Curious Nashville

"Making Noise" is a four-part series by Nashville Public Radio about how the music promotion company Lovenoise has changed the music landscape of Nashville. The best way to listen is in the WNXP Podcasts feed. Subscribe now!

A juvenile court in Rutherford County was illegally jailing and detaining kids for 16 years before a former juvenile delinquent-turned-lawyer came up with a plan to take it on. This four-part narrative podcast builds on a joint investigation by WPLN Nashville Public Radio and ProPublica and is produced by The New York Times and Serial Productions. “The Kids of Rutherford County” reveals how this system came to be, with particular attention to the adults responsible for it and the two juvenile delinquents-turned-lawyers who try to do something about it. The podcast's host is Meribah Knight, a Peabody Award-winning reporter for Nashville Public Radio who co-reported the original investigation. Listeners can subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and wherever podcasts are available. The first two episodes will premiere on Thursday, Oct. 26; parts three and four will air the following two Thursdays.

Something new has hit Nashville's hot real estate market: a beach, right smack in the middle of downtown Nashville. But, until it's sold, Nashvillians driving through the intersection of Lafayette, Division and 4th Avenue may wonder: What is that sandy triangle doing there? One listener directed this question to our Curious Nashville project, so we took a brief “vacation” to SoBro to find the answer. Photos: Visit this story at WPLN.org to see photos of the Little Chill Beach.

On a small island in the middle of Centennial Park's Lake Watauga stand five towers of beehives. One of our listeners spotted the hard-to-reach hives and inquired about the bees: Who cares for them? What happens to the honey? Do other parks have hives?

In 2017, a listener wrote to ask: “On Sulphur Creek Road, in Coble, Tennessee, we saw what appeared to be a ‘space capsule' with a NASA logo on the end. What is it?” Now, for the first time anywhere, Curious Nashville has the story for the Hickman County space capsule. Credits: Curious Nashville is a project of Nashville Public Radio. Tony Gonzalez is executive producer, and Paula Ramirez reported this story. Paige Pfleger edited this episode. The music is from the Blue Dot Sessions.

Curious Nashville turns the tables and asks you to help us solve a mystery. It involves Bob Dylan, John Cale, and Edie Sedgwick — and a song that brings them together. This intriguing tale comes to us from Justin Barney, assistant program director for WNXP, the music discovery station that Nashville Public Radio launched in 2020.

Alongside some Tennessee roads, you might notice knee-high cement markers — usually quite weathered — that have this inscription: “H'Y R.W.” In learning what those are all about, Curious Nashville also revisits a fascinating saga from local history. To see photos that accompany this podcast, visit www.wpln.org/curious.

Lawmakers are back in Nashville for session, and it's busy again inside the Tennessee State Capitol. But all year round, the historic building draws interest and provides tours — and it has prompted several questions to Curious Nashville that we're answering in a batch today. You can see photos related to this story, and learn more, at this story on WPLN.org.

Earlier this year, Curious Nashville looked into why Arabic isn't offered on Tennessee's driving test. (You can read that story here.) Half a year later, a new coalition is pushing the state for changes.

Many Nashvillians are aware that the city is home to “Little Kurdistan,” which is the largest Kurdish community in America. However, it's easy to know that fact without really understanding these neighbors. We unpack how Nashville became a destination for Kurdish refugees starting in the late 1970s and hear from local Kurds about their future hopes and ambitions. To hear more stories of Nashville Kurds, check out the discussion on This Is Nashville from Sept. 8, 2022.

A sixth-generation Nashvillian says she's rarely surprised by new information about her city — but did start wondering about what she describes as a “bonsai-looking cypress tree” in her yard. Curious Nashville learns more. You can view the tree featured in this story at WPLN.org/Curious.

Just about every day, a freight train grinds to a halt and blocks traffic somewhere in Tennessee. At times, an entire day (or longer) passes before it gets rolling again. As federal officials ramp up their tracking of this chronic problem, WPLN's Cindy Abrams documents the concern and explains the factors that lead to blocked crossings. Credits: Tony Gonzalez is the executive producer of Curious Nashville and WPLN Director of Digital Products Mack Linebaugh edited this episode. Julia Ritchey, Chuck Cardona, Damon Mitchell, Marianna Bacallao, and Jackie Llanos contributed voice acting; Rachel Iacovone contributed a train recording. The music is from the Blue Dot Sessions.

The way we pronounce the names of some places in Tennessee can raise eyebrows for newcomers. But even long-time residents can't always explain why those names are the way they are. This prompted a question to our Curious Nashville project, and sent WPLN's Marianna Bacallao [mary-AW-nuh bahk-uh-YOW] in search of the stories behind a few prominent place names. Credits: Tony Gonzalez is the executive producer of Curious Nashville and WPLN Director of Digital Products Mack Linebaugh edited this episode. The music is from the Blue Dot Sessions.   

Just after English and Spanish, Arabic ranks as the third-most spoken language in Tennessee. Nearly 27,000 people in the state speak it. But there are less common languages offered on the written driving exam in Tennessee. WPLN's Alexis Marshall explores why, and helps a local Egyptian American man start a conversation with the state's director of Driver Services. Read more at the online version of this story here, and you can ask a new question at WPLN.org/curious. A transcript is available online here. This show is a project of Nashville Public Radio. And this time, some of the sound you just heard first appeared on our daily hourlong show This Is Nashville. It's essential listening for anyone interested in this community — and you can subscribe to it in your podcasting app. I'm Tony Gonzalez, the executive producer of Curious Nashville. Mack Linebaugh, our director of digital products, edited this episode. The music is from the Blue Dot Sessions.

