Historical Marker Program Guidelines
In 1967, the newly-formed Metropolitan Historical Commission of Nashville and Davidson County initiated a historical marker program to commemorate significant people, places, and events in the city's past. Marker Number One, "Heaton's Station," was erected at Lock One Road in 1968. The marker program is now one of the Historical Commission's longest-running and most successful programs. As of 2007, 125 historical markers have been erected across the county.
The following guidelines are designed to assist individuals and organizations who wish to sponsor a historical marker through the Metropolitan Historical Commission's historical marker program.
Photos by Paul Schatzkin. The Scottsboro/Bells Bend historical marker was dedicated on Labor Day Weekend, 2009
Significance
The subject of any marker erected by the Metropolitan Historical Commission should be a person, place, structure, or event that has local importance and, wherever possible, significance in the broad pattern of Tennessee history. Generally, the event, person, structure, or place, should have achieved historical significance fifty years or more ago.
Historical Fact
Every statement on a Metropolitan Historical Commission marker must satisfy two conditions: Is it significant? Is it accurate?
Historical significance may be subjective, but factual accuracy may be proved, and documentation of every fact is required. A permanent file on each marker is kept at the Commission office so that answers may always be provided to anyone who asks for verification of a particular marker or for additional information on the subject.
Location
A suitable and safe location should be designated in the marker application. Generally, markers are placed along a public road or on public property. Exceptions may be made that allow a marker to be placed on private property. In all cases, the site must be adjacent to a public road or property to facilitate installation and maintenance. In the event that the proposed marker is to be located on private property, written consent of the owner must be filed with the Commission.
All Metropolitan Historical Commission markers are installed and maintained by Metro's Public Works Department.
Cost
Standard markers cost approximately $2000 - $2300. This price is good through May 2010. Call the Commission if you have any concerns about the price of markers.
Text specifications
The preferred length of the text is a ten-line marker with 35-36 characters per line, with a maximum of 350 characters and spaces, allowing the marker to be cast in 1 ½-inch letters. The absolute maximum for text is 40-42 characters per line, with a maximum of 480 characters and spaces. Markers of this length are cast in smaller, 1-inch letters. The same text will appear on both sides of the marker.
In some cases, it may be appropriate for a longer text to "wrap" the marker, with text continuing on the reverse side of the marker. These markers are more expensive than standard markers.
Marker Approval
New markers of the following types are generally not erected by the Commission:
- county line markers
- markers to specific land grants
- markers solely of genealogical or family interest
- markers to unprotected archaeological sites
- markers to a family home, unless owner permission is obtained and there is larger historical significance
- markers to churches or religious congregations, unless there is an existing building of architectural or historical merit
- markers to cemeteries, except when historical persons of transcendent importance are buried there, or the cemetery is listed in the National Register of Historic Places
- markers to living persons
The Commission staff and the sponsoring party will work together to write a suitable marker text before it will be submitted to the Commission for approval. If the Commission staff feels that the submitted draft text is not compatible with the standards of the Metropolitan Historical Commission, the requesting party will be notified immediately. The staff will help with any corrections or improvements that can be made to revise the proposed text.
Once the staff and sponsoring party agree to a suitable marker text, it will be submitted to the Commission for approval. The Commission generally will consider and vote on the proposed marker at the next regularly scheduled Commission meeting. The Commission meets six times a year on the third Monday of January, March, May, July, September, and November. After Commission approval, allow approximately six to eight weeks manufacturing time for the casting, shipping, and erection of the marker.
Metropolitan Historical Commission
Historical Marker Application Process
Marker proposals must be submitted for consideration to the Metropolitan Historical Commission staff four weeks before a regular meeting of the Commission.
Proposals should be submitted in the form of a letter to the Commission, and should include the following:
- The name of the person, place, structure, or event for which the marker is to be erected and a statement of significance of the same;
- A copy of the proposed marker text with documentation for the information put forth in each sentence in the text;
- A proposed location for the marker, documented by photographs and/or maps, and a letter of permission of the property owner if located on private property;
- The source of funding for the marker, and written statement guaranteeing payment.
The staff is available to work with individuals and organizations proposing historical markers to advise on the text, references, and placement of markers.
The staff MUST have a letter from an organization guaranteeing payment for the marker before a marker can be ordered. This letter should be on the organization's letterhead with a billing address clearly stated. A copy of this letter and the billing address of the individual or organization sponsoring the marker will be sent to the manufacturer. The manufacturer will bill the sponsoring organization directly. DO NOT make checks to the Metro Historical Commission.
For further information, call the Metro Historical Commission at 862-7970.