Nashville Tennessee 1950 Photos Photo Gallery by Chip Curley at pbase.com

Nashville Tennessee 1950 Photos

Click on the pictures for full size. Please visit my Nashville Websites and my Nashville Memories Website and my other photo galleries.
These pictures were taken from a book published by Youth Incorporated in 1950. Contributing Photographers: Paul A. Moore, Robert Holt, Wallace Danley, James E. Dorris and Wiles-Hood

Nashville 1956	Nashville Downtown	Centennial Park Pool	Nashville Children's Museum	Nashville Court House
Nashville East High	Fort Nashborough	Railroad Gulch	Nashville Airport	Percy Warner Park Steps
Shelby Park Lake	Tennessee State Capitol	Nashville Symphony in War Memorial Bldg.	War Memorial Building
St. Marys	West End United Methodist Church	Vine Street Temple	Christ Church Episcopal	First Presbyterian
Youth Incorporated Students	Green Hills around 1960	My childhood home at 115 Woodmont Blvd. during the huge Nashville snow of Jan. 1951. I was one month old. Chip Curley	Elks Lodge Downtown

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gazon		26-Jun-2015 15:40
You should continue, you have a talent.

megansummers		07-Jun-2012 05:56
My grandmother passed two years ago and I recently found the book that these pictures came from. Its still in really good condition other than the smoke smell. I loved all the information that was in it.

Brad Frakes		15-Feb-2012 03:19
I used to have a set of photos of downtown Nashville in the 1950's. Black & whites with Pedestrians, etc. They stayed with the office when I left and I've never been able to find the same copies. Anyone have any ideas?

Stan Simm		15-Aug-2011 00:07
These pics really brought back the memories! Chip, I went to Woodmont School with Robin Curley. Your brother? Remember the "Blizzard quite well. I was 11 years old. The entire city was at a standstill for 2 weeks.

Guest		28-Jun-2011 22:39
I loved all the pictures. It brought back time of a lot of fond memories from my childhood. I was born and raised in Nashville. I remember the 1951 big snow. I was very young. A lot of work has been put into this. I thank you the work accomplished. Betty Hulan Smith

Ray Erlandson		14-Jul-2010 19:06
Great photos!

Bobbie Vickers		08-Jul-2010 16:12
My husband worked at Curley Printing Co, is there a connection?

Mary Ann Young Robinson		16-Jun-2010 17:53
It is so comforting to look at all of these photos.....lived in Madison from 1951 to 1972, Nashville, 1972-74. I love coming to Nashville anytime, but these memories from the photos are so joyful.....Thanks for all of the work.....Mary Ann Young Robinson, Boise, ID

Earl Johnson		30-Dec-2009 03:32
Chip--the picture of your home during the 1951 Blizzard brings back memories. I was four at the time and had never seen snow and was delighted to play in it. The adults were all upset about power lines being down. My grandfather, who was visiting from Montana said "It's a crying shame this boy doesn't have a sled," so after the storm he went out and bought me the finest sled money could buy. I finally got to use it in 1963. It didn't snow in all that time. I was in junior high.

Jimmy Vester		09-Dec-2009 18:00
Hi Chip, I lived on Battlefield Dr. during the snow of 1951. I was just 4 years old but I remember it fairly well. I remember that family members from Franklin and the airport area came to our house because we still had electricity. My Dad talked about this event his whole life. Thanks for the photos, they were great!

Jonathan		04-Jun-2009 04:15
That picture is not of West End High School, it is a picture of Tennessee State University

paultank		22-Apr-2009 02:32
Sorry , but the picture of West High is not correct! I attended 1946-49 and graduated

Guest		13-Sep-2008 19:07
On the comment from Joe Velasquez, if anyone would like to E-mail me please feel free at veco_two@hotmail.com Thanks Joe , Phoenix, Az.

Joe ( Shades ) Velasquez		12-Sep-2008 20:44
A friend of mine from California e-mailed me, informing of this site, and when I went to it, I became a little nostalgic. The photos are great and they bring back wonderful memories of your great city and surroundings. I, in 1955 as a seventeen year old soldier, stationed at Ft.Campbell,Kentucky would spend whatever weekends I could in Nashville. On saturday nights I would go dancing at the downtown YMCA where I met and made friends with students that attended various High Schools surrounding your city, especially East High School located on Gallatin Avenue. I, along with my friends spent hours in Shelby Park, Centennial Park, the parthenon and other parks. Thanks for the memories. Regards, Joe (Shades) Velasquez

Michael Rodgers		29-Aug-2008 04:54
My father "Jimmie Rodgers" was stationed at the nearby Air Force base in 1955. He took a job singing at a little club called "Club Unique". He sang, played piano and guitar for $10.00 a night and all the beer he could drink. The bartender "Bobby Green" asked him to learn a song called "Honeycomb" and in 1957 he took that song and many others after it to # 1. It all started on Printers Alley. Years later in 1994 I got a job singing at Skull Schulmans Rainbow Room on Printers Alley. Amazing how life turns in the circles that it does. Love your site. Michael Rodgers.

