On Dec 3 and 4, the 33rd edition of the Lockeland Springs annual home tour, A Celebration of Home, will take place. Lockeland Springs is one of the many historic neighborhoods that make Nashville unique. Located at the heart of East Nashville, this tight-knit community is characterized by its distinctive architecture, history, and preservation ethic.
The majority of the neighborhood is located within the East Nashville Historic District, which in 1982 was listed in the National Register of Historic Places, the nation’s list of historic places worthy of preservation. The Lockeland Springs Neighborhood Association had been established four years earlier in 1978.
As designated in 1982, the 1,100-acre historic district contains approximately 22 blocks with more than 350 contributing properties. In 1985, the Lockeland Springs-East End neighborhood became the first in Nashville and one of the first in the United States to implement a Neighborhood Conservation Zoning District, a historic preservation tool administered by the City of Nashville through the Metropolitan Historic Zoning Commission (MHZC). The Lockeland Springs-East End Neighborhood Conservation Zoning District’s boundaries are roughly Eastland Avenue to the north, South 16th and South 14th Streets to the east, Fatherland Street to the south, and South 11th Street and Gallatin Road to the west.
The National Register of Historic Places is honorary and provides neighborhood protection at the federal level. The Neighborhood Conservation Zoning District requires property owners to acquire a local preservation permit from the MHZC when certain exterior work is undertaken to ensure that the historic character of the neighborhood is preserved. Permitted work includes new construction, additions, demolitions, and relocations. Interior renovations do not require a permit.
All but one of the 10 properties featured in this tour are located both in the East Nashville Historic District and the Lockeland Springs-East End Neighborhood Conservation Zoning District. The only exception is 420 Lockland Dr., although this Craftsman-style dwelling will likely be included in any future expansions of the historic district boundaries.
All but two of the properties were built between the 1890s and 1930s, the era when the vast majority of the homes in Lockeland Springs-East End were constructed. These homes are representative of the various architectural styles found throughout the neighborhood, including Queen Anne, Neoclassical, Italianate, and Craftsman. The two non-historic properties include a traditional home built in 1996 on a subdivided lot at 404 North 12th Street and the Neoclassical-style Masonic lodge completed in 2010 at 1400 Eastland Avenue.
Some of the historic homes on this tour have been meticulously restored to their original grandeur. Others have been lavishly renovated while retaining the historic character of the original home. All have been lovingly cared for by their owners.
There also are six businesses participating in the tour: Studio East, East Studio, Bryant Gallery, Alegria, East Garden and Good Buy Girls.
Josh Anderson Real Estate Group is the presenting sponsor for this year’s tour on Saturday, Dec. 3 from 5-9 p.m. and Sunday, Dec. 4 from 1-5 p.m. The supporting sponsors are iDesign, Beth Haley, Joel Daunic/Peachtree Planning of Tennessee, East Side Smiles and Lynn Taylor. The East Nashvillian is a partner and the official publication.
Tickets for the tour are $10 in advance and available at The Almond Tree Bakery, I Dream of Weenie, Pied Piper, Alegria, East Garden and Good Buy Girls. Tickets are $12 on the weekend of the tour and can be purchased at the Masonic Lodge.
