Nashville Tenn. The Athens of the South
Title
Nashville Tenn. The Athens of the South
Subject
Tourism, Nashville, Postcards
Description
This is a fold out postcard folder for Nashville, Tennessee, commonly sold to tourists in the 1930s-1950s. The title, “The Athens of the South”, seen on the front of the card, is referencing Tennessee’s popular nickname originating from its full-scale replica of the famous temple, Parthenon, originally located in Athens, Greece. The replica was built in 1897 for the Tennessee Centennial Exposition, which was a huge celebration for the 100th anniversary of the state.
ID:
Front: A detailed drawing of Tennessee’s State Capitol on the left side with an illustration of 2 yellow irises in front of a black background on the left edge of the postcard. Above it, the title is shown in red, orange, and yellow, with a box to place a stamp on the top right. On the bottom right, three lines are shown for text to be written.
Back: A detailed drawing of The Cumberland River on a sunny day shown with a large red and pink flower bush in the front partially covering the river. Behind it, the river is shown still with green foliage on each side. Vibrant hues of blue, pastel yellow, pink, and green, shine through.
Physical Dimensions: Cover – 4 in (10.16 cm) x 6 in (15.24 cm); Unfolded – 36 in (91.44 cm) x 6 in (15.24 cm)
ID:
Front: A detailed drawing of Tennessee’s State Capitol on the left side with an illustration of 2 yellow irises in front of a black background on the left edge of the postcard. Above it, the title is shown in red, orange, and yellow, with a box to place a stamp on the top right. On the bottom right, three lines are shown for text to be written.
Back: A detailed drawing of The Cumberland River on a sunny day shown with a large red and pink flower bush in the front partially covering the river. Behind it, the river is shown still with green foliage on each side. Vibrant hues of blue, pastel yellow, pink, and green, shine through.
Physical Dimensions: Cover – 4 in (10.16 cm) x 6 in (15.24 cm); Unfolded – 36 in (91.44 cm) x 6 in (15.24 cm)
Source
From the Collection of Lydia E. Ferguson
Date
1930-1950
Contributor
Kaylah Hester
Rights
This material is subject to copyright law and is made available for private study, scholarship, and research purposes only.
Format
JPG
Language
English
Type
Physical Object
Collection
Citation
“Nashville Tenn. The Athens of the South,” Aegis Digital Museum, accessed December 8, 2025, https://aegisdigitalmuseum.kennesaw.edu/items/show/260.


