NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — A historic Nashville landmark once feared lost is beginning a new chapter.
Fort Negley, a key site in the city’s Civil War history, has long held a place of importance for both historians and locals. Years ago, community members debated how best to protect and restore the site. Now, those visions are starting to take shape.
Back in 2021, during public meetings for the Fort Negley Master Plan, reactions were blunt. “It is a disaster. It is an embarrassment,” one participant said at the time.
For Friends of Fort Negley President Cyril Stewart, honoring the site’s deep history has remained central to the restoration plans. “At least 2,700 formerly enslaved people came and worked to build this fort, and a lot of them went on to become colored troops to defend the fort and the city,” Stewart said.
Nearly four years later, crews are repairing damaged stonework and preparing for larger improvements. “This is what the new park will look like—so we will go from this to that,” Stewart said, pointing to renderings of the future site.
Repairs have been underway throughout the summer. “You can see we have more stonework to do up there, where it’s crumbled and needs to be rebuilt,” Stewart said.
The project calls for transforming the former Nashville Sounds stadium into a memorial lawn, improving walking trails, restoring native grasslands, and expanding the visitor center. The first phase alone carries an $11 million price tag.
“Bids are due this month,” Stewart said. “We hope to start construction around the first of the year, to really get this park down to 64 acres.”
The full restoration is expected to cost $40 million. For Stewart and others, the project is about more than preservation—it’s about connection.
“The events that will happen here will not only create new memories for families and people growing up here but also help them understand about our past and how our future is based on that,” he said.
More information, here.
This story was reported on-air by reporter Aaron Cantrell and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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