Marathon Village: Music Venue, Distillery, Shopping Mall...and Museum.

by Rachel Alm

Removed from the chaos of Broadway is a small (or, actually, rather big) piece of history tucked away to the northern-ish end of Nashville. If you wander down the northern end of the Gulch or walk just up from Jack Cawthorn's Bar-B-Que on Charlotte, you'll wind up near an old brick facade that stretches a long way down the road. It's the sole occupant, pretty much, of the street it sits on, called Clinton St.

This entire area belonged, back at the start of the 20th century, to Marathon Motor Works, a car manufacturing company in the heart of Nashville. But as demand for cars was slowly building with the blossoming of roadways across the United States, Marathon struggled to keep up. It was shuttered in 1920, after being in operation only around four or five years. It remained vacant for around 30 years, beginning a process of revitalization in the 90s after sitting like a bit of a sore eye in the neighborhood.

Now, Marathon Village is home to myriad shops and a widely celebrated music venue. And it is, if you've got a head for car history, a fantastic free museum.

Shifting Demands

Are these street legal nowadays?

Marathon Motor Works wasn't always a car manufacturing company. Before Southern Engine and Boiler Works sought to have a foothold in the production side of things, the building had been a cotton mill and was originally constructed in 1881. At the height of its operations, Marathon was successfully manufacturing -- fully in house -- around 200 cars a month.

Today, only nine of those produced cars remain. Five of them are housed in the free museum right across the way -- which currently also houses a southern fashion store (with great dresses) and, on the upper floor, an event space that's popular for weddings.

You can walk down the length of Clinton street and the brick facade keeps pace with you. As the building was vacant for nearly 30 years, this revitalization in the 1980s to now has helped make this small connecting joint between North Nashville and Gulch a vital community hub.

Marathon Village... and Marathon Motor Works

Y'all should check this place out!

The anchoring tenant (as they say in real estate) is the massive venue space known as Marathon Music Works. Most music fans in Nashville (so...everyone) have, at one point or another, seen a show at the iconic, open, industrial-style venue. If not a show than they've attended a gala, for the venue hosts all manner of events, from award ceremonies to weddings to company retreats.

Over the years, it's been a foothold for who would eventually become massive stars. The Weeknd, Arctic Monkeys, and Twenty One Pilots all performed here at one point in their careers. You can still catch indie and sometimes big acts here seeking a more intimate crowd-space.

The 6,000 square feet space feels open and suitably rustic, and if you come by early for a show, you'll be able to wander the facility proper and taste some whiskey, book shop, and browse some fantastic punk and rock records.

Marathon Village Proper

The interior of the actual building -- outside of the portion that's Nelson Green Brier's Distillery and Restaurant (who serve a mean brunch) -- is a fantastic, living museum of Nashville history. Living because its tenants are cultivating and re-imagining that history everyday by hosting community events and opening their doors to the tours that come through during the day.

There are wonderful shops in the building, but the most fascinating aspect is just how full of paraphernalia the place is. There are newspaper clippings from ground to ceiling along most of the walls, with various automotive parts and old carriages hanging prominently along the higher wall space. You can read through the life of Marathon Motor Works by essentially tracing the entire length of the building.

You can also get a haircut, thrift-shop, try some local wine, and end your time at Corsair's distillery for some whiskey and a pizza. There's coffee and a deli and a wonderful book shop and record store (my personal favorites).

How I like to do it: start at the west end of the building and make your way down towards the Corsair's side, where you can read up on a little known Nashville automotive history as you walk, pop into a few shops, and then enjoy an afternoon cocktail in the hidden gem that is Corsair's Distillery.

With all the community events in Marathon Village, you never know if you'll stumble upon a whole different adventure on any given day! It's a great way to spend an afternoon or mid-morning. Pre-concert or post-tour, Marathon Music Works is really one of those lovingly preserved community treasures that continues to share a small sliver of Nashville history with those who wander its halls. You can learn more about Nashville by taking a tour at NashvilleAdventures.com