Nashville. It’s a city of swinging honky-tonks, neon lights, country cowboys, friendly people, and lively nightlife. Although known as Music City for its deep connections to country music, Nashville is a creative community generally, where arts and people of all kinds are celebrated. Most people who visit the Music City quickly fall in love with it, and for good reason. It would be a wonderful place to find your next home.
A Look at Nashville’s History
Nashville was first established as a settlement along the banks of the Cumberland river in 1779, when a band of pioneers led by Englishman James Robertson first cleared the land and built a stockade. The settlement was initially named Fort Nashborough, in honor of General Francis Nash. In 1784 the name changed from Nashborough to Nashville. Tennessee became the sixteenth American state in 1796, and Nashville was made its capital in 1843. Nashville continued to grow until the time of the Civil War, at which time the city was occupied by Union troops for three years, due to its strategic location on the river and the presence of the railroad. Following the war, however, Nashville began to grown again, and has continued to do so since that time. In addition to growth in business, industry, and education, Nashville also saw the growth of country music, which has continued to flourish in the city to this day, earning Nashville the name Music City, U.S.A.
Nashville – A Few Fun Facts
Find more fun facts about Nashville here.
The LGBTQ Community in Nashville
Nashville has a very active and visible gay community that is well supported by a variety of resources. Some of those resources include:
Oasis Center is a community center in Nashville that has been helping thousands of youth for decades. Oasis Center provides a wide range of opportunities that to support the diverse needs of youth and their families. Just Us is a collection of programs sponsored by and at Oasis Center that specifically reaches out to LGBTQ youth. These programs are dedicated to helping LGBTQ and questioning youth to achieve their full potential. The mission of Just Us is to provide LGBTQ+ youth with “a liberating space where they can be authentic and celebrate the fluidity of identity.”
The Nashville LGBTQ Chamber is a strong and essential advocate of the Greater Nashville LGBTQ business community. In total, the chamber represents over 400+ businesses, community groups, and individuals in Nashville and the surrounding area.
PFLAG Nashville is the city’s local chapter of the national PFLAG organization, which is the largest grassroots organization of its kind in the country. PFLAG is known nationally for its mission of supporting LGBTQ people, friends, family, and allies in a countless variety of ways. PFLAG has 500 chapters and more than 200,000 members in the United States and plays an essential role in providing advocacy, support, and resources to the LGBTQ community.
Nashville Weather
Nashville residents will experience all four seasons. Summers are typically warm and humid, with temperatures averaging out at around 79.4° in July, and winters are cold, with occasional snow, and an average of 37.7 °F in January. Spring and fall are pleasant and mild, with beautiful flowers blooming in spring, and the colors of changing leaves in the fall. Nashville receives slightly more rainfall than the average in the United States – around 49.2 inches per year.
Must-Try Nashville Events
Nashville Pride is Nashville’s biggest LGBTQ event each year. Typically held each June, its highlights include a huge street festival featuring over 200 vendors annually, a lively parade, several cultural and educational events, countless opportunities to network and make connections, and more! Truly, it is a celebration of the diverse and wonderful LGBTQ community and all that it adds to the city of Nashville.
A Look at Nashville’s Best Neighborhoods
While some cities have one or two gayborhoods, in Nashville, this is not necessarily so. There are many areas of the city that are welcoming to the LGBTQ community, and depending on your needs and interests, you might be drawn to any one of a number of unique neighborhoods and areas. From a more suburban feel on the outskirts of the city to a vibrant, hip, eclectic vibe in the neighborhoods that border downtown, there is something for everyone.
If one specifically “gay” area of town had to be named, however, it would be the area downtown near Church Street. The three blocks from around 15th to 18th street include many LGBTQ businesses, as well as a variety of popular nightclubs, restaurants, and coffee shops.
The median home value in Nashville is $289,142, and the median price of homes currently listed in Nashville is $329,000.
Arts and Entertainment
The Grand Ole Opry is a weekly country music stage concert that is as quintessentially Nashville as it gets. Since 1925, it has been the premier stage in the world for country music, and it is the longest-running radio broadcast in United States history. Country music legends and new performers take to the stage three nights a week, and there are eight or more artists that share the stage on each of those nights. No matter the unique blend of artists on any given night, the audience is guaranteed a diverse and always excellent music experience.
Whether or not you’re a fan of country music, this is still a museum that is well worth a visit for its history, its excellent exhibits, and the insight it gives into Nashville’s personality and the music that made it what it is today. It is arguably the most prominent museum in the world dedicated to all the greats of country music, and many of referred to it as the “Smithsonian of country music.”
Parks and Recreation
Located about two miles west of downtown Nashville, Centennial Park is one of the more unique parks in the country, featuring the world’s only full-scale replica of the Greek Parthenon, which is something certainly worth seeing, and an excellent spot for picture taking on a beautiful day. Beyond the Parthenon, however, the park has much more to offer visitors. The 132-acre space features walking trails, beautiful Lake Watauga, the Centennial Art Center, several historical monuments, an arts, and activity center, a sunken garden, a bandshell, an events area, sand volleyball courts, a dog park, and an exercise trail too. This park has it all, and there’s something here for everyone to enjoy.
Founded in 2012, Hot Mess Sports is Nashville’s first and biggest LGBTQ sports league. The mission of Hot Mess Sports is to offer an inclusive, safe, fun, and welcoming community for anyone who wants to have fun, get some exercise, and make new friends. The league offers kickball, volleyball, dodgeball, bowling, and more.
Nashville Nightlife
The gay nightlife in Nashville is primarily centered in the Church Street area downtown, although there are other LGBTQ-friendly bars and clubs in other parts of the city too. Some of the most popular include:
Located in the heart of the Church Street area, Play is widely considered to be one of the best gay clubs in Nashville. With a wide variety of music, a big, lively dance floor, strong drinks, and great drag shows, there’s something here for everyone to enjoy.
Tribe is a lively, fun gay bar that offers dancing, drag shows, music, and a country barn/warehouse vibe. It’s also well known for its Drag Race watch parties. It’s a great place to enjoy an evening out on the town.
Canvas is an artsy club with specialty lights, unique sounds, and a groovy, SoHo feel. The drinks are made with juices that are freshly squeezed each day, and guest DJs are featured each Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday evening.
Contact a Nashville Realtor Today
If you are ready to begin the search for your new Nashville home, today is a great day to get started. Finding the right agent is an essential part of making sure that you’re able to find a home that suits your needs in a neighborhood you love. Contact a Nashville gay realtor for a free, no-obligation consultation today!
