What Is Sevier Park?
- 2 sections
- 1 table
- 3 sources cited
Sevier Park is the public park at the heart of the 12 South neighborhood, opened in 1948 on the grounds of Sunnyside, a Greek Revival house built around 1852. Granville Sevier bought the house in 1927. After his death in 1945, his heirs sold the property to the city of Nashville, and the park opened three years later. It added a community center in 1963, along with picnic shelters, tennis courts, a playground, and a basketball court (Nashville Sites). The house has Civil War history: Sunnyside stood between the Union and Confederate lines during the Battle of Nashville, was badly damaged by artillery from both sides, and was then used to treat Confederate soldiers (Nashville Sites, Civil War tour).
Sevier Park and Sunnyside Timeline
| Year | What happened |
|---|---|
| c. 1852 | Sunnyside built for Mary Childress Benton, a cousin of Sarah Childress Polk |
| December 1864 | the house stood between the lines during the Battle of Nashville, fought December 15 and 16, 1864, and was damaged by artillery |
| 1927 | Granville Sevier bought the house, renovated it, and added the one-story brick wings and a stone office |
| 1945 | after Sevier's death, his heirs sold the property to the city |
| 1948 | Sevier Park opened |
| 1963 | the community center was built |
| 2010 | the Nashville Historical Foundation office moved into the house |
The battle dates are from Wikipedia’s Battle of Nashville article.
Sources: Nashville Sites; Nashville Sites, Civil War tour.
Visiting
- Combine it with 12 South. The park is part of the neighborhood whose restaurants are in the best restaurants in 12 South.
- Bring kids to the playground and courts.
- Look at the house. Sunnyside is one of the stops on Nashville Sites’ Civil War driving tour.
What else the neighborhood offers is in what 12 South is.