Summary
Economist Richard Florida, in Cities and the Creative Class, argues that for positive growth a city must possess the “three Ts”: Talent, Tolerance, and Technology. Former Mayor Karl Dean believes that this provides a blueprint for cities like Nashville who hope to attract a “Creative Class” that values diversity, individuality, and quality of life. Nashville, and Tennessee in general, has always been seen as a place of moderation and nicely balances tradition and progress.
The progressive attitude adopted by Nashville after the Civil War positively affected the city culturally and commercially, which in turn provided fertile ground for higher education and industry. The combination of commerce, culture, and education are the reasons that Nashville and Atlanta continue to maintain their enviable positions as dynamic, prosperous southern cities. Since 1865, Nashville's downtown reflects a successful model of downtown mixed use: business and residential, local and tourist, and a variety of venues from retail to restaurants to concerts.
The efficiency and cohesiveness of a metropolitan government structure (formed in 1963), covering 503 square miles of Davidson County, and forward-thinking political policy are also reason that Nashville differs from other U.S.
From Little Wall Street of the South to Athens of the South to Music City -- downtown Nashville past, present, and future offers a distinctive view into the life and culture of a forward-thinking southern city that places equal parts pride into tradition and progress.