Bicentennial Capitol Mall State Park, commonly known as Bicentennial Mall, is a linear park in downtown Nashville, Tennessee, United States. The park is located on north-northwest of the Tennessee State Capitol, and is considered an extension of the capitol grounds. It is modeled on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., and incorporates Classical Greek, Baroque, and Beaux-Arts architecture. It functions as an outdoor museum that uses symbolism to showcase the history, geography, culture, and musical heritage of Tennessee through a series of monuments, walkways, and interpretive displays. It is also landscaped with plants that are native to Tennessee. Receiving more than 2.5 million visitors annually, it is the most visited of the 65 state parks in Tennessee, and one of the most visited public spaces in Nashville.
French Lick Creek passes through the site of the mall, which contained springs that attracted game wildlife and was an important hunting ground for Native Americans. These springs were later utilized by the first European explorers and settlers to the area in the 18th century. The site was prone to flooding from the nearby Cumberland River, and was not permanently settled until the arrival of German immigrants in the 1830s. When Nashville became the permanent state capital, the capitol building was constructed on the hill south of the site. French Lick Creek became contaminated with garbage and raw sewage, and was later channelized and buried in a brick sewer tunnel. The area fell into disrepair in the early 20th century, and many structures on and around the site were subsequently demolished as part of a large-scale urban renewal project funded by the Housing Act of 1949.
Beginning in the mid-20th century, several tall buildings were constructed around the capitol, and some people began advocating for preserving the view from the capitol to the north. A large office complex was initially planned for the site to accommodate the enlarged Tennessee government. Plans subsequently shifted to construct a linear park for the state of Tennessee's bicentennial commemoration, although initially this plan faced skepticism from state planners. The park was designed by Tuck Hinton Architects in 1992 and 1993, and required coordination with several state agencies. Groundbreaking occurred on June 27, 1994, and the park was dedicated on June 1, 1996, the 200th anniversary of Tennessee's statehood. Additional features planned for the park, including a carillon and a walkway recognizing donors, were initially delayed due to funding constraints, but were added in succeeding years. The park struggled with maintenance difficulties and underuse in its early years. Since then, it has been recognized as a cultural and historical landmark. In 2018, the Tennessee State Museum moved to the northwest corner of the park, followed in 2021 by the Tennessee State Library and Archives, which moved to the northeast corner of the park. The incorporation of these entities into the mall complex fulfilled design concepts that were first envisioned during the initial planning of the park.
Description
Bicentennial Capitol Mall State Park is managed by the Bureau of Conservation division of the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation, along with all of Tennessee's 65 state parks. Since 1998, the State Capitol Commission has been in charge of monuments and memorials at the park. The park is the smallest state park in Tennessee. Modeled on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., the landscaped park features design elements and symbols that provide visitors with information on Tennessee's history, natural features, attractions, landmarks, and musical heritage. The park's architects' stated theme was "the land, the people, and the music of Tennessee". It incorporates a number of Classical Greek, Baroque, and Beaux-Arts influences. The mall is bordered by Jefferson Street and the Germantown Historic District on the north, James Robertson Parkway on the south, 6th Avenue North on the east, and 7th Avenue North on the west. On-street parking is provided along 6th and 7th Avenues for visitors to the mall and other nearby locations, and the entire park is easily accessible by foot or bike. It is situated directly north-northwest of the hill that contains the Tennessee State Capitol, which is located across James Robertson Parkway and is distinctly visible from the park. It is considered an extension of the capitol grounds, and designed to integrate seamlessly into the surrounding cityscape. The Nashville Farmers' Market is to the park's immediate west. The Tennessee State Museum is located directly west of the park's north end, and the Tennessee State Library and Archives is east of the north end. Multiple state office buildings are also located nearby. Both sides of the mall are lined with tulip poplars, Tennessee's state tree, and all trees and shrubs in the park are native to Tennessee.
