Located in Downtown Nashville, Tennessee, the Founding of Nashville monument commemorates the history that has come to enable the modern city. This simple but powerful monument showcases what it can look like to bring history to life in a way that resonates with residents and visitors.
Two Founders of Nashville
James Robertson and John Donelson were Revolutionary War-era frontiersmen who created a new settlement that grew into present-day Nashville. In 1779, the two led a group of settlers into what would eventually become the states of Kentucky and Tennessee to create Fort Nashborough, which would become the capital of the new state of Tennessee in 1796. In 1780, Robertson drew up a constitution called the Cumberland Compact that was signed by all 256 settlers led by Robertson and Donelson.
Commissioned by Mayor Ben West in 1962 and the Metro Historical Commission, the monument depicts Robertson and Donelson shaking hands upon the completion of a reunion they had at the precise location of the monument in 1780. Robertson is shown with an ax over his shoulder while Donelson holds a rifle. A large marker in front of the Founding of Nashville Monument outlines the signers of the compact. A marker that is displayed on the landmark that each man stands as a representative of the hardy souls each led to fulfill a magnificent destiny.
Residing just outside a small replica of Fort Nashborough, the Founding of Nashville Monument omits the history of the Cherokee who were living in the area at the time, but nonetheless personifies the literal history that defines the modern city and community. In doing so, it highlights what it can mean to celebrate the history of a culture and region in a profound manner.
Honoring a New Settlement that Grew into Present-day Nashville
As the marker on the Founding of Nashville Monument declares, no city should be indifferent to its founding, and this landmark celebrates the notion in an especially significant manner. This history immortalized the names of John Donelson and James Robertson in a way that defines present-day Nashville, highlighting what it can mean to connect the history of a community and entire region to the present and future.
