The Nashville We Wish We Knew—And the One We’re Still Building

Some people live history. Others preserve it. And then there are those rare individuals—like David Ewing—who do both.

A ninth-generation Nashvillian and self-proclaimed collector of all things Nashville, Ewing is a walking encyclopedia of the city’s past. In the latest episode of Circle Back Podcast, he takes us on a journey through time—from Nashville’s earliest Black entrepreneurs to the forces that shaped downtown’s rise (and near fall).

Did You Know?

  • Lay’s Potato Chips started in Nashville – A delivery driver turned business owner built a snack empire right here in Music City.
  • Black Wall Street once thrived in Nashville – Before urban renewal, Fourth Avenue was home to Black-owned banks, law firms, medical offices, and businesses.
  • Jefferson Street’s music scene rivaled Beale Street and Bourbon Street – Until the interstate cut right through its heart in the late 1960s.
  • Nashville’s creative boom is at risk – If affordability pushes out artists and entrepreneurs, we could lose what makes this city special.

Nashville has always been a city of dreamers, builders, and risk-takers. But as the city grows, are we preserving the right stories?

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About the author

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Ben Evans

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