Friends of Edmondson Homesite Park & Gardens

Description:

The Friends of Edmondson Homesite Park & Garden is a non-profit organization that works to raise awareness of Edgehill as a nationally-important historic black neighborhood and seeks to raise awareness of the life of William Edmondson (1874-1951) as an historic Black Nashville artist. The Edmondson Homesite includes a community park, community garden, Level 2 Arboretum, an annual cultural festival and projects to promote the life of the sculptor William Edmondson.
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The Edmondson Homesite Park at the former Murrell School is a valued and vibrant community park in Nashville's Edgehill neighborhood that includes famed African American artist William Edmondson's historic homesite. It serves as a community park, neighborhood playground, meeting place for families and groups, public athletic fields used by neighborhood groups and where Nashville's women's football team, the Music City Mizfits practice, park benches, picnic pavilions, and walking paths all for the benefit of the community. The group's efforts to protect and develop the Edmondson Homesite Park have attracted the interest of national arts publications, as well as the support of the National Trust for Historic Places. Noted academics have written in favor of the cultural and historic value of the site. The Community Gardens maintenance and improvements are tended and supported by the Edgehill Youth Leaders and the Organized Neighbors of Edgehill group. Seasonal harvests provide free produce for the community. Edgehill Heroes Arboretum has earned Level 2 certification through the Tennessee Urban Forestry Council and is supported by Nashville Tree Foundation. Volunteers from Fisk University and Belmont University tend and maintain the Arboretum. The organization sponsors WE Fest !€“ the Annual William Edmondson Arts and Music Fest, Nashville's FREE newest diverse art and music fair and culture fest for the whole family with kids' activities supported by Metro Arts: Nashville Office of Arts + Culture, Tennessee Arts Commission, Vanderbilt University. Belmont University, Country Music Hall of Fame, Nashville Symphony and a dozen other non-profit community sponsors.

Other projects to promote the life of the area's famous artist William Edmondson include !€œChipping Away: The Life and Legacy of Sculptor William Edmondson," an upcoming full-length documentary by veteran filmmaker Mark Schlicher that brings Edmondson!€™s remarkable story to life, combining original research, interviews and rare archival images, including the only known motion picture footage of the artist at work. Also working together with the Vanderbilt Institute for Spatial Research, a team of geophysicists brought out their ground-penetrating radar equipment as well as a very high-resolution GPS. This study will help create an app where people can see an historically accurate 3-D model of the home and studio before the home was demolished in the 1950s, a few years after Edmondson's death. They also partner regularly for community events with the nearby Edgehill Library, a branch of the Nashville Public Library.

Hours:

No set hours; see website or social media for event and site information

Intake Process:

See website or social media for event and site information

Program Fees:

No Fee

Eligibility:

Open to the general public, especially to residents of Edgehlll

Is Shelter?

No

Date of Official Change:

October 23, 2024

Volunteer Opportunities:

Agency welcomes volunteers from local universities and colleges, church groups, neighbors and volunteer organizations including adults, teens and children who can help with garden and arboretum maintenance, WE Fest activities, and publicity related tasks. Call (615-294-5671) or email (mark@sunporchmedia.com) for current volunteer opportunities.

Address Listings

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