnic shelter reservations can be arranged through the park’s website.
How do I apply for filming or photography permission at Centennial Park?
The website accepts applications for film, video and photography permits.
Are there recreation facilities at Centennial Park?
The park contains a recreation center, sports facilities and the Centennial Sportsplex.
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