What Is the Difference Between Germantown and 12 South?
- 2 sections
- 1 table
- 6 sources cited
Germantown is a historic district of about 18 blocks just north of downtown, settled by German immigrants from the 1840s and listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1979. Its restaurants sit among 19th-century houses next to the Nashville Farmers’ Market. 12 South is a strip of shops and restaurants along 12th Avenue South, about 3 miles south of Lower Broadway, beside Sevier Park and its 1850s Sunnyside house. Germantown suits a dinner on historic blocks close to downtown; 12 South suits a daytime visit for brunch, shopping, and the park.
Side by Side
| Germantown | 12 South | |
|---|---|---|
| Location | north-northwest of downtown, about 1.5 miles from Lower Broadway by road | south-southwest of downtown, about 3.0 miles by road |
| Shape | a historic district bounded by Jefferson Street, 3rd Avenue North, Taylor Street, and 8th Avenue North | a commercial strip along 12th Avenue South |
| History | immigrants from Germany built homes there from the 1840s; listed on the National Register in 1979; Historic Germantown calls it Nashville's first suburb and notes it is a city arboretum with more than 100 tree species | Sunnyside, the house in Sevier Park, was built around 1852, stood between the lines during the Battle of Nashville, and was bought by Granville Sevier in 1927; his heirs sold the property to the city |
| Landmarks nearby | the Nashville Farmers' Market, 900 Rosa L. Parks Boulevard | Sevier Park, with Sunnyside |
| Example restaurant that names the area on its site | Henrietta Red, 1200 4th Avenue North | Edley's Bar-B-Que, which lists a 12 South location |
Sources: Wikipedia on the Germantown Historic District, Historic Germantown, Nashville Sites on Sunnyside at Sevier Park and its Civil War tour stop, which also notes that the park’s northeast corner is now the main pedestrian entry from the 12 South neighborhood, Henrietta Red, and Edley’s Bar-B-Que. Distances and directions are from Lower Broadway at Fifth Avenue, by OSRM routing, calculated October 24, 2026.
Choosing Between Them
- Closer to downtown. Germantown is about half the distance of 12 South, so it pairs more easily with an evening downtown.
- A park in the plan. 12 South sits beside Sevier Park.
- A morning or an evening. Brunch spots on either side can mean a wait on weekends, so book where you can.
- Walking around. Germantown ranked fifth in Walk Score’s March 2024 list of Nashville’s most walkable neighborhoods; that list is in which Nashville neighborhoods are walkable.
Both are a short ride from downtown; distances in detail are in how far Germantown is from downtown. Choosing a base for the whole trip is in what neighborhood to stay in.