Civil Rights / Cold War
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What did teenagers do for fun in Nashville during the 1950s/1960s?
- Swim at Cascade Plunge pool at Fair Park, Collin’s Pool off River Road, Glendale in Melrose and others. There were not many private swimming pools so most people swam at commercial pools or pools located in the city parks (Centennial and Richland parks both had pools.)
- Rollerskate at Hippodrome Skating Rink on West End or Skateland in Madison. The Hippodrome also featured live events such as wrestling and music concerts.
- Cruise by Shoney’s Drive-In Restaurant on Harding Road. Teenagers with cars would cruise around the curb service looking for friends. In some cases, guys in cars would look for cute girls in cars or vice versa.
- Go to Fair Park. This was a small amusement park at the State Fairgrounds. It featured a big roller coaster, bumper cars, Tilt-a-Whirl, and other rides.
- Listen to rock radio stations and call in requests with special messages, i.e. “This song goes out to John from Mary Sue.”
- Go to the Parthenon in December to look at the Nativity Display sponsored by Harvey’s Department Store. It featured life-size figures with background Christmas religious music and lighting that would turn colors.
- Drive out to Edwin Warner Park to “gravity hill,” put your car in neutral, and sit there as it seems to go backwards up the hill.
- Go to the State Fair every year in September. Schools got out a half a day to allow for fair attendance.
- Go watch the Beach Boys or other performers at the Municipal Auditorium.
- Pay to get in fun centers where you could jump on a trampoline, ride a go-cart, play miniature golf, or ride down a large slide.
- Go to Centennial Park to feed the ducks or hang out on the Parthenon steps. Also hang out at the stone gates at Percy Warner Park or the train trestle in Shelby Park.
Courtesy of “Nashville Memories from the 50s, 60s & 70s” online at http://nashlinks.com/remember.htm
Picture Credits:
- Photograph of Clifford Curry performing at Nashville's Centennial Park bandstand around 1968. Pictured are (l-r) Curry, Wade Conklin, Buzz Cason, and Mac Gayden. Photograph courtesy of Clifford Curry for "Night Train to Nashville: Music City Rhythm & Blues, 1945-1970," Country Music Hall of Fame. Tennessee State Museum Collection
- Cascade Plunge swimming pool at Fair Park in Nashville often had musical performances at night. This photograph shows rhythm and blues artist Carla Thomas singing at the "Hugh Baby Hop." Her backup band was The Sliders, a Nashville band that played at many local venues. Photograph courtesy of "Rock Combos of Nashville: 1950s-1970s" online at http://nashlinks.com/shadows.htm
- A photograph of Jean Buchanan and her brother Jack who participated in roller skating competitions. Jean was named Miss Hippodrome 1946, and she and her brother were Southern Regional Champions in 1945. The Hippodrome Skating rink was a popular teenage attraction in Nashville. Beside skating, they offered concerts and even wrestling matches. Photograph courtesy of Vickie Rennie and http://nashlinks.com
- A boy gets ready to jump off the diving board at Centennial Park swimming pool. This photograph was taken from a book published by Youth Incorporated in 1950. Courtesy of http://nashlinks.com
Civil Rights / Cold War >> Everyday Life >> Leisure Time >> Teenagers
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