Warner Parks facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Warner Park Historic District
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Historic marker within Edwin Warner Park
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 Location in Tennessee
Location in the United States
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| Location | Roughly bounded by Little Harpeth River, Belle Meade Blvd., Tenn. Hwy. 100, and Chickering Rd., Nashville, Tennessee |
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| Area | 2,664 acres (1,078 ha) |
| Built | 1927, 1930 and 1941 |
| NRHP reference No. | 84003528 |
| Added to NRHP | January 20, 1984 |
Warner Parks are two big public parks in Nashville, Tennessee. They are called Edwin Warner Park and Percy Warner Park. The city of Nashville and Davidson County manage these parks. You can find the main entrance to Percy Warner Park at the end of Belle Meade Boulevard.
These parks are so special that they are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. This means they are important places in history. The parks are mostly in Nashville, but a small part goes into Williamson County.
The two parks are right next to each other. Old Hickory Boulevard separates them. They are about 9 miles (14 km) from downtown Nashville. The parks cover about 2,684 acres (1,086 ha). This makes them the second largest city park in Tennessee. The parks offer many fun things to do. You can find hiking trails, cross-country courses, and even a place for horses.
In 2014, the Warner Parks grew even bigger. They added 448 acres, making the total more than 3,000 acres. This expansion included the 225-acre Burch Reserve. This area has wooded hills and a very old forest. The Burch Reserve also has Nashville's largest cave. It has small ponds, meadows, and lots of trees. This old forest is one of the biggest in a city area east of the Mississippi River.
The History of Warner Parks
The Warner Parks first opened in 1927. The land was given by Percie Warner Lea and her husband, Luke. The parks were named after Percie's father, Percy. He was part of the city's park board. He also used to run the city's streetcar lines. Her uncle, Edwin, was also a park commissioner.
The park board helped design the parks. They created the layout you see today by 1930. A grand entrance to Percy Warner Park was built. It looks like a long, tree-lined path you might see in Europe. Many other stone structures were also built. These were made from local Tennessee limestone. Workers from the Works Progress Administration built them. This was a program during the New Deal era.
The parks were added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1984. This means the area is important for its history. The listed area was 2,664 acres. It included many historic buildings and structures.
The park grew with more land added between 1927 and 1930. In 2010, even more land was added. This new part was across Tennessee State Route 100. It was bought from the H. G. Hill family. This area has a very old, untouched forest. A local lawyer named Warner Bass helped raise money for this. He is the grandson and great-nephew of Edwin and Percy Warner. The "Friends of Warner Parks" group helped with this effort.
In 1998, the Warner Park Historic District was also named a Nashville landmark.
Fun Activities at Warner Parks
The parks offer many trails for running and biking. You can also drive your car through the park. There are trails for horseback riding too. You can also find athletic fields and a golf course.
Percy Warner Park has a famous set of steps. These steps are built into the mountain at the park's entrance. People can walk up these steps. They lead to the start of many hiking and biking trails.
The parks have a special course for steeplechase horse races. This is where horses jump over obstacles. The Iroquois Steeplechase race happens here every May. It has been held since 1941, except for one year during World War II. It is the only big horse race in Tennessee. The parks also host the state championship for cross-country running.
You can also find two golf courses here. They are called Harpeth Hills Golf Course and Percy Warner Golf Course. The Warner Park Nature Center is also in the parks. Other events like the Rock and Road Relay, Marathon, and 5K and the Harpeth Hills Flying Monkey Marathon happen here too.