Larry Reid		18-Feb-2008 17:04
To Christie Stoner - I remember your father and thought very highly of him. I was in a band called "The DeVilles." When we played for a dance in the community center in East Nashville we performed the song "Shotgun." To simulate the sound of the shotgun on the original record, I had purchased a .22 cal. blank pistol. We took a break after that song and I went outside to show Alan Gregory and Eddie Lunn that my new pistol also shot these really cool flares. After one or two flares I was surrounded by police! I explained that it was not a real gun and could only fire blanks and flares. They told me that if I wanted it back I would have to talk to Lt. Charles Stoner. The next week I made an appointment and went to his office. He was a bit ominous at first but he treated me with respect and I returned the favor. He even returned my little fake firearm. What a great guy! I will never forget that he had a unique office decoration. There was a skull wearing a baseball cap. I remember thinking that this was the coolest thing I had ever seen. At this moment I have a (resin) replica human skull wearing a Russian fur hat on my computer station. I call him Ivan. I'm sure your Dad would approve! Thank you Chip for this forum.

Frances Watts Prince		13-Feb-2008 15:40
I just found this site. These pictures are great. The 'Children's Museum' brings back wonderful memories for me. My family used to live across the street from the musuem and Howard School. I used to go there as a child and I especially remember the room where they shut the doors and it was very dark, and they had all the stars in the ceiling. It was wonderful. All the little pygmy or native or whatever they were figures used to scare me to death! We also attended the Youth Hobby Shop down the road and went to church with them every sunday. Thanks for the pictures. As an 8 year old child I was sent, along with 5 other of my sisters, to live at the Tennessee Orphans Home, in Spring Hill, TN, now the Tennessee Children's HOme in Spring Hill, TN. So getting to see all these pictures was great. We were the 'Watts' family and always lived in the area around Shelby Street. Frances Watts Prince (fwprince@charter.net)

Vikke		25-Oct-2007 11:22
Being a baby boomer, I certainly appreaiate the nostalgia of the era. In the early 60's, I would come to Nashville to stay with my two aunts. This was the largest city I had ever been to at the time, and the skyscrapers fascinated me most. My favorite memory was of a Christmas visit to the nativity scene at the Parthenon.

melissa miller		04-Sep-2007 16:40
I remember going to Centennial park in the summers for their Art in the park days. I also remember going to Shelby park and playing on the old train caboose. We lived in the suburbs,Crieve Hall and I attended St.Edwards catholic school. My dad worked at the TENNESSEAN and WLAC,so my childhood was a blast. He also called the stock car races at the fairgrounds on Friday. I loved going to the state fair,Harvey's,the cascade pool and shopping downtown.

Lee Hays		27-Aug-2007 18:44
My friends and I spent hours in Percy and Edwin Warner parks during the 1950's. We would ride our bikes throughout the roads, and even down the horse trails. They had a horse stable there near the golf course and you could ride a horse in the park for cheap. The picture of the entrance, looking down Belle Meade blvd. sure does conjure up memories. I used to take my girlfriend there for a scenic view. Great days. Lee Hays - Hillsboro High School - 1966

Guest		26-Aug-2007 19:14
My name is Renée Antoine and I live in Antwerp,Belgium. In 1950,I was one of the "foreign students",invited by Youth Incorporated,and I have the same photograph of "outstanding Nashville students",in the book that was published to give these 22 young Europeans some views on the state they would be visiting. The project was called Hands across the Sea,and we were even invited by president H.Truman.For all of us,probably not all alive,I'm afraid,it was an unbelievable adventure,not long after having lived-in different ways-through a terrible war.I wonder if the "outstanding Nashville students" remember us.I do remember names,like Sarah Sharp,or Molly Mc Namara.My address is renee.antoine@belgacom.net.

