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1952 Map of Nashville West

Name: 1952 Topographic Map of Nashville West
Creator: U.S. Geological Survey
Published: 1954
License: https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/mark/1.0/

USGS Topo · Published 1954

About this map

The Cumberland River carves a deep oxbow through this mid-century landscape, separating the dense urban core from the developing outskirts of Bordeaux and Jordonia. This era reveals a city defined by its institutional and educational pillars, with Fisk University, Meharry Medical College, and the Agricultural and Industrial State University established as major landmarks in the western reaches. The infrastructure of the period is highly visible, from the State Penitentiary along the riverbanks to the network of rail lines like the Louisville and Nashville Railroad that fueled the regional economy.

Civic life is centered around the State Capitol and Courthouse, while the city’s expansion is marked by numerous neighborhood schools and green spaces like Centennial Park and Fort Negley Park. The presence of Cumberland Airfield and several prominent radio and television towers, including Television Tower (WSM), reflects the technological growth of the early 1950s. Farther south, Berry Hill and various hospitals, such as the Thayer Veterans Hospital, illustrate the postwar growth of the metropolitan footprint.