Confusing road lanes and limited traffic signals can make commutes on Bell Road excruciating near Interstate 24 and Exit 59. Why was it designed this way, and will there be any relief for drivers in the Antioch area? For photos, and to explore more of the reporting by Hallie Graham, visit this story at WPLN.org/Curious. Curious Nashville is a project of Nashville Public Radio. The executive producer is Tony Gonzalez and this episode was edited by Director of Digital Products Mack Linebaugh.

Nicholas Qualls, a voter in Antioch, wants to know more about voting stickers. He asks: What determines what location gets what “I Voted” sticker? My location had a pretty generic oval sticker, but I see several people at other locations get a neater Tennessee-shaped red one. The answer turns out to be fairly simple — but fun facts abound in this short-form episode.

After a brief intermission, Curious Nashville returns to the airwaves to answer listener questions about Middle Tennessee. WPLN Special Projects Editor Tony Gonzalez joins This Is Nashville host Khalil Ekulona to share some of his favorite stories from past Curious Nashville episodes and gives a glimpse into what's being investigated next.

In this series, we're going to tell you about what's been described as a toxic culture of misconduct and retaliation within the Metro Nashville Police Department. And the disciplinary system that has allowed that culture to thrive.

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.

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?

To combat our feelings of isolation and everyday repetitiveness, we present four short stories that deliver surprises about things we might otherwise overlook: What a tree in the backyard can tell us about environmental changes  How the past flickers on amid Nashville’s growing skyline Whether a famous 1904 short story accurately depicts Nashville How proximity to an interstate is a good thing for an Antioch cemetery 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.

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.

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.

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. 

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.

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.

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.

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.”

It’s been 15 years since the Tennessee Foxtrot Carousel — a whirling artistic marvel by pop artist Red Grooms — was taken down from the Nashville riverfront. Its wild figurines, which depict famous Tennesseans, were put into storage. Yet the legend of the carousel lives on. And now there’s hope that the carousel’s riverboats, giant banjos, mountain scenery and crazy caricatures will spin again. WPLN Senior Editor Chas Sisk has been reporting on the fate of the carousel for three years, and opens up his notebook to share fascinating nuggets of history and his latest findings about its future. 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, and web production by Mack Linebaugh. The theme music is by Podington Bear.

From plastic straws to old lightbulbs and shredded paper, it’s not always obvious what we’re allowed to recycle in Nashville. So after another wave of recycling questions to Curious Nashville, we’re back with a “lightning round” of fast answers, plus updates about changes coming to curbside recycling and the city’s attempt to gather glass from downtown honky tonks. 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, and web production by Mack Linebaugh. The theme music is by Podington Bear.

Animals prompt unusual questions to Curious Nashville, so we delve into three: a rumor about piranhas, the history of the city’s first zoo, and the reason a large pink elephant has stood alongside Charlotte Pike for decades.

From the proper vantage point it materializes unmistakably: A gigantic peace sign, cut into roughly 3 acres of forest next to the Nashville International Airport. It can appear to anyone browsing satellite photography, and to air travelers like Nashville attorney Kelsey Bridges. She was the first person (of four) to ask Curious Nashville about what she’d seen. "There’s a giant peace sign, visible only from an aerial view, carved out of a wooded area near the airport. Who’s responsible for it?"

For most people, recycling means placing an empty soda can or some scrap paper in a blue bin. They might take that bin to the curb or to a drop-off site. But beyond that, the process is mysterious, filled with arbitrary rules and a vague reassurance that we’re doing the right thing for the environment. So WPLN listener Mark McCaw, an avid recycler, asked us this question: "What happens if I put the wrong item in the recycling bin?"

Even many Nashville natives don’t know about the head-on train crash at Dutchman’s Curve on July 9, 1918. It killed 101 people — mostly African Americans — and by most counts remains the deadliest train accident in American history. We started looking into it after listener named Russell asked us this question as part of our Curious Nashville series: "I’d like to know more about the wreck at Dutchman’s Curve. How did it happen and what changes resulted from it?"

We tackle a question that’s elemental to Nashville these days: What happens to the waste when old houses get demolished? To explore the subject, WPLN’s Meribah Knight picked a house in Inglewood and followed it from demolition permit to landfill. Then she tracked down the family that called it home for more than 50 years.

Before he was an international superstar, Jimi Hendrix spent a year on Nashville’s Jefferson Street. It’s a chapter in Hendrix’s musical life that many biographers gloss over. We explain why he came here — and what it says today about the city’s most prominent African-American neighborhood. Our question comes from Curious Nashville listener Joe Gramelspacher: "I understand that Jimi Hendrix played on Jefferson Street. What is the musical history of Jefferson Street?"

This episode wanders into supernatural territory in the search for unmarked graves. It began innocently enough: A listener asked us about Nashville’s oldest structures. But as we visited some of the city’s oldest homes, we found family graveyards that date back 200 years or more — and some owners, it turns out, relied on a generations-old practice with mysterious power to find unmarked graves. Which led us to the question: What’s up with “water-witching” in Nashville?

The Curious Nashville inbox has received several variations on the same question: What happened to passenger rail service in Nashville? Residents are right to be curious. Nashville is one of the largest cities in the country to have no rail connection to another city.

The winning question came from veteran Nashville record producer Mitch Dane. "I’ve heard rumors of a mysterious tunnel system winding beneath downtown Nashville. Is this true?" Here's what we found.

WPLN listener Rachael Edge asked the question: "In the Nashville City Cemetery, there’s a grave that says ‘Margaret H. McCutchen — She Turned From Bloodkin.’ What’s the story behind that?" Finding an answer led us on a circuitous path.