Vision
To equip educators and our community with Nashville’s historical resources to increase awareness and discovery year round.
Mission
Collaborate with public and private historical groups to provide:
1. A Nashville History Map using Metro Nashville and Tennessee’s Historic Marker placements and Historic sites.
2. A resource highlighting organizations and conversations providing easy access to current historical information.
3. A collection of media links on the heritage of our region for educators to enhance classroom activities and curriculum.
Backstory
Way back, before the boom of the internet and smartphones, Lee Larrison had a captivating idea to photograph Nashville from the sky, as if he was looking as a planet.
In 1994 a one-of-kind ariel image was captured and created in advance of Tennessee’s Bicentennial using a fish-eye lens and celluloid film, prior to digital photography. This view of greater Nashville captures the Cumberland River’s bell curves, roughly a 12 mile radius, nearly 400 square miles.
Within a few years, the internet took off, and Lee Larrison’s idea of looking down at his city from the sky was made possible by Google Earth’s launched in 2005, connecting neighborhoods, cities, and countries through digital images. Though the Planet Nashville poster never developed as intended, students can explore it today as a compartitve photographic reference of Nashville’s rapidly expanding metropolitan area.
In 2019, some Metro Nashville teachers received a Planet Nashville poster for Teacher Appreciation Week at Glencliff Entrepreneurial Steam Magnet Elementary School. The entrepreneurial story of the poster led to the developmment of a after school history club by a community partner. The history club was offered virtually, then in-person. The curriculum focused on the Cumberland River basin, the people of the region and how Nashville has become a global city.
Today, students can visit a History Time-Map to see hundreds of historical sites in Nashville, Tennessee and beyond! We are building bridges to more historic resources in our community – so everyone can explore year-round!
The original Planet Nashville posters can be ordered FREE to educators here, while supplies last!!
Team
The people behind our commitment to help fuel great historic discoveries through local history.
Founder
Linda Nelson
As a long-time volunteer in the Metro Nashville’s School System, Linda aims to bring current conversations on local history to the community for the benefit of educators and learners.
Educator
Patricia Moon
As a former Metro Nashville middle school teacher for 32 years, Mrs. Moon has a keen perspective on educating early learners and a wealth of historical knowledge stretching across Tennessee.
Techy
Wes Nelson
With years of product design and marketing experience, Wes helps bring a vision of local history alive through technology.
Personality
Craig Hinkle
As the go-to videographer / producer / personality, “Mr. Hinkle” can appear and make just about anything fun and worthwhile.
Community Collaborators
Dr. Julie Hopkins – Principal of Glencliff Entrepreneurial Steam Magnet Elementary School, opened the door for a Nashville after-school history (NASH) club to form, first virtually and then offered in-person. Her motivated faculty and students aim to change the future through education and the entrepreneurial spirit.
Tracy Harris – Manager at the Fort Negley Museum, a Nashville Metro Park, encouraged the Planet Nashville project as special guest on the Civil War and is a highly appreciated facilitator for Nashville’s historic clubs and communities.