A little History of Nashville

TnPartsGuy · TnPartsGuy on Thu Aug 21, 2008 1:58 pm

I've lived here most of my life. I remember when the only thing at Rivergate was a car dealership (strangely, it was on the corner were Toy'sR Us is now, it moved to Madison, then back to Rivergate about 20 yrs later...Bannen Chevrolet). I remember when Madison Square was THE only shopping center on that side of town, and I can remeber going shopping downtown around Christmas. I remeber being inside Harvey's and seeing the nativity scene items stored on a shelf that ran around the walls upstairs. I remember thinking Green Hills was a long way from home. (I was raised in E Nashville/Madison). I remeber when Father Ryan was on Elliston Place!!
I actually went to Litton, and had classes in the old building.

I found this site about a year ago. It's a little before MY time, but I do remember some of this stuff. http://www.pbase.com/deadelvis/old_nashville

Hill's Dept store was were Old Time Pottery is now, and it was Western Auto on the very end of Madison Square. LOL....I remeber when the Madison Square theather wasn't $1, it was full price, first run! Remember when Sears, HG Hills, and Wilson Quick Pharmacy were on the corner of Gallitan and Due West, and where the Rite Aid is now, was a Third National Bank?
And going WAYYYYYYyyyy back in time...the Mapco across the street from there used to be a Sinclair (Later DX) Full service gas station and garage!! I remeber when Frank Davis Buick was besides Sears, and I remeber eating at the original Shoney's (With the drive-up carhop service) and the Original McDonalds (that building is still there, btw). Anyone else remeber when the Madison post office was on the corner of Old Hickory and Gallitan Roads? Couldn't get near the place on Sunday to check your mail once Madison Church of Christ got so big, thats why they finally had to move it.

Nashville Historic has saved a lot of properties in Nashville, and in Lebanon, Don Fox has been valiant in his efforts to save Lebanon's history; to point out that he saved the old Castle Heights Military Academy's main building, having it reborn as Lebanon's city hall, plus being very aware of other historic properties and not letting developers do inappropriate things in historic areas.

AGRADELEOUS · AGRADELEOUS on Fri Aug 22, 2008 12:06 pm

I can remember alot of that too..... Except for Bannen being where Toys 'r Us is now. I'm not quite THAT old. Though I feel it sometimes already....

Skektek · Skektek on Tue Aug 26, 2008 7:57 pm

way back in the day when Hollywood Disco used to be Code Blue.

Suspect

ok I'll shut up, I'm still sort of a noob to Nasty Vegas.

Grumpy · Grumpy on Wed Sep 03, 2008 9:56 pm

Ok well um I'm not as old as you Richard but I grew up here and lived a lot of my life in the East Nashville/Madison/Rivergate area. Do you remember Rax's or Rex's resturant? It was where Las Palmas is now in Rivergate. It was like an Arby's.

Ok wow you had classes in the buildings @ Litton-you are old. We played a volleyball game there I was worried the building would cave in on me.

Ok do you remember what was it Zayres (spellings) department store?

TnPartsGuy · TnPartsGuy on Thu Sep 04, 2008 11:13 am

I remember several Rax's around town. There is still one in Tupelo MS. There was one where you stated at Rivergate, plus one in the front part of the parking lot (I want to say it's a Pizza Hut now) in the old Zayre shopping center in Madison, and one that used to be where Logan's in out at Hickory Hollow. There was a Zayre over on Murfreesboro Road too, it stayed open a little longer than Madison, it was one of the regional clearing stores when they went under, the building was used for a flea market for a long time until the Airport bought the property and fenced it off.

This week when I heard Jerry Reed had passed away, I was reminded of the time that I met both him and Burt Reynolds. Earl Dunn Pontiac used to be located around where the Madison Kroger is now. Burt had gotten into the business of customizing Trans Am's to be special edition "Bandit" T/A's, and to help market the car, he was gifting one to his friend (on-screen and off) Jerry Reed. Mr Dunn knew my dad, and called him to tell him to him to come out to see the car, and to meet the actor/singer. The Nashville Banner had a photographer there, and Burt and Jerry climbed up on the car to kinda lay up on the back window for the picture. After the picture was taken, Burt was hopping down, and caught the heel of his boot on the quarter-panel, leaving a NICE big scar down the side....Jerry came running over, and in his best Cletus Snow-exasparated voice, yelled at Burt "Look what ya done to my CAR!!!!" Both of them just about fell out laughing.

I got to shake hands with both guys, and talk a few minutes to them. They were very nice, and it still makes watching "Smokey & the Bandit" a little more fun for me.

Tracy · Tracy on Thu Sep 11, 2008 5:31 pm

I've only lived here for 3 years but I remember coming down to Opryland theme park several times. I wish it was still here.

A little History of Nashville

A little History of Nashville

Re: A little History of Nashville

I remember

Re: A little History of Nashville

Rax/Zayres/Madison

Re: A little History of Nashville