Nashville, Tennessee

         When I arrived in Nashville, I drove straight to a steakhouse called J. Alexander’s. It was a Tuesday, and I had just driven six long hours from Mississippi. The restaurant was situated at the end of a strip mall in the suburbs. As soon as I walked in, I realized that it was definitely the sort of place that businessman go to for dinner after work. Everyone inside was well dressed, the lights were dimmed, and I could barely hear the hostess when I asked for a table. She motioned for me to step aside for a moment as a large group of businessmen entered, laughing boisterously, but I was seated shortly thereafter. I placed my order and began “people watching” as I waited for my food. Just a few tables away, three couples were enjoying their meals. They spoke over a bottle of wine, laughing raucously at one another’s jokes. At some point in their conversation, I saw one of the men take out a very small gun out of his shirt pocket and hand it to his friend across the table so that he could admire it. It was so casual, so friendly, but so foreign to me just the same.
In New Jersey where I grew up, there are incredibly strict gun laws that dictate that only registered security personal, police, or other qualified individuals are permitted to carry concealed firearms. Now, I did have exposure to pellet guns, rifles, and handguns in Pony Club and summer camp in Maine, but all of those experiences were in strictly controlled environments. Here, in a restaurant over dinner, it just seemed so out of place to me. In New Jersey, no one would ever see a moment like the one I just witnessed. Someone who grew up in Tennessee would not have had a second thought about it, because it would be fairly commonplace. It is amazing how where we grow up affects our perceptions about what is commonsense, acceptable, or cause for concern. That notion makes me wonder which of my opinions are truly well thought out and logical, and which ones are merely products of the environment in which I was raised.  As humans, do we perpetually favor what is familiar, regardless of the benefits of alternatives?
After dinner, I drove to the hotel that I had reserved. When I checked in, I let the gentleman behind the front desk know that I was having a small package arrive at the hotel, which contained the business cards for the blog. I was really excited to see how they turned out. The room wasn’t my favorite, but it was spacious and I got a good rate. I settled down for the evening, unpacked my copious amounts of stuff, and planned my trip to the Capitol and museum the next day.
I woke up on Wednesday morning and looked for a place to get breakfast. I decided to go to the Sky Blue Café. It was a little brick building on the corner right across the street from an elementary school. There were only 8 tables inside, but luckily there was one available when I arrived. I ordered my usual breakfast, and began working out some other scheduling details for the next few days. My food arrived sooner than I expected, and I was disappointed to see that my bacon wasn’t cooked thoroughly and that the eggs were runny. I ate most of my food, but I left feeling mildly unsatisfied.

It was a short drive to the Capitol, but parking was hard to find. The Capitol itself was situated at the top of an extremely steep hill, and the only parking spot I could find was all the way at the bottom of the hill. I gathered my camera and walked up the long hill, pausing occasionally to take a few pictures or to catch my breath. It was a grey, windy day and the statues on the grounds seemed to be warning me of an approaching storm with their solemn expressions and animated stances. In the rear of the building, and down two flights of stairs, there was a charming courtyard with two fountains and a statue of Andrew Jackson at the battle of New Orleans. Clark Mills of South Carolina, who sold a total of three copies throughout his life, is the craftsman. One stands near the White House in Washington D.C, one in Jackson Square in New Orleans, and the third here on the lawn of the Tennessee State Capitol.

         Architect William Strickland designed the Capitol, but died in 1854, shortly before its completion. His dying wish was to be buried in the walls of the Capitol, where he rests in the northeast corner of the building to this day. In 1880 Samuel Morgan, who was chairman of the Capitol Commission during the entirety of its construction, was buried in the southeast corner of the building. Some Capitol staff members, including policeman and maintenance workers, have claimed that they have heard strange noises or seen weird things while in the Capitol alone. There is a widespread belief that the Capitol is haunted, and considering that it is the only State Capitol to also be a mausoleum, I would not be surprised.
