William Edmondson Homesite Masterplan Revealed
Throughout 2018 and early 2019, the Homesite Coalition facilitated a true community-led planning process on the future of the park and historic site. The Higher Vision Master Plan is the result of several months of community meetings and discussions among Edgehill residents and neighborhood groups, historic preservationists, and art and cultural historians. The Nashville Civic Design Center has assisted as well.
The William Edmondson Cultural Arts Center and Museum is the centerpiece of our Higher Vision Master Plan for the William Edmondson Homesite Park & Gardens. It will honor the legacy of its namesake by housing a variety of arts resources and programs. In addition, the building will house a new, expanded Edgehill Branch Library. The main entrance will face North into the park, directly overlooking the actual historical site of William Edmondson's home and outdoor workshop, where he sculpted his inspired masterpieces that made him famous.
Inside the center, visitors will enter a spacious grand lobby featuring historical displays telling the rich history of Edgehill, from its start during the Civil War as a "contraband camp" for those who escaped from enslavement, up to the present day. In addition to Mr. Edmondson other notable Edgehill historical figures such as 19th century activist Callie House, pioneering musician DeFord Bailey, architect Moses McKissack, and civil-rights-era councilman Mansfield Douglas III will be honored with displays.
Studio and class spaces will be dedicated to community arts education for adults and children, including painting, clay, theatre arts, and dance. Curated gallery spaces will be provided with priority for local artists. In addition to these services, we envision classrooms for community education such as computer classes.
The historic William Edmondson Homesite parcel itself will be developed into a landscaped pedestrian plaza with historical panels marking the place where he worked to create his masterpieces in his outdoor studio. The historic Homesite will be the gateway to a world-class sculpture garden, where local artists will be prioritized in commissions to display their work. Children will be invited to explore a sculpture-themed playground on the Homesite property.
Pedestrian walkways will lead visitors through the Historic Site and sculpture garden, converging at the main entrance to the Cultural Arts Center, Museum, and Library.
Other Important Features
· Cultural Arts Center will be symbolically oriented Northward toward the historic site, park green space, and the Edgehill neighborhood
· The Memorial Community Gardens, one of Nashville’s oldest and largest, will be outfitted with needed infrastructure improvements, to support its mission of urban gardening and its youth programming
· The intermural multipurpace field, the walking paths, and other park features will be maintained and further improved
· The existing basketball courts will be relocated to a piece of unused property south of the Community Gardens
· New pedestrian park entrances and sidewalks will be added for better access from all directions, and new signage will be erected at the corners of the property
· The playground on the north end of the property will be replaced and enlarged
· A new permanent stage will be built, to host community gatherings and events