NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — After 11 years, "The Nashville Retrospect" has printed its last issue. Editor Allen Forkum says the COVID-19 pandemic along with the downfall of newspapers contributed to the shutdown.
"The pandemic and the shut down were sort of the final straw when it came to the newspaper," said Forkum. "We can’t keep doing it in the conditions."
The Nashville Retrospect gives readers a look at the history of Nashville. Every month, they republish old articles and photographs from city newspapers along with new essays by local historians.
Forkum says while this may be the last issue, it won't be the end of their story. The newspaper is looking at new ways to bring you the history of our city. They've created a Nashville history map that tourists can use to discover history and stories around spots in Downtown Nashville.
They're also thinking about creating an online digital version of the paper. This was part of Forkum's editor note in the final issue:
"When the Nashville Banner stopped publication in 1998, the headline on their final issue read “End of Story.” And though December 2020 is the final issue of The Nashville Retrospect newspaper, it is not the end of our story.
I enjoy learning about Nashville history and sharing it with you too much to stop entirely. Not only will we continue to sell archive issues of the Retrospect, we will also continue developing new projects, like the Nashville History Map. And the Retrospect may even come back in a new form in the future. That is why it is important for us to stay in touch with you. If you haven’t already done what hundreds of others have, please sign up to receive the free Nashville Retrospect Dispatch email by clicking here."
