Donelson, Tennessee
Encyclopedia
Donelson is a neighborhood of Nashville, Tennessee
located east of downtown
Nashville along U.S. Highway 70. It is named in honor of John Donelson
, co-founder of Nashville and father-in-law of Andrew Jackson
, Nashvillian and seventh President of the United States
. It is incorporated as part of the Metropolitan Government of Nashville and Davidson County.
Donelson began its development shortly after World War II
. Its location adjacent to Nashville's airport
led to much of its early growth; it was also the site of an early example of what would later be called a shopping center or "strip mall", Donelson Plaza.
Donelson is now an example of an early postwar suburb with a stock of mostly half-century old, red brick, detached ranch-style homes. However, there has been some tendency for infill in recent years, largely tied into the expansion of sewer
s. The area's desirability was increased somewhat by the impoundment of Percy Priest Lake
on the Stones River
in the late 1960s which increased summertime recreational opportunities greatly.
Donelson was the home of the former Opryland USA
theme park
, which closed in 1997. This property is now the Opry Mills
shopping mall and the Grand Ole Opry
. It is usually considered as something of a unit along with the adjacent neighborhood of Hermitage
, located just across the Stones River along US Highway 70; the two communities share a Chamber of Commerce
.
As with most unincorporated communities which are not census-designated place
s, making a realistic estimate of the community's population is very problematic. Donelson is generally considered to be coextensive with the United States Postal Service
's ZIP Code
37214, which is the ZIP Code for the Nashville Post Office
's Donelson Station.
The community has a station on the new Music City Star
commuter rail line, which began operation in September 2006.
In recent years, the Donelson community has witnessed the growth of two 501(c)3 groups that are working to increase community awareness and involvement. The Donelson Gateway Project (www.donelsongateway.org) is a group dedicated to beautifying Donelson through private/public partnership and has landscaped three main entrances with signage. Plans are in place to expand the efforts. The Friends of Two Rivers Mansion group (www.friendsoftworiversmansion.org) has successfully helped save an 1859 antebellum mansion and surrounding property from further degradation and continues work to restore, preserve, and expand the Mansion's use for community events. The inaugural "Music at the Mansion" event featuring the Nashville Blues Society brought close to 500 people to celebrate a night of community, music, and awareness of the Two Rivers Mansion.
Nashville, Tennessee
Nashville is the capital of the U.S. state of Tennessee and the county seat of Davidson County. It is located on the Cumberland River in Davidson County, in the north-central part of the state. The city is a center for the health care, publishing, banking and transportation industries, and is home...
located east of downtown
Downtown
Downtown is a term primarily used in North America by English speakers to refer to a city's core or central business district ....
Nashville along U.S. Highway 70. It is named in honor of John Donelson
John Donelson
Col. John Donelson , explorer and adventurer, was, with James Robertson, co-founder of Fort Nashborough in 1780, which would eventually become the city of Nashville, Tennessee. Donelson was the father of Rachel Jackson, the wife of seventh President of the United States, Andrew Jackson. His...
, co-founder of Nashville and father-in-law of Andrew Jackson
Andrew Jackson
Andrew Jackson was the seventh President of the United States . Based in frontier Tennessee, Jackson was a politician and army general who defeated the Creek Indians at the Battle of Horseshoe Bend , and the British at the Battle of New Orleans...
, Nashvillian and seventh President of the United States
President of the United States
The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
. It is incorporated as part of the Metropolitan Government of Nashville and Davidson County.
Donelson began its development shortly after World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. Its location adjacent to Nashville's airport
Nashville International Airport
Nashville International Airport is a joint civil-military airport in southeastern Nashville, Tennessee. The IATA Airport Code BNA is derived from the early name of the facility—Berry Field, NAshville. Berry Field was the name of the airport until 1988, when the name was changed to reflect...
led to much of its early growth; it was also the site of an early example of what would later be called a shopping center or "strip mall", Donelson Plaza.
