HISTORY OF SOUTH NASHVILLE The End Of An Era The hardy group of settlers led by James Robertson crossed the frozen Cumberland River and  climbed the river banks at French Lick ( located near the Old Stock Yards) on an icy November day in 1779.  This group began what was to become Fort Nashborough. The area to the south which was to become known as South Nashville was nothing more than wilderness and hunting grounds for both the Indians and settlers. Some of the time, they were hunting each other in this area.  The nearest settlers were the Demombreums on the banks of the Cumberland near present day Donelson, the small band of French traders at French Lick, and a few settlers were later  located at what was known as Buchanan’s Station  on the trace near present-day Elm Hill Pike. The settlers found that the rich bottom land in the area along what is now Broad Street and First Avenue was some of the richest farmland for growing crops.  Several acres were planted and harvested in great danger to their lives from Indian attacks as they worked. Several settlers would stand guard as the others harvested. This rich bottomland had very black soil, and the area later became known as "Black Bottom." It was the tales that James Robertson took back to North Carolina of cornstalks growing more than nine feet tall in this area that lured many of the early settlers to make the long journey from Hillsborough, North Carolina and from the Watauga Settlement to the banks of the Cumberland in Middle Tennessee.  Black Bottom ,located between College Hill and Broad Street,  would retain this name until the mid 1950’s. Much of South Nashville’s early history is tied to Educational and Medical facilities to later locate in this area. Even before final plans for the city had been decided, Tennessee passed legislation that the then fledgling school of Davidson Academy, which was in makeshift quarters six miles to the northeast of town, be located on 100 tax-free acres on the hill one mile south of town. This hill would eventually become known as College Hill and later Rutledge Hill.  At the turn of the century, Davidson Academy combined with Cumberland College.  Phillip Lindsley arrived in 1824 from to head the new institution. Lindsley Avenue was later named for this prominent  educational leader.  Under Lindsley’s leadership, legislation was passed that established a University of Nashville and small Cumberland College became the University of Nashville in 1826. Most of city of Nashville in the early 1800’s lay within the boundaries of the River to east, the railroad gulch to the west, Jo Johnson Street to the north and Broad Street to the South. Almost all mercantile activity was limited to the public square and the wharf at the end of lower Broad. The outlying areas from this region were small farms and large estates.  The largest being the Hermitage eight miles to the south, but other estates were rapidly being built as the prosperity of the region increased.  Expansion of the city was limited to the north by a large flood plain and to the west by the low lying railroad gulch. Although some businesses located to the east across the river, most did not thrive and the eastern section became mainly residential in nature. Summer homes and estates were mainly established there such as the Shelby estate of Fatherland and Boscobel. Available open land in downtown Nashville was becoming more scarce and several cemeteries in the downtown area were moved in 1822 to the new city cemetery at the present site on Cedar Street (4th Avenue) and Oak. The hill on the river bluff to the south provided an excellent place to relocate the old overburdened city waterworks from downtown, and the new waterworks was opened in 1832. This new waterworks location later became the site for the Nashville General Hospital. Until then, the south Nashville area relied mainly on various springs to provide the necessary drinking water which was collected in buckets or brought around by horse and wagon for a small fee.