On May 1, 2010, Nashville and Middle Tennessee experienced one of the worst natural disasters in their history. That natural disaster was an enormous flood resulting from 48 hours of continuous rainfall in Nashville. The 13 inches of rain resulted in 37 deaths in both Nashville and in Middle Tennessee, as well as extensive damage to homes, commercial buildings, and Nashville landmarks such as the Grand Ole Opry and the Country Music Hall of Fame.
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The flood was city-wide, and the Cumberland River crested at a record height of 12 feet above the typical flood stage. Following the flood, the city of Nashville and its constituents spent years trying to fully recover from the disaster. Additionally, Opry Mills, one of Nashville’s biggest malls and tourist destinations, closed for a total of two years.
Needless to say, the damage was extensive and intense, and the flood severely impacted two of Nashville’s most famous landmarks. In the wreckage, both the Country Music Hall of Fame and the Grand Ole Opry lost priceless music artifacts and equipment and suffered significant general damages.
What Was Lost and How They Recovered
The day after the flood, on May 2, the Grand Ole Opry discovered that their infamous auditorium had been absolutely destroyed by the flood. Consequently, the venue had to close its doors for six months. During that period, the Opry hosted shows at the Ryman Auditorium and the War Memorial Auditorium. Luckily, the venue recovered and returned to its home base on September 28 of that year.
The Country Music Hall of Fame experienced a similar result. Following the discovery of their damaged home, the Hall of Fame had to temporarily close due to severe damage in the mechanical room. Luckily, the flood did not majorly impact the exhibit section of the venue. Months later, the museum was able to reopen and even expand, as they included more exhibits and archival space.
According to urban legend, several musicians lost instruments and equipment in the flood. Some of the musicians to lose these items include Vince Gill, John Fogerty, Brad Paisley, and Keith Urban. Furthermore, the flood also destroyed the bass used in Hank Williams‘ iconic single, “Your Cheatin’ Heart”.
If you go to Nashville now, the impacts of the flood are hardly visible. However, in previous years, many parts of the city were still in the process of rebuilding, and two of those parts included the two historic landmarks of the country music capital city.
Photo by Robert Alexander/Archive Photos/Getty Images
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