NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — When a connection to Opry history was uncovered, a community was shocked how few knew about it. Now, preservationists say there's an urgency to act.
1501 DeFord Bailey Avenue in the Edgehill community is for sale. Former residents songwriters Spencer and Kyle Clouse said it's hard describe it, but there always seemed to be something special about the place.
"We lived there from 2017 to 2020," Kyle said.
"We would write on the porch," Spencer added. "We'd write, really, anywhere in that house. I definitely think that place had some magic."
"This is a modest, but genuine gem," said historian and documentary filmmaker Mark Schlicher.
Mark uncovered the history. Mark said in 1925, 1501 DeFord Bailey Ave. was the original transmitter site for WSM radio. It was being used during the beginnings of what we now know as The Grand Ole Opry. Mark said it was the main transmitter site until 1933 and a backup until the 50s. Spencer and Kyle had no idea.
"Oh shoot! This is crazy!" Spencer laughed.
"We couldn't believe it when we found out about the history," Kyle said.
"The seller contacted me and said, 'I really need to move forward with the sale,'" Mark said.
That seller has just lowered the cost of the property to $675,000. Mark has been sending out dozen of emails to music industry contacts and preservation-minded potential buyers.
"I want to see the site preserved in a way that honors its history, that allows the public as much as possible to experience that history," Mark said. "People keep asking me why the big country music corporations, foundations, or individual wealthy artists don't step up to save the property. I wish I knew the answer. I've personally reached out to so many of the most prominent industry leaders, but no luck. It seems like such an obvious, worthwhile, and civic-minded thing to do, as well as good business to save and re-imagine this as a historic stop. Now, it's truly the 11th hour. Without an angel investor to step forward immediately, this little historic gem, the only remaining structure from the dawn of WSM and the Grand Ole Opry, will be lost forever."
"If that house becomes a museum, it would be incredible," Kyle said.
Spencer and Kyle perform as The Worst House Band. In their set is a song about the house called The Worst House in the Best Part of Town. The song's a love letter to the house, written long before they learned the actual history.
"I hope they preserve the history of it," Spencer said.
For more on 1501 DeFord Bailey Ave., visit here.
Do you have a positive, good news story? You can email me at forrest.sanders@newschannel5.com.
The line ''see something, say something" took on new meaning recently in Bowling Green. Two alert neighbors helped tip police to stolen Corvettes from the nearby assembly plant. That led law enforcement to find 8 stolen Corvettes worth over $1 million. We may all be able to learn a little lesson from this.
-Lelan Statom
