PP - Front Street

Front Street was the original thoroughfare that paralleled the Cumberland River in the early days of Nashville. At one time it was known as Water Street and currently is named First Avenue.

For many years there was a thriving and very active area on Front Street extending up the hill from the beginning of Broadway at the river. It was here that goods were offloaded from boats at the wharfs and transported a short distance across land to the buildings portrayed in this print. The doors along the bottom of the buildings were receiving docks for the merchandise that was stocked and sold from the showrooms of merchant establishments which faced out on Market Street (now Second Avenue). This is the reason this street has such an important postition in Nashville's commercial history.

By 1984 the old buildings of the river area had been greatly improved due to several massive renovation projects. In addition, the waterfront park on the shore of the Cumberland serves as a gateway to this historic area.