The Top 10 Weirdest Historical Fun Facts About Nashville
- Paul Whitten
- Feb 10
- 4 min read
Nashville history has never been polite. It is loud, odd, surprising, and filled with characters who would fit right in on a Broadway sidewalk today. Every time I lead a walking tour, I remind folks that this city was weird long before it became Music City. Below are ten of the strangest, funniest, and most wonderfully bizarre fun facts from Nashville’s past.
1. The Ryman Auditorium began as a massive revival hall built by a converted riverboat gambler
Before it became the Mother Church of Country Music, the Ryman was a place for fiery preaching and prayer. Riverboat captain Tom Ryman built it after hearing evangelist Sam Jones speak in a tent revival in 1885. Ryman had made his money in saloons and gambling boats, felt convicted by the sermon, and decided to build a permanent tabernacle for Nashville. It is still one of the most unlikely origin stories of any major music venue in America.
2. Two men are literally buried inside the walls of the Tennessee State Capitol
The Tennessee State Capitol is one of only about a dozen in the country without a dome. It is also one of the only capitols in America that doubles as a tomb. Architect William Strickland died during construction and was buried inside the north wall. Samuel Morgan, the man who chaired the building commission, is buried in the south wall. Every legislative session meets between two folks who helped build the place and never left.
3. President James K. Polk is buried on the Capitol grounds
Right outside the Capitol is the tomb of President James K. Polk and his wife Sarah. Polk died in 1849 after his single presidential term. His tomb has been moved twice, debated many times, and still sparks political arguments to this day. As far as weird Nashville history goes, we are the only state with a president buried next to the statehouse lawn.
4. Nashville built a full-scale Parthenon before it built reliable roads
For the 1897 Tennessee Centennial Exposition, the city decided to prove it was the “Athens of the South” by building a full-size replica of the Parthenon. This was before Nashville had modern sewer systems, paved roads, or consistent electricity. Priorities mattered, and apparently a giant Greek temple in a cow pasture outranked infrastructure.
5. Nashville was home to William Walker, the man who tried to conquer Nicaragua
Born in downtown Nashville in 1824, William Walker grew up to become a filibuster, meaning a private military adventurer. In the 1850s, he led a small army into Nicaragua and declared himself president. He actually ran the country for a short time before being overthrown and later executed by firing squad in Honduras. It remains one of the strangest geopolitical stories connected to any American city.
6. Printer’s Alley thrived on illegal liquor for decades
During the early twentieth century, Tennessee banned liquor sales in bars. Printer’s Alley responded by opening “private clubs” that sold drinks anyway. Everyone knew what was going on. Politicians, musicians, celebrities, and businessmen all quietly slipped into the Alley for a drink. If there was ever a place in Nashville that lived by its own rules, it was Printer’s Alley.
7. The Maxwell House Hotel made such good coffee that it became a national brand
The old Maxwell House Hotel near today’s downtown post office became famous for its coffee blend. Guests kept complimenting the brew so often that the local supplier, Cheek-Neal Coffee Company, named its new product “Maxwell House Coffee. One of the greatest marketing stories was that Teddy Roosevelt reportedly said it was “good to the last drop." He never said this, but the slogan became one of the most famous in American advertising.
8. Early Nashville cyclists rode loud wooden “boneshaker” bicycles that terrified horses
When bicycles first showed up in the 1860s and 1870s, they were made mostly of wood with iron rims. They rattled loudly, bounced like crazy, and had no brakes. People rode these things down Nashville’s muddy streets and spooked every horse in sight. It caused so much chaos that Nashville’s newspapers wrote editorials begging riders to slow down.
9. One of Nashville’s biggest national news stories involved a cinnamon bun shaped like Mother Teresa
In 1996, workers at Bongo Java near Belmont discovered a cinnamon bun that looked strikingly like Mother Teresa. They named it the “Nun Bun” and it became an international sensation. The coffee shop sold T-shirts, people lined up to see it, and Mother Teresa herself sent word asking them not to use her likeness for profit. On Christmas Day years later, the Nun Bun was stolen and never recovered.
10. Nashville Predators fans started throwing catfish on the ice and everyone just rolled with it
Inspired by Detroit’s tradition of tossing octopi, Nashville fans began throwing catfish on the ice during games. The first recorded toss happened in the early 2000s. Since then, fans have smuggled in catfish using everything from coats to compression shorts. The tradition stuck, and the NHL had to create a rule specifically to address Nashville’s seafood enthusiasm.
Closing Thoughts on Nashville Fun Facts
Nashville history shines brightest in its strangest corners. Whether it is a full-size Greek temple sitting quietly in Centennial Park or a cinnamon bun that somehow became an international celebrity, this city has always carried a good bit of charm and a whole lot of humor.
If you ever join our Nashville History Walking Tour, we will take you to the very places where many of these stories actually unfolded. Nashville has a way of surprising you every time you turn a corner, and that is exactly why we love showing it to folks. If you want to see these places with your own eyes, you can start right here with our Nashville History Walking Tour at NashvilleAdventures.com.
