Warner Parks
Encyclopedia
Edwin Warner Park and Percy Warner Park, collectively known as Warner Parks, are two major public park
s in Nashville, Tennessee
. They are part of the park system managed by the Metropolitan Board of Parks and Recreation
of Nashville and Davidson County
. Percy Warner Park's front entrance is located at the end of Belle Meade Boulevard. The parks are listed on the National Register of Historic Places
as Warner Park Historic District. The district is primarily within Nashville along the southern edge of Davidson County, Tennessee
, but it extends into Williamson County, Tennessee
as well.
The two parks are adjacent to each other, separated by Old Hickory Boulevard
, and are located approximately 9 mi (14.5 km) from downtown Nashville. They are bounded on the northwest by Tennessee State Route 100
, on the east and north by Chickering Road, and partially on the south by Old Hickory Blvd. and Vaughn Road. The two parks cover 2684 acres (1,086.2 ha), making the combined parks the largest municipal parks in the state. The parks offer a variety of activities, including hiking trails, cross country courses, and an equestrian center.
. The parks were named for her father, Percy, a member of the old Nashville Board of Park Commissioners and former head of the city's streetcar lines and electric utility, and her uncle Edwin, who was also a park commissioner. The commission developed the parks into their present layout through 1930.
The parks were named to the National Register of Historic Places
in 1984. The listing was for a 2664 acres (1,078.1 ha) historic district
. When listed, the district included five contributing buildings, 36 contributing structures, and 14 contributing sites. Also included were 10 non-contributing buildings, eight non-contributing structures, and five non-contributing sites.
The district has dates of significance in 1927, 1930, and 1941.
The park was assembled by additions of parcels during 1927-1930.
The Warner Park Historic District was further designated a Nashville landmark in 1998.
The parks are home to a steeplechase
course that hosts the Iroquois Steeplechase
, run annually each May since 1941 (with one year off for World War II
) and a fixture on the National Steeplechase Association
circuit. It is the only graded horse race, steeplechase or flat, that is currently run in the state. It is also home to the state championship in cross-country.
The parks are also home to two golf course
s, Harpeth Hills Golf Course and Percy Warner Golf Course, the Warner Park Nature Center, the Rock and Road Relay, Marathon, and 5K and the Harpeth Hills Flying Monkey Marathon
.
Park
A park is a protected area, in its natural or semi-natural state, or planted, and set aside for human recreation and enjoyment, or for the protection of wildlife or natural habitats. It may consist of rocks, soil, water, flora and fauna and grass areas. Many parks are legally protected by...
s in Nashville, Tennessee
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...
. They are part of the park system managed by the Metropolitan Board of Parks and Recreation
Nashville Board of Parks and Recreation
The Nashville Metropolitan Board of Parks and Recreation is the municipal board that is responsible for maintaining the parks system of Nashville, Tennessee, and furnishing recreational opportunities for city's residents. The board maintains over of park space...
of Nashville and Davidson County
Davidson County, Tennessee
Davidson County is a county located in the U.S. state of Tennessee. As of 2010, the population was 626,681. Its county seat is Nashville.In 1963, the City of Nashville and the Davidson County government merged, so the county government is now known as the "Metropolitan Government of Nashville and...
. Percy Warner Park's front entrance is located at the end of Belle Meade Boulevard. The parks are listed on the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
as Warner Park Historic District. The district is primarily within Nashville along the southern edge of Davidson County, Tennessee
Davidson County, Tennessee
Davidson County is a county located in the U.S. state of Tennessee. As of 2010, the population was 626,681. Its county seat is Nashville.In 1963, the City of Nashville and the Davidson County government merged, so the county government is now known as the "Metropolitan Government of Nashville and...
, but it extends into Williamson County, Tennessee
Williamson County, Tennessee
Williamson County is a county in the U.S. state of Tennessee. As of 2010 US Census, the population was 183,182. The County's seat is Franklin, and it is part of the Nashville-Davidson–Murfreesboro–Franklin Metropolitan Statistical Area. The county is named after Hugh Williamson, a...
as well.