Tennessee Plaza and railroad trestle
On the southern end of the mall is the Tennessee Plaza, the defining feature of which is the Tennessee Map Plaza. This is a wide green granite map of the state that showcases its cities, counties, rivers, major highways, and railroads. Pigmentation is used to script city and county names, and Interstate Highways are indicated in gold pinstripes. The stone surface is polished to highlight rivers, which is intended to produce a shimmering appearance of waterways similar to what is observed from aircraft. The map is slightly tilted to improve visibility from Capitol Hill. Each county seat contains a flush-mounted light which turns on at night. Eight smaller elevated granite maps arranged below the map plaza illustrate the state's geology, original inhabitants, territory, transportation, land cover, recreational opportunities, musical heritage, and topography. One of these maps is a depiction of a map of Tennessee produced in 1795. Directly east of the map is a large compass rose that indicates its orientation. South of the map is the Zero Milestone marker, which contains the "T-Dot", a nod to the Tennessee Department of Transportation. Three grass terraces that gently slope downward are located between the map plaza and James Robertson Parkway.
A steel railroad trestle crosses the park directly south of the map plaza; it carries a mainline railroad operated by CSX Transportation. At each end of the trestle are limestone bridges that cross 6th and 7th Avenue, respectively. These bridges utilize the Greek Revival architectural style of the Tennessee State Capitol, and on each side are inscribed with "1796" and "1996" on the left and right abutments, respectively. The trestle is painted white to reflect light onto the area beneath and complement the surrounding aesthetics. The columns extend slightly outward from top to bottom to correspond with a previous wooden trestle that once occupied the site. The park's visitor center, restrooms, and several picnic tables are located underneath the trestle. Near each end of the trestle to the south flies a Tennessee Flag, each of which is surrounded by eight Tennessee Flags. The large flags commemorate the state's bicentennial celebration, and the small flags represent Tennessee's status as the 16th state admitted to the Union. The placement of the flags was inspired by the work of André Le Nôtre at the Palace of Versailles.
Rivers of Tennessee and Tennessee Amphitheater
Directly north of the railroad is the Rivers of Tennessee Fountains, 31 geyser-like fountains representing each of the major rivers and waterways of Tennessee, which has the fifth-largest river system in the United States. These fountains, which together function as a splash pad, spray columns of water to various heights, and are lit by color-changing lights at night. Behind the fountains is a curved wall called the Rivers of Tennessee Wall that contains information in the form of facts, quotes, famous sayings, phrases, and poetry about the state's waterways and their role in its history. The shape of the wall also alludes to Tennessee's nickname of the "Big Bend State", which comes from the Tennessee River's path across the state. A ramp is located on the backside of the wall, which contains engraved statements about the history of the railroad and the mall site at its highest point. Water from the fountains flows into a large trough at the base of the wall that represents the Mississippi River, which forms the western border of Tennessee and drains almost the entirety of the state. Harrison Street crosses the park immediately behind the wall.
The Tennessee Amphitheater is a 2,200-seat terraced amphitheater north of the river displays, which is used for special events. This semi-circular theater in an artificial depression is patterned off of the Ancient Theatre of Epidaurus and the Roman Theatre of Orange. The design of the theater also honors the Greco-Roman architectural inspiration for the Tennessee State Capitol by architect William Strickland. The seating consists of stepped lawns. The stage is flanked by dual towers that resemble large lanterns. Each of these towers is topped by an overhanging cornice, with lightly frosted windows below. Directly below this are open stainless steel replicas of the tri-star logo from the state flag that serve as openings for speakers behind. The location of the amphitheater below grade combined with surrounding shade trees were intended to improve acoustics and reduce surrounding urban noise. A central lawn extends between the amphitheater and the Court of Three Stars at the north end of the park. This lawn is modeled on the open spaces of the National Mall in Washington, D.C., and is designed to be used for various activities. The lawn is crossed by two pathways, one of which follows the original alignment of Jackson Street. An elevated circular granite monument commonly referred to as the "button" is located at the north end of the lawn. This monument is inscribed with names of the creators and sponsors of the mall, and also recognizes Governors Ned McWherter (1987–1995) and Don Sundquist (1995–2003), who oversaw the park's construction.
Court of Three Stars and carillon
The Court of Three Stars is a circular plaza made of red, white, and blue granite arranged into a large replica of the tri-star logo found on the state flag. These stars represent the three Grand Divisions of Tennessee, which are geographical, cultural, and economic divisions that are defined in state law.