Porch notes
- Edgefield became the first residential district in Nashville listed in the National Register in 1977, and the city’s first historic zoning district in May 1978.
- A 1916 fire swept through Edgefield and destroyed nearly 648 homes; many bungalows stand on the sites of the lost Victorians.
- Shelby Park, about two miles from downtown on the Cumberland, covers more than 1,200 acres together with Shelby Bottoms.
Across the Cumberland River from downtown, East Nashville is a patchwork of Victorian cottages, bungalows, mid-century houses and new infill, with Gallatin Pike and a string of small commercial corners running through it. It is one of the most sought-after parts of the city for buyers who want an older house, a walkable street and a park nearby. Its history explains a lot about what you will find on the market.
From Edgefield to East Nashville
The Metro Historic Zoning Commission’s Edgefield guidelines tell the story. The land was part of a Revolutionary War grant, and in 1818 a 640-acre piece was given to Dr. John Shelby as a Christmas gift by his father. A former governor who lived in the area is credited with naming it Edgefield, after a view of fields at the edge of a forest.
In 1853 a suspension bridge was built across the Cumberland, and Shelby subdivided most of his land into lots. Edgefield was incorporated as its own town in 1868; the census of the next year counted 3,457 residents and 675 homes. Nashville expanded its city limits to include it in 1880, and streetcars later carried residents across the Woodland Street and Shelby Street bridges as the neighborhood grew east into Lockeland Springs and the East End.
Fire, decline and revival
In 1916 a fire swept through Edgefield and destroyed nearly 648 homes. Rebuilding was slowed by the First World War, and bungalows rose on the sites of lost Italianate and Queen Anne houses. That is why the neighborhood mixes styles block by block. Later, as cars made suburbs farther out more attractive, many houses were divided into apartments, and urban renewal in 1959 demolished many more.
In the early 1970s new owners began restoring the old houses. In 1977 Edgefield became the first residential district in Nashville listed in the National Register of Historic Places, and in May 1978 the Metro Council made it the city’s first historic zoning district.
Overlays: check the house first
Much of the area lies in historic overlays, which matter if you plan any exterior work.
| Overlay | Type | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Edgefield | Historic Preservation | A broader range of exterior work is reviewed |
| Lockeland Springs-East End | Neighborhood Conservation | New construction, additions, demolition and relocation are reviewed |
| Eastwood | Neighborhood Conservation | Same review scope as other conservation districts |
| Inglewood Place | Neighborhood Conservation | Same review scope as other conservation districts |
Use Metro’s Parcel Viewer to check a specific address, and read Historic Overlays in Nashville: What They Mean When You Buy an Old House for how review works. If you are buying a cottage with plans for a big rear addition, talk to historic zoning staff before you make an offer.
Shelby Park and the river
East Nashville’s big green space is Shelby Park, which Metro Parks describes as a 300-acre park about two miles from downtown along the Cumberland River. Together with Shelby Bottoms Natural Area it covers more than 1,200 acres. The park board bought the first 151 acres in 1909 for $40,000 from the creditors of a bankrupt land company that had run an amusement park there, and Shelby Park opened to the public on July 4, 1912. Its community center offers free programs and courts.
From Shelby Bottoms, a pedestrian bridge over the Cumberland connects to the Stones River Greenway and Two Rivers Park in Donelson, so cyclists and runners can travel a long way off the road.
Where the neighborhood is heading
The East Nashville Community Plan, part of the countywide NashvilleNext plan, guides zoning decisions. Metro lists several pieces of supplemental guidance:
- A Gallatin Pike Urban Design Overlay supporting a more pedestrian- and transit-oriented corridor.
- A Highland Heights Small Area Plan, used as a starting point for zone changes and investment.
- A trail-oriented development policy encouraging trails, bike paths and sidewalks in an area underserved by them.
- A policy for a former pottery and pipe works site that allows more intensity while reusing its interesting old buildings.
For buyers, those documents hint at what may be built nearby, especially along Gallatin Pike.
Checks for an older house
- Disclosure: Tennessee sellers must give a property disclosure statement under Tenn. Code Ann. 66-5-202. In older homes, look closely at answers about lead-based paint, asbestos and water.
- Flooding: the area is close to the river and to creeks. Check FEMA maps and Metro’s Parcel Viewer, and see Flood Risk When Buying in Nashville: Lessons From May 2010.
- Taxes: the 2025 countywide reappraisal set new values for every home. Check the current appraisal and service district.
- Rentals: if you hope to rent part of the home to visitors, owner-occupied permits are possible on many lots; new permits for homes you do not live in are not allowed in standard residential zoning.
Tip: Ask whether a house was built before or after 1916. A bungalow on an old Edgefield street may stand on the site of a lost Victorian, and the period of construction affects both its character and its review under the overlay.
Who it suits
East Nashville suits buyers who want history, character and a short trip to downtown, and who are willing to follow design rules for exterior changes. If you prefer a newer house with fewer restrictions, the suburban neighborhoods covered under Suburban Neighborhoods may be a better fit.