Lydia Vaughn Webb		26-Jul-2007 13:44
I am going to send this limk to my sister, we lived in Nashville on South 17th streed and went to Shelby park all the time. We were the Vaughn family and my sister is still searching for old friends from that neighborhood. I know we were there during the years of 1960 thru 1964. Our old house burned down after we moved in late 1964. It was really nice to look at all the old pictures.

Randy Danley		18-Dec-2006 03:12
I found this site by doing a search for Wallace Danley. Now deceased, he was my uncle. I knew he was a photographer for the state of Tennessee and I wanted to see if I could locate any of his photography. While I do not know which of these pictures he took, I still enjoyed them very much having been to most of the pictured locations as a child.

Joyce Jackson		05-Dec-2006 01:29
Larry Jordan a friend of mine from Panora, Iowa e-mailed me about this site and when I went to it, I like some others became a bit nostalgic...I moved to Nashville from Pewee Valley, Ky. in January of 1958 and on the 29th became the secretary to Country Music's legend, Gentleman Jim Reeves. I was with Jim Reeves Enterprises for 30 plus years and have seen most of the places shown here because I stayed in Nashville until May of 2005. I moved to Colorado at that time so it was quite refreshing to re-visit these known places. Thanks..

Harold Kilburn		18-Nov-2006 01:42
Enjoyed viewing your site, yes I remember them all, my father "shorty" ran a novelty stand across from Mr. Harveys Department store next to the old Warner Building on Church St. for years later the building became the Sudekum building named after its owner, who built the Tennessee Theatre. Do you remember the old train station on Broadway or the Customs Building how about the old Woodland St. bridge, i used to play on it when I was a kid and worked for Western Union delivering telegrams on my bicycle in snappy uniform.

Guest		18-Sep-2006 18:23
Thanks so much for all of the photos!! I (along with my entire family) was born and raised here in Nashville. So, this gives me the warm, fuzzy feeling of nostalgia. I remember going on field trips to the Children's museum, etc. Thanks again...I love it!

Norman Morgan		27-Jun-2006 23:49
My granddad lived less than 200 yards from you as the crow flies, at 125 Kenner Ave. I think they moved there in 1956 when Vanderbilt bought all of the properties on what used to be called Highland Ave. to build a new athletic center. He had lived on Highland right across from the student gate of Dudley Field.

Christie Stoner		27-Dec-2005 07:04
My Father was "Lt. Charles Stoner" who was responsible for Nashville's first teen curfew, around 1967. We had a "combo" party after a ballgame at Antioch with "The Gremlins" band. He told us to tell the band not to go to Shoneys after curfew because the Youth Aid squad would be there arresting kids. They went anyway and all went to jail!Lt. Stoner (actually a Captain) was also head of the first Vice Squad for the police department during the 60's drug scene. Everyone was scared to death of him!

Andrea L. Kennedy		22-Oct-2005 02:53
My grandparents lived at 126 Woodmont Blvd. My grandfather was a concert pianist~Lawrence Goodman. He also had his own radio program for several years on WSM. I have so many fond memories of summers spent with my grandparents, & was sad to learn that their home was torn down in recent years, havin been replaced with apartments. The house across the street from them was there during the Civil War, & looked very similar to the one in the 'snow' picture. Thankyou for the memories.

Lynne Jones		26-Sep-2005 19:45
I found this site looking for memories of old nashville - And I am exited because I found my Aunt's picture who is now deceased - she is Annie Mai Alred in the photo "Youth Incorporated Students) 4th from the left on front row - I had always heard stories of what a good student she was and all of her acomplishments - so I thought I would check it out and low and behold there she was, it was great - thanks for posting

Guest		08-Sep-2005 06:23
I found this site by searching for something else, and was extremely amazed. I just wanted to say this was a great trip down memory lane. Wonderful site.

Guest		27-Nov-2004 17:41
Thanks for the memories. It's wonderful.

Tony Stallard		21-Mar-2004 22:04
What a wonderful thing to have for your city. A single moment frozen in time is a truth one can turn to now and again. I love your city and I find myself turning to my yesterdays more as I grow older. If you have any photos of 16th and 17th Avenues South between 1954 and 1962, please contact me. I am a writer doing research for a book about those times in Nashville. I am searching for an early photo of Owen Bradley's Quonset hut studio, ca. 1955-1961 Regards, Tony Stallard, Lexington, Kentucky

Karen Boland		13-Nov-2003 16:01
This gallery of nashville in the 1950's are the oldest pictures I have ever seen of nashville. They are wonderful to look at, so are all of the other wonderful photos. Keep up the great work and continue to honor our beautiful city.

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