Warner Parks
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Warner Park Historic District
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| Location: | Roughly bounded by Little Harpeth River, Belle Meade Blvd., TN 100, and Chickering Rd., Nashville, Tennessee |
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| Coordinates: | 36°3′47″N 86°53′30″W / 36.06306°N 86.89167°WCoordinates: 36°3′47″N 86°53′30″W / 36.06306°N 86.89167°W |
| Area: | 2,664 acres (1,078 ha) |
| Built: | 1927, 1930 and 1941 |
| Governing body: | Local (Nashville Board of Parks and Recreation) |
| NRHP Reference#: | 84003528[1] |
| Added to NRHP: | January 20, 1984 |
Edwin Warner Park and Percy Warner Park, collectively known as Warner Parks, are two major public parks in Nashville, Tennessee. They are part of the park system managed by the Metropolitan Board of Parks and Recreation of Nashville and Davidson County. Percy Warner Park's front entrance is located at the end of Belle Meade Boulevard. The parks are listed on the National Register of Historic Places as Warner Park Historic District. The district is primarily within Nashville along the southern edge of Davidson County, Tennessee, but it extends into Williamson County, Tennessee as well.
The two parks are adjacent to each other, separated by Old Hickory Boulevard, and are located approximately 9 mi (14 km) from downtown Nashville. They are bounded on the northwest by Tennessee State Route 100, on the east and north by Chickering Road, and partially on the south by Old Hickory Blvd. and Vaughn Road. The two parks cover 2,684 acres (1,086.2 ha), making the combined parks the largest municipal parks in the state. The parks offer a variety of activities, including hiking trails, cross country courses, and an equestrian center.[2]
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[edit] History
The parks were opened in 1927, and are on land donated by Percie Warner Lea and her husband, Luke. The parks were named for her father, Percy, a member of the old Nashville Board of Park Commissioners and former head of the city's streetcar lines and electric utility, and her uncle Edwin, who was also a park commissioner. The commission developed the parks into their present layout through 1930.[3]
The parks were named to the National Register of Historic Places in 1984.[1][4] The listing was for a 2,664-acre (1,078 ha) historic district. When listed, the district included five contributing buildings, 36 contributing structures, and 14 contributing sites. Also included were 10 non-contributing buildings, eight non-contributing structures, and five non-contributing sites.[1]
The district has dates of significance in 1927, 1930, and 1941.[1] The park was assembled by additions of parcels during 1927-1930.[5]
The Warner Park Historic District was further designated a Nashville landmark in 1998.[5]
[edit] Activities
The parks offer a variety of trails for running and biking. Cars can drive through the park as well. There are also equestrian trails, athletic fields, and a golf course.[6] Percy Warner Park is characterized by a group of steps built into the mountain located at the entrance to the park. Walkers can traverse these steps to reach the base of many hiking and biking trails.
The parks are home to a steeplechase course that hosts the Iroquois Steeplechase, run annually each May since 1941 (with one year off for World War II) and a fixture on the National Steeplechase Association circuit. It is the only graded horse race, steeplechase or flat, that is currently run in the state.[7] It is also home to the state championship in cross-country.
The parks are also home to two golf courses, Harpeth Hills Golf Course and Percy Warner Golf Course, the Warner Park Nature Center, the Rock and Road Relay, Marathon, and 5K[8] and the Harpeth Hills Flying Monkey Marathon.[9]
[edit] References
- ^ a b c d "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. 2009-03-13. http://nrhp.focus.nps.gov/natreg/docs/All_Data.html.
- ^ Nashville.gov: Warner Parks
- ^ Tennessee Encyclopedia: Percy Warner
- ^ City ordinance O99-1698
- ^ a b "title". http://www.nashville.gov/mc/ordinances/term_1995_1999/o99_1698.htm.
- ^ Nashville.gov: Warner Parks
- ^ Iroquois Steeplechase official web site
- ^ Rock and Road Relay, Marathon and 5K Website
- ^ Harpeth Hills Flying Monkey Marathon Website
[edit] External links
- TNbirds.org: Warner Parks
- Maps of the asphalt and dirt trails in the Warner Parks
- The Friends of Warner Parks
- Map of district
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