NASHVILLE
Population: 626,000 thousand people (2010)
Area: 1362.5 sq. km
Founded: 1779
City status since: 1806
Time zone: UTC-6, summer UTC-5
Altitude: 182 m
Zip code: 37201–37250
Nashville is the capital and second most populated city of Tennessee. It lies in the middle of the state, sprawling along the winding banks of the Cumberland River. It is a transport hub (also a river port) and an important economic center of the Southeastern United States. Sometimes the city is disturbed by tornadoes. See Tennessee cities.
The Chickasaw, Cherokee, and Shawnee tribes competed for these territories before the arrival of Europeans. In 1540, the expedition of Hernando de Soto visited here. This area was even called the Spanish possessions, but because of the aggressiveness of the local tribes, they did not begin to develop it. Later, French fur traders entered the Nashville area and established temporary trading posts. Planned colonization began in the middle of the 18th century, when Tennessee came into the possession of England. Nashville originated in 1779: it was founded by immigrants from Virginia. It is named after Revolutionary War hero Francis Nash.
In 1843, Nashville became the capital of Tennessee. During the Civil War, one of the last battles of the western sector of the front took place near the city (the “northerners” won). Nashville was a prosperous city before the war, and recovered very quickly after it. In the 1960s and 70s, Nashville experienced an economic downturn but managed to repurpose the economy. Now the financial sector, mechanical engineering, insurance and production of building materials are the most developed in the city.
According to itypetravel.com, Nashville is called the “country capital”. Largely due to the fact that many stars of this musical genre come from the city. Nashville is also famous for musicians of other genres who were either born here, started their careers, or reside in Nashville.
Tourists and guests of the city of Nashville can be pleased with the old urban development, the presence of beautiful administrative buildings, traditional for the state capital, as well as parks, museums, restaurants, sports arenas. The main attraction of the city is the Nashville Parthenon, built in 1897 in honor of the 100th anniversary of the entry of Tennessee into the United States. It is an exact copy of the Athenian Parthenon and is located in the Centennial Park. It is used as a museum, gallery and summer theatre. The Nashville Parthenon is listed as a Historic Site in the United States.
MURFREESBORO
Population: 108.700 thousand people (2010)
Area: 101.5 sq. km
Founded: 1811
City status since: 1817
Time zone: UTC-6, summer UTC-5
Altitude: 186 m
The City of Murfreesboro is located in Rutherford County and includes bodies of water. Through its territory, the small rivers Little Creek and West Fork carry their fast waters – the Stones arm. In the southeast lies Todds Lake with a picturesque coastline. The busiest place of rest is the Old Park with bike paths, picnic areas, playgrounds, golf and baseball fields, and spacious tennis courts. The city limits are crossed by highways and major highways. Murfreesboro is known for its numerous educational institutions, including several academies and three colleges.
The city was founded as a small settlement in 1811 under the name of Cannonsburg. It remained under this name for a short period of time. Within a month it became known as Murfreesboro. The new name was given to him in honor of Lieutenant Colonel Hardy Murphy – the hero of the American Revolutionary War. For a short time, from 1818 to 1826, the city was the capital of the state. He then transferred his high status to Nashville. The city went down in history as a settlement, on the outskirts of which in the winter of 1862 a major battle took place between two armies: Tennessee and Cumberland.
In the initial period of its development, the city was known as a settlement with an agrarian bias. Its population was mainly engaged in the cultivation of tobacco, corn and cotton. At the beginning of the 20th century, an educational institution for teacher training was opened, which 14 years later was transformed into an institute. By the end of the 1940s, the agricultural sector was replaced by industrial production. In the future, the settlement began to develop in an industrial direction.
The city is famous for its sights. Among them are the Murfreesboro Islamic Center, the Stones River National Battlefield Historical Park, the First Presbyterian Church, the cedar bucket – the largest in the world, restored in 2011. Numerous musical events and festivals take place here every year. In 1964, the “Little Theater” was opened. Its feature is non-standard performances. The city is also known as the birthplace of many famous musicians.
