NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — The Nashville Zoo at Grassmere is one of the most popular attractions in Music City. But the story of its property is more than just a zoo — a past shaped by generations of families and individuals.
The sights and sounds of zoo animals may be what draw visitors in, but Grassmere Historic Farm is where the story begins.
"A lot of people don’t realize it’s here," site manager Tori Mason said.
That story started in 1810 when Michael Dunn purchased the property.
"He brought around 30 enslaved individuals with him," Mason said. "Those individuals built this house. They were the ones who worked this land. They were the ones that made him his money."
There is little information about who these individuals were, but Mason uncovered some details after an enslaved cemetery was discovered on the property and relocated in 2014.
"The names we know, we say. Say them out loud," Mason said. "Vinnie, Robertson, Ben, Henderson."
Mason said the farm wouldn’t have existed without them.
After the Emancipation Proclamation, the history of Black individuals on the land becomes less clear.
In 1919, Frank Morton was hired as a tenant farmer, moving into an original enslaved cabin and raising his family on the property. The Morton family continued the legacy of African Americans’ contributions to the farm.
"His son Albert and Frank did the farming — taking care of the livestock, planting, and harvesting crops," Mason said. "Frank had a daughter named Maude. Maude was responsible for the upkeep of the house, the cooking, churning butter, helping with the laundry."
In 2021, the Nashville Zoo put these legacies on display.
"Come on into the Morton exhibit," Mason said. "The newspaper was kept on the wall to keep the draft out. That’s Frank and Albert there."
Mason knows visitors come for the animals, but she hopes they leave with a deeper understanding of the land’s history.
"People will come up here and say, ‘Why is this house in the middle of the zoo?’" Mason said. "Our story to them is, ‘Why is there a zoo around the house?’"
Visitors can take a guided Black History tour daily at 1:30 p.m. or explore the site on a self-guided tour.
Do you have more information about this story? You can email me at aaron.cantrell@newschannel5.com
No one can bring a story to life better than the talented group behind the Nashville Public Library's Children's Theater. This story will make you feel like a kid again lost in the wonder of a good story. Congrats to Bret Wilson on his leadership role!
-Carrie Sharp
