A Storied History

The story of Belle Meade Village is anchored in a legacy of reverence, a commitment to preserving the natural landscape, and a dedication to the cultivation of beauty.

As the site of the preeminent nineteenth-century stud farm for the American Thoroughbred industry, Belle Meade’s equestrian heritage is central to the neighborhood’s legacy and identity.

Good Luck Coin from Belle Meade Shoe Co.

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Good Luck Coin, Belle Meade Shoe Co. circa 1916

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Belle Meade racing silks, registered 1823

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Belle Meade carriage house and stables

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Harry Hall, Portrait of Iroquois, 1881

In the 1930s, Nashville was internationally recognized as “Iris City,” largely through the efforts of a group of notable Nashvillians cultivating award-winning irises in Belle Meade.

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Treetops Estate & Gardens, built in 1912

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Tennessee state flower

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Visitors to the Kirkland iris gardens, 1928 (James H. Kirkland Papers, Vanderbilt University Special Collections)

Belle Meade Plaza

On the site where Belle Meade Farm and Treetops Estate & Gardens once stood, Belle Meade Plaza opened in 1961. The retail shopping plaza introduced 14 popular merchants, including men’s and women’s retailers, a jeweler, bookstore, flower shop, beauty salon, and supermarket.

Opening on August 17, 1961, Nashville Mayor Ben West and Belle Meade Mayor Sam Davis Bell cut the ribbon, and locals were invited to tour the new space. Mayor West said, "This is another milestone in the most progressive city in the world. I'm proud this is part of the City of Nashville." (The Nashville Banner)

The Belle Meade Plaza parking lot packed for the official ribbon-cutting August of 1961. (The Tennessean)

vintage photo of Cooper-Martin supermarket

Bill Elliott (left) meat department manager at the Cooper-Martin supermarket in Belle Meade Plaza offers a Maine lobster to local patrons at the plaza’s grand opening in 1961. (The Tennessean)

The first of its kind in Nashville, Belle Meade Plaza opened as a diverse collection of retail destinations. From bookstores to couture, a local ad promotes the variety of shops within the plaza. (The Tennessean)

The local destination for fashion, dining, gifts, and everyday essentials, Belle Meade Plaza has been home to local and national brands. In an ad from 1973, the full lineup is illustrated. (The Tennessean)

Vintage add from The Tennessean for Belle Meade Plaza

An ad from The Tennessean circa 1973 promoting back-to-school shopping at Belle Meade Plaza. (The Tennessean)

A clip filmed on Robert W. Henderson Sr.’s 8mm camera in 1963, shows his children enjoying the coin-operated carousel outside the plaza. (Courtesy of Bob Henderson Jr.)