         I clambered up the final flights of steps, breathing heavily, and made my way to the front of the building, where the entrance for the public was. When I entered the building, a Capitol policeman informed me that I needed a photo ID to enter. Unfortunately, that photo ID was back in the car. I sullenly trudged back down the hill, retrieved my identification, and climbed slowly back up to the top, grumbling about unnecessary security measures. When I arrived at the entrance huffing and puffing, I handed over my ID and went through security.
         I went over to the tours and information desk, where a young woman was watching Netflix with her earphones in. As I approached, she paused what she was watching and asked if she could help me. I replied that I needed my book stamped. Without checking that the date was right, she pulled out the rubber stamp and stamped by book. I was frustrated to see that the date was incorrect, but I thanked her anyway, and began walking around. Throughout all of the rooms and halls, the walls were a grey stone, giving the building uniformity. The grey was so overpowering, however, that I felt that it took away from some of the decoration.
         One the first floor, there was the Governor’s Office and the old Supreme Court Chamber. The Supreme Court moved to its current building in Nashville in 1937, so now this room is used for formal addresses and committee meetings. There were three large windows with blue draperies on the far wall. The ceiling was arched, and there were several columns through the center of the room to support it, separating the audience from the five chairs in the front. The Governor’s Office had an atrium that served for office space for people that worked under the Governor. There were murals on each of the walls depicting scenes from Tennessee history. I wrote my name in the sign in book, and ventured upstairs.
         Unlike most of the capitols, the second floor of the Tennessee Capitol does not have a traditional rotunda. Instead, the space is dominated by 1 of 4 original chandeliers from the 1850s. The painting on the ceilings is subtle yet beautiful. The room to the right of the staircase is the House of Representatives. This room is the largest in the building, but there is a lack of natural light, which made it seem smaller than it actually is. This room has housed many historic events including the ratification of the 13th, 14th, and 19th amendments to the Constitution (a fact that is noted in the Capitol’s online virtual tour).  Outside the House chamber, there is a sitting area where people can relax. Just outside the large, glass doors is a balcony that gives a wonderful view of Nashville.
         Down the hall, there are two more notable rooms. First I went to the Senate Chamber, which was considerably smaller than the House Chamber. The legislature was not in session, so I was able to step onto the Senate floor. The room is decorated in period style, and like the House Chamber, has very few windows. Across the hall is a room that used to be the law library, but now it is used for committee meetings and small gatherings. The room still has its original cast iron spiral staircase, along with another original gasolier. The second and third rows of books remain in the space, giving it an appealing atmosphere. When I walked in, I noticed that there were a few gentlemen setting up the room for a congressional fundraiser.

          I left the building and climbed back down the hill to my car, only to discover that a black cover had been put over the parking meter that said, “Reserved. No Parking.” Although the museum was just around the corner, I decided to move my car before someone towed it away. I found a spot right outside, and I went in. Admission was free, which certainly made me happy. I went downstairs to start the main part of the exhibit. There were several permanent exhibits, including ‘First Tennesseans,’ ‘Frontier,’ ‘Age of Jackson,’ ‘Antebellum,’ ‘The Civil War’ and ‘Reconstruction,’ and ‘The New South.’ One of the notable artifacts was a bench that belonged to Davy Crockett, which was old and worn but wonderfully preserved. Davy Crockett is an American icon, frontiersman, and politician. He was born in 1786 in East Tennessee. As a teenager, he ran away from home after his father tried to whip him for skipping school. He returned home over a year later, returned to school for a short time, and worked off his father’s debt to two different men. Crockett served under Andrew Jackson during the Creek War, which was a series of bloody battles with the Creek Indians. Crockett spent most of his time in the military hunting for food to feed the other soldiers, a job that he felt was more suitable for him  than killing Creek Indians.
