Curious Nashville

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How Stick Figures Spotted Downtown Fit Into A Global Street Art Project Apr 06, 2021

Show notes

If you glance down at the street at the right moment in Nashville, you might spot a “stikman.” This little street art character appears in thousands of places around the world, but the artist behind them remains mostly unknown. Thanks to an observant listener, Curious Nashville delves into the phenomenon.
Curious Nashville is a project of Nashville Public Radio. The executive producer is Tony Gonzalez and the editor is Emily Siner. This episode’s music is courtesy of Blue Dot Sessions.

Whatever Happened To Nashville’s Revolving Restaurant? Dec 21, 2020

Show notes

Nashville was right on-trend in 1975 when the revolving Polaris restaurant opened atop what was then the Hyatt Regency hotel. It quickly became the go-to destination for special occasions and marriage proposals. But the restaurant has navigated some tougher turns in the past decade, leaving a local architect wondering: Does it still spin?

How Overlooked Buildings And Trees Can Reveal Wonderment Around Us Nov 23, 2020

Show notes

To combat our feelings of isolation and everyday repetitiveness, we present four short stories that deliver surprises about things we might otherwise overlook:

These stories are a testament to our observant listeners. When you notice interesting things and ask us to learn more, we find stories we’d otherwise miss! Prod us with your latest questions at curious.wpln.org.

Credits: Tony Gonzalez is executive producer; editing by Emily Siner; music from the Blue Dot Sessions.

How Black Political Power Changed In Nashville After Government Consolidation Oct 26, 2020

Show notes

A simple question about some of Nashville’s suburban pockets opens a deeper review of how the Metro government formed in the 1950s and 60s. WPLN News reporter Ambriehl Crutchfield finds that the combining of the city and county had implications for Black residents and five ‘satellite’ cities that remained mostly independent. (To see more photos and a written version of this story, visit Curious Nashville online.)
Curious Nashville is a project of Nashville Public Radio. The executive producer is Tony Gonzalez, with editing by Emily Siner and Anita Bugg. Web production and promotions by Mack Linebaugh and Elle Turner. Audio mastering by Carl Pedersen. This episode’s music comes from the Blue Dot Sessions.

Tennessee Voting Rules Are Causing Confusion, So We're Answering Your Questions Sep 28, 2020

Show notes

As a crucial election approaches, Tennesseans have reached out to WPLN News and Curious Nashville with their pressing questions. In this special crossover with The Tri-Star State podcast, Sergio Martinez-Beltran and Rachel Iacovone provide answers.

How A Handmade Sign On A Dead-End Road Had Us Searching For A Tennessee Cult Aug 24, 2020

Show notes

When a resident notices an unusual sign at the end of her cul-de-sac — it says ‘The Gathering’ — she wonders if there’s a cult operating. To find out what’s really going on, WPLN News contributor Tasha Lemley takes up a cryptic search. It leads her to a group of devotees, just not the ones we might have expected.

Why Is It So Hard To Alter Confederate Monuments in Tennessee? Nov 11, 2019

Show notes

Confederate monuments have triggered debates, protests, and even the murder of a demonstrator in Virginia. The unrest in Tennessee has prompted questions about how monuments are governed.
In this episode, Curious Nashville reexamines what happened when MTSU tried to rename a building dedicated to Confederate general and Ku Klux Klan grand wizard Nathan Bedford Forrest, and explains the evolving role of the Tennessee Historical Commission.
Curious Nashville is a project of Nashville Public Radio. The executive producer is Tony Gonzalez, with editing by Emily Siner and Anita Bugg, audio mastering by Carl Pedersen. Web production and promotions by Mack Linebaugh and Elle Turner. The theme music is by Podington Bear.

The True Stories Behind Nashville’s Claims To Fame (Live Taping) Sep 23, 2019

Show notes

There are some assumptions that people have about Nashville that aren’t quite right — and plenty of quirks that baffle all the tourists who visit. So in this special episode taped live on stage, three local experts unravel some of the most essential history of the city and then take questions from attendees.
Recorded live on May 31, 2019, at the PodX Conference, this is the first live taping for Curious Nashville.
Thank you to our local experts: [J.R. Lind](https://www.nashvillescene.com/ http://instagram.com/thenashvilleiwishiknew ), of the Nashville Scene; food writer Jennifer Justus; and historian [David Ewing](https://www.nashvillescene.com/ http://instagram.com/thenashvilleiwishiknew).

Curious Nashville is a project of Nashville Public Radio. The executive producer is Tony Gonzalez, with editing by Emily Siner and Anita Bugg, audio mastering by Carl Pedersen, web production by Mack Linebaugh, and promotions by Elle Turner. The theme music is by Podington Bear.

Inside The Governor’s Defunct Nuclear Bomb Shelter Aug 19, 2019

Show notes

Out in the thick woods of West Nashville there’s an epic remnant of Cold War history. But it is largely unknown. The former fallout shelter where Tennessee’s governors would have gone in the case of nuclear attack has rarely appeared in news stories.

But a question to Curious Nashville revealed that a local businessman now owns the unusual underground facility — and after a tour and other research and interviews, the history is no longer hidden.

Credits: Curious Nashville is a project of Nashville Public Radio. The executive producer is Tony Gonzalez, with editing by Emily Siner and Anita Bugg, audio mastering by Carl Pedersen. Web production and promotions by Mack Linebaugh and Elle Turner. The theme music is by Podington Bear.

The Construction Pit That Became Known As A Lake — And What’s Happening Now Jun 24, 2019

Show notes

A massive Nashville development includes a construction pit that is eight stories deep. It looks like a quarry, with sheer cliffs carved into the gray limestone. But when the project stalled, the hole filled with water, and it became nicknamed "Lake Palmer,” after its struggling developer.
The project has been raising questions ever since, but now a new owner has started work at the site.
WPLN’s Jason Moon Wilkins interviews Adam Sichko, senior reporter with the Nashville Business Journal, about the history and future of “Lake Palmer.”

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