Donelson is now an example of an early postwar suburb with a stock of mostly half-century old, red brick, detached ranch-style homes. However, there has been some tendency for infill in recent years, largely tied into the expansion of sewer
Sanitary sewer
A sanitary sewer is a separate underground carriage system specifically for transporting sewage from houses and commercial buildings to treatment or disposal. Sanitary sewers serving industrial areas also carry industrial wastewater...
s. The area's desirability was increased somewhat by the impoundment of Percy Priest Lake
Percy Priest Lake
J. Percy Priest Lake is a reservoir in north central Tennessee. It is formed by J. Percy Priest Dam, located between miles six and seven of the Stones River. The dam is located about 10 miles east of downtown Nashville and impounds a lake 42 miles long...
on the Stones River
Stones River
The Stones River is a major stream of the eastern portion of Tennessee's Nashville Basin region.-Geography and hydrography:The Stones River is composed of three major forks: the West, Middle, and East forks. The West Fork, long, rises in southernmost Rutherford County near the Bedford County...
in the late 1960s which increased summertime recreational opportunities greatly.
Donelson was the home of the former Opryland USA
Opryland USA
Opryland USA was an amusement park located in suburban Nashville, Tennessee. It operated seasonally from 1972 until 1997...
theme park
Amusement park
thumb|Cinderella Castle in [[Magic Kingdom]], [[Disney World]]Amusement and theme parks are terms for a group of entertainment attractions and rides and other events in a location for the enjoyment of large numbers of people...
, which closed in 1997. This property is now the Opry Mills
Opry Mills
Opry Mills is a super-regional shopping mall owned by Simon Property Group, formerly by its initial owners Mills Corporation and Gaylord Entertainment...
shopping mall and the Grand Ole Opry
Grand Ole Opry
The Grand Ole Opry is a weekly country music stage concert in Nashville, Tennessee, that has presented the biggest stars of that genre since 1925. It is also among the longest-running broadcasts in history since its beginnings as a one-hour radio "barn dance" on WSM-AM...
. It is usually considered as something of a unit along with the adjacent neighborhood of Hermitage
Hermitage, Tennessee
Hermitage, Tennessee is a section of Metropolitan Nashville, Tennessee located in eastern Davidson County, adjacent to, and named in honor of, The Hermitage, home of Andrew Jackson, seventh President of the United States...
, located just across the Stones River along US Highway 70; the two communities share a Chamber of Commerce
Chamber of commerce
A chamber of commerce is a form of business network, e.g., a local organization of businesses whose goal is to further the interests of businesses. Business owners in towns and cities form these local societies to advocate on behalf of the business community...
.
As with most unincorporated communities which are not census-designated place
Census-designated place
A census-designated place is a concentration of population identified by the United States Census Bureau for statistical purposes. CDPs are delineated for each decennial census as the statistical counterparts of incorporated places such as cities, towns and villages...
s, making a realistic estimate of the community's population is very problematic. Donelson is generally considered to be coextensive with the United States Postal Service
United States Postal Service
The United States Postal Service is an independent agency of the United States government responsible for providing postal service in the United States...
's ZIP Code
ZIP Code
ZIP codes are a system of postal codes used by the United States Postal Service since 1963. The term ZIP, an acronym for Zone Improvement Plan, is properly written in capital letters and was chosen to suggest that the mail travels more efficiently, and therefore more quickly, when senders use the...
37214, which is the ZIP Code for the Nashville Post Office
Post office
A post office is a facility forming part of a postal system for the posting, receipt, sorting, handling, transmission or delivery of mail.Post offices offer mail-related services such as post office boxes, postage and packaging supplies...
's Donelson Station.
The community has a station on the new Music City Star
Music City Star
The Music City Star is a regional rail service running between Nashville and Lebanon, Tennessee. The service uses the existing track of the Nashville and Eastern Railroad. The line currently has six stops: Riverfront Station, Donelson, Hermitage, Mt. Juliet, Martha , and Lebanon. The operation...
commuter rail line, which began operation in September 2006.
In recent years, the Donelson community has witnessed the growth of two 501(c)3 groups that are working to increase community awareness and involvement. The Donelson Gateway Project (www.donelsongateway.org) is a group dedicated to beautifying Donelson through private/public partnership and has landscaped three main entrances with signage. Plans are in place to expand the efforts. The Friends of Two Rivers Mansion group (www.friendsoftworiversmansion.org) has successfully helped save an 1859 antebellum mansion and surrounding property from further degradation and continues work to restore, preserve, and expand the Mansion's use for community events. The inaugural "Music at the Mansion" event featuring the Nashville Blues Society brought close to 500 people to celebrate a night of community, music, and awareness of the Two Rivers Mansion.