         Crockett was elected to the Tennessee General Assembly in 1821 and again in 1823. Throughout his political career, Crockett fought for the rights of impoverished farmers. He first ran for the United States House of Representatives in 1825, but was unsuccessful. While in Memphis, Crockett met mayor Marcus Brutus Winchester by chance, and gained his support and encouragement for another bid for Congress. Crockett was elected to the United States House of Representatives in 1827 and again in 1829. He disagreed with several of Andrew Jackson’s policies, and was known to support Jackson’s competitors during elections. He also differed from the opinions of all other congressmen from Tennessee on issues including land reform and the Indian Removal Act. Crockett was the only congressman from Tennessee to vote against the Indian Removal Act, and this decision cost him reelection in the 1831 election. Fed up with partisan politics, Crockett announced his intention in the famous quote, "I told the people of my district that I would serve them as faithfully as I had done; but if not, they might go to hell, and I would go to Texas."
          Crockett did go to Texas, which was still the Mexican state of Tejas at the time. He fought in the Texas Revolution, and died in 1836 in the Battle of the Alamo, which is one of the most well known battles in Texas-American History. Davy Crockett was 50 years old when he died defending Texan Independence, a sacrifice that has earned him a portrait in the Texas State Capitol. Davy Crockett, along with Daniel Boone, hold a special place in American history as famous frontiersman. Both of them have been subject to larger than life legends and tales about their abilities, some of which overshadow the truly impressive facts about their lives. When one considers that Daniel Boone founded modern-day Kentucky, and Davy Crockett’s public service in the military as well as state and national legislatures, it is apparent that their accomplishments have made America what it is today.
        As I continued through the museum, I discovered one of the temporary exhibits, which was of a personal dulcimer collection. A dulcimer is a 4-string instrument in which the strings stretch the length of the body but do not extend on a neck like a guitar. Many of these dulcimers had been collected over a long period of time from antique stores and other places. As I was looking at some of the instruments, an older gentleman who worked at the museum began talking to me about music. He asked if I had been to the Opry yet and I replied that I hadn’t. He grinned and launched into a description of the Opry and what was interesting about it.
          The Grand Ole Opry is the longest running radio program in US history. WSM, a popular Nashville radio station, broadcasted a wide range of acts from this country music stage. The Grand Ole Opry has hosted everyone from Patsy Cline to Elvis Presley to Brad Paisley, and is possibly the most famous country music venue in the world. It started in 1925, and soon gained widespread popularity. In 1932, WSM increased its broadcasting power to most of the United States and even some parts of Canada. Soon, the Opry’s audience outgrew its venue, and it found a home at Ryman Auditorium in 1943, where it remained for the next thirty years. In the 1954, a teenage Elvis Presley came to the Opry to perform, but his rhythmic, bluesy style was a little too revolutionary for the audience, who was used to more conservative acts. After his performance, Opry manager Jim Denny told Elvis that he should return to Memphis to continue his truck-driving career, and Elvis swore that he would never return to the venue. He kept his word and did not return throughout his career, much to the chagrin of the Opry, I’m sure.
          In 1974, the Opry desired a new, permanent location for the show. They began construction on a massive entertainment complex that included the theme park, Opryland USA, and the Opryland Hotel. The Grand Ole Opry House opened two years after the theme park and the show has remained there ever since. One of the sentimental aspects of the new venue was a circle of wood from the Ryman Auditorium stage that was inlaid into the new stage at the Grand Ole Opry House. That way, each new performer stands on the same spot as the many great musicians that performed at the Opry for decades. The Grand Ole Opry is an American music icon that spans generations of country music fans. Because of its widespread popularity, the Opry greatly contributed to Nashville’s reputation, especially in 1950 when WSM announcer David Cobb proclaimed that Nashville was “Music City USA.” In many ways, it is the cornerstone of Nashville’s culture.
         After departing the museum, I returned to the hotel before starting the extensive packing up routine in preparation to drive to Montgomery, Alabama. Luckily, Montgomery was only 4 hours away. I wished I had more time in Nashville, as I knew that there were many other things to discover. Nashville, along with New Orleans, Austin, and some other stops along the way, had become a destination that I promised myself I would return to in the future.  I wanted more time in Nashville to see some of the other things that the Music City has to offer. I was thrilled with Nashville’s Capitol, as well as learning about Davy Crockett and the Grand Ole Opry. The following afternoon, I checked out and rejoined the road.