Sobro in Nashville in Davidson County, Tennessee — The American South (East South Central)

Customs House

Photographed By Darren Jefferson Clay, May 2, 2021

1. Customs House Marker

Inscription. President Rutherford B. Hayes laid its cornerstone in 1877. Designed by Treasury Department architect W.A. Potter, it was occupied in 1882 by collectors of customs and internal revenue, U.S. courts, and Nashville's main post office. Addition to rear began in 1903, wings in 1916. Declared surplus in 1976, then given to the city, it was renovated by the development firm that leased it.

Erected 1982 by The Historical Commission of Metropolitan Nashville and Davidson County. (Marker Number 76.)

Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Government & Politics. In addition, it is included in the Former U.S. Presidents: #19 Rutherford B. Hayes, and the Tennessee, The Historical Commission of Metropolitan Nashville and Davidson County series lists. A significant historical year for this entry is 1877.

Location. 36° 9.55′ N, 86° 46.87′ W. Marker is in Nashville, Tennessee, in Davidson County. It is in Sobro. Marker is on Broadway. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 701 Broadway, Nashville TN 37203, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Hume-Fogg High School (within shouting distance of this marker); Randall Jarrell (within shouting distance of this marker); First Baptist Church (within shouting distance

Paid Advertisement

Click on the ad for more information.
Please report objectionable advertising to the Editor.

Click or scan to see
this page online

of this marker); Lafayette's Tour (within shouting distance of this marker); Nashville's First Public School (within shouting distance of this marker); Bettie Mae Page (within shouting distance of this marker); The South Field (within shouting distance of this marker); a different marker also named First Baptist Church (within shouting distance of this marker). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Nashville.

Also see . . . U.S. Customs House. When President Rutherford B. Hayes laid the cornerstone of the Customs House on September 19, 1877, it symbolized the end of Southern Reconstruction after the Civil War. Approval for a federal building dates to 1856, but construction delays and the Civil War caused Nashville to wait for more than twenty years for a facility to house federal courts, customs, and post office. Treasury architect William Appleton Potter designed this grand example of the Victorian Gothic style. From its massive yet ornate stone block a central clock tower soars. The many rich details, such as the Gothic lancet windows and a deeply inset triple-arch entrance, make this an exceptional
Photographed By Darren Jefferson Clay, May 2, 2021

2. Customs House and Marker
example of Victorian Gothic architecture. In the 1990s the Customs House was declared surplus property by the federal government and was turned over to Metro Nashville government which worked toward its renovation and reuse. The building is now leased from the city by a private firm which renovated its interior and leases the space to office tenants – a significant milestone in historic preservation in Nashville. (Submitted on April 28, 2015.)

Customs House image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Darren Jefferson Clay, December 15, 2019

3. Customs House

Credits. This page was last revised on February 7, 2023. It was originally submitted on April 21, 2015. This page has been viewed 625 times since then and 48 times this year. Last updated on March 24, 2020. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on May 20, 2021, by Darren Jefferson Clay of Duluth, Georgia. 3. submitted on December 31, 2020, by Darren Jefferson Clay of Duluth, Georgia. • Devry Becker Jones was the editor who published this page.