The two parks are adjacent to each other, separated by Old Hickory Boulevard
Old Hickory Boulevard
Old Hickory Boulevard is a historic road that encircles Nashville, Tennessee. Originally the road, aided by ferries, formed an unbroken loop around the city...
, and are located approximately 9 mi (14.5 km) from downtown Nashville. They are bounded on the northwest by Tennessee State Route 100
Tennessee State Route 100
State Route 100 is a west–east route that connects Whiteville, Tennessee with Belle Meade, Tennessee.- Route description :Once it leaves SR-15, State Route 100 passes south of Whiteville along with US-64. Then SR-100 passes through an interchange with US-64 and SR-15 and leaves Whiteville...
, on the east and north by Chickering Road, and partially on the south by Old Hickory Blvd. and Vaughn Road. The two parks cover 2684 acres (1,086.2 ha), making the combined parks the largest municipal parks in the state. The parks offer a variety of activities, including hiking trails, cross country courses, and an equestrian center.
History
The parks were opened in 1927, and are on land donated by Percie Warner Lea and her husband, LukeLuke Lea (1879–1945)
Luke Lea was a Democratic United States Senator from Tennessee from 1911 to 1917.-Biography:Lea was the great-grandson of an earlier Luke Lea who was a two-term Congressman from Tennessee in the 1830s...
. The parks were named for her father, Percy, a member of the old Nashville Board of Park Commissioners and former head of the city's streetcar lines and electric utility, and her uncle Edwin, who was also a park commissioner. The commission developed the parks into their present layout through 1930.
The parks were named to the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
in 1984. The listing was for a 2664 acres (1,078.1 ha) historic district
Historic district (United States)
In the United States, a historic district is a group of buildings, properties, or sites that have been designated by one of several entities on different levels as historically or architecturally significant. Buildings, structures, objects and sites within a historic district are normally divided...
. When listed, the district included five contributing buildings, 36 contributing structures, and 14 contributing sites. Also included were 10 non-contributing buildings, eight non-contributing structures, and five non-contributing sites.
The district has dates of significance in 1927, 1930, and 1941.
The park was assembled by additions of parcels during 1927-1930.
The Warner Park Historic District was further designated a Nashville landmark in 1998.
Activities
The parks offer a variety of trails for running and biking. Cars can drive through the park as well. There are also equestrian trails, athletic fields, and a golf course. Percy Warner Park is characterized by a group of steps built into the mountain located at the entrance to the park. Walkers can traverse these steps to reach the base of many hiking and biking trails.The parks are home to a steeplechase
Steeplechase
Steeplechase may refer to:* Steeplechase, an event in horse racing* SteepleChase, a Danish jazz label* Steeplechase , a 1975 arcade game released by Atari...
course that hosts the Iroquois Steeplechase
Iroquois Steeplechase
The Iroquois Steeplechase is an American Grade III NSA sanctioned steeplechase race run each spring at Percy Warner Park in Nashville, Tennessee....
, run annually each May since 1941 (with one year off for 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...
) and a fixture on the National Steeplechase Association
National Steeplechase Association
The National Steeplechase Association is the official sanctioning body of American steeplechase horse racing.The National Steeplechase Association was founded on February 15, 1895 by August Belmont, Jr., the first president of The Jockey Club and chairman of the New York State Racing Commission,...
circuit. It is the only graded horse race, steeplechase or flat, that is currently run in the state. It is also home to the state championship in cross-country.
The parks are also home to two golf course
Golf course
A golf course comprises a series of holes, each consisting of a teeing ground, fairway, rough and other hazards, and a green with a flagstick and cup, all designed for the game of golf. A standard round of golf consists of playing 18 holes, thus most golf courses have this number of holes...
s, Harpeth Hills Golf Course and Percy Warner Golf Course, the Warner Park Nature Center, the Rock and Road Relay, Marathon, and 5K and the Harpeth Hills Flying Monkey Marathon
Harpeth Hills Flying Monkey Marathon
The Harpeth Hills Flying Monkey Marathon is a road race in Percy Warner Park, the largest of the Warner Parks in Nashville, Tennessee. It was created to be among the top five most difficult road marathons in the United States, and was designed to be somewhat anti-establishment and grassroots in...
.
