"These here is Miracles I can do. "-William Edmondson, 1937.
In the six months since Nashville's Metro Council heard our voices and voted unanimously to save the William Edmondson Homesite Park & Memorial Community Garden from sale to developers, the community has been meeting and developing a "Higher Vision" for the seven-acre property which includes the beloved Memorial Community Garden, neighborhood park & playground, and the long-neglected historic Homesite where nationally renowned artist William Edmondson lived and worked in the 1930s and 1940s.
Nashville supporters: our next critical meeting is this Monday, January 28 at Edgehill United Methodist Church, at 6PM. We are excited to be unveiling our latest draft of a Homesite Park vision that you helped create. The plan includes a grand vision for a William Edmondson Cultural Arts Center and new branch library. With public support -- your support -- this vision can become a reality! Follow the link for details. https://www.facebook.com/events/216244339207713/
YOUR VOICE, and YOUR PHYSICAL PRESENCE, IS VITAL right now! Please come to listen, ask questions, and share your ideas and concerns. We anticipate press coverage, and a big show of support is a powerful statement. Wear your Save the Homesite T-shirt!
The truth is, the Edmondson Homesite property is NOT YET SAFE, and won't be until Metro finally recognizes its unique civic, cultural, and historic value and treats it accordingly. We have continually called for a true Community-directed approach for the future of the property, one that honors the rich history of Edgehill and serves as a vibrant living legacy to all of it's creative and visionary heroes, including William Edmondson. Help us create and manifest a Higher Vision for this hallowed ground.
Other recent developments:
-over sixty new trees planted by the neighborhood and the Nashville Tree Foundation last fall.
-we have been contacted by the National Trust for Historic Preservation, who are interested in helping preserve and enhance the Edmondson Homesite. Discussions are ongoing.
-Press Coverage of our efforts by the national publication, Art & Antiques Weekly last November.