Nashville

Davidson County, Nashville offers its residents a big city atmosphere with a small town living. Nashville has become a very diverse community, not only with its residents, but with its culture as well. Davidson County has also become very appealing for many major businesses looking to relocate. Dollar General and Gaylord Entertainment are just a few of the business headquarters located here. Nashville is also known as "Music City USA," because of the Grand Ole Opry and the numerous recording labels located on Music Row. Many famous people have walked through the streets of Nashville and left behind a legacy for future generations to come.

Education

Education has always been a priority for the citizens of Nashville, a city that has earned the title "Athens of the South." Prior to the Civil War, the Nashville Female Academy was in operation, demonstrating a commitment to higher education for all citizens at a time when women were largely neglected. Of the twenty colleges and universities, fifteen are located within the city itself. Many offer master's, doctoral and first professional degree programs. Among their ranks are the prestigious Vanderbilt University; Fisk University, one of the first private schools dedicated to the education of African Americans; and Meharry Medical College, which has educated more black doctors than all other medical colleges in the world. Meharry has also formed an alliance with Vanderbilt, together they are leading the way in education and research.

Elementary and secondary schools in the Davidson County-Nashville Metropolitan school system are dedicated to providing a solid foundation and progressive learning environment for all students, with first-rate instruction from kindergarten to twelfth grade. In addition to honoring the traditional educational programs, metro teachers have developed highly successful comprehensive improvement programs in the specific areas of communications, reading, and math. Implementation of this focused, innovative curriculum has yielded an upward trend in composite scores on standardized achievement test fort he past ten years.

As an alternative to the public school system, Nashville also offers a wide selection of parochial and private schools designed to provide specialized, enhanced or church-related learning environments

Transportation

Since the days when the city was first established, Nashville's location along the Cumberland River has provided the city with exceptional opportunities for commerce and industry. More recently, railroads and highways have provided an efficient transportation system for the transport of goods and services throughout the country. Strategically positioned within 600 miles and less than one day's drive from 50% of the U.S. population, Nashville enjoys a prime geographic location. Three major interstates link the Nashville area with the rest of the country, I-40, I-24, and I-65. Nashville also has an extensive freight railroad system with CSX offering service directly from the city to nineteen other states. The Cumberland River creates a scenic backdrop as it meanders around the majority of the downtown area providing an essential barge route. The Metropolitan Transit Authority (MTA) operates bus service within the inner-city and suburban areas of Nashville. Local and express service to and from downtown Nashville is available for commuters via Park 'N Ride locations throughout Davidson County and surrounding counties, and a ride-matching service is available for those interested in forming vanpools and carpools.

The Arts

With Nashville's rich, colorful history and dominance in the musical and entertainment fields, it is little wonder that cultural activities are not only abundant but of the finest quality. The Tennessee Performing Arts Center (TPAC) is home to the Nashville Ballet, Nashville Opera, Nashville Opera Theatre, Nashville Symphony Orchestra, Broadway Series and Tennessee Repertory Theatre. The center also carries the distinction of being the first state-funded performing arts facility in the United States. The TPAC boasts three separate stages, providing an elaborate, state-of-the-art setting capable of accommodating the majority of Nashville's fine arts performances. Nashville is also home to many notable art museums, the foremost of which is the renowned Parthenon. This magnificent concrete structure had its beginnings at the 1897 Tennessee State Centennial, the wood and stucco replica was so popular that the city decided to build a permanent model in Centennial Park. Other art museums include: The Frist Visual Arts Center, Cheekwood Fine Arts Center, Tennessee Arts Commission Gallery, Vaanguard Gallery and Carl Van Vechten Gallery at Fisk University. Since Nashville is Music City USA, it offers thirteen specialized music museums as well as twelve traditional and historic museums. Unique collections and memorabilia from country music history can be found in such attraction as The Country Music Hall of Fame and Grand Ole Opry Museum. Among the wide selection of traditional museums that hold equal fascination for residents and visitors are the Museum of Tobacco Art & History, Tennessee State Museum, and Nashville Toy Museum.

Health Care

Numerous health care facilities operate within the Nashville-Davidson County area. The community of Madison is home to: Skyline Medical Center formerly known as Nashville Memorial Hospital and Tennessee Christian Medical Center. Summit Medical Center formerly Donelson Hospital, is located in Hermitage. Among Nashville's specialized care centers are the Centennial Medical Centers which includes the Women's Hospital. Vanderbilt University, along with its other hospitals and clinics, features a Children's Hospital and Psychiatric Hospital. St. Thomas Hospital is ranked among the top 100 hospitals in the nation.

Lifestyle

Challenging public and private golf courses comprised of expansive, lush greens combine with an abundance of tennis courts, swimming pools and verdant neighborhood parks to offer residents the finest in recreation facilities and amenities. Dotted with ball fields and playgrounds, Nashville's 76 beautiful city parks cover a full 6,600 acres of the city, making it the undisputed leader in per capita parks for the entire country. Serving as the central park of the metropolitan area is Centennial Park, located two miles of downtown Nashville along West End Avenue. Offering a comfortable outdoor setting for concerts and plays, it has become a favorite gathering place for the entire community. To further distinguish its position as the recreational and cultural hub, the park is the site of the Parthenon, Nashville's Art Museum, and the Centennial Sportsplex. As the city's premier recreational sports center, the Sportsplex features an aquatic center with an Olympic-size 50 meter pool, a year-around ice arena, 17 outdoor tennis courts, a 2,600 seat stadium and a fitness center. Nashville's Metro Parks has also started and implemented an innovative system where linear parks or greenways will form a connecting network between activity centers such as neighborhoods, traditional parks, downtown areas, and recreational facilities. Walking, bicycling, and nature trails throughout the entire system will combine to make this an ideal environment for family relaxation and exercise.