East Nashville is the large area directly across the Cumberland River from downtown Nashville. It includes Edgefield, Lockeland Springs, East End, Five Points, Eastwood, Cleveland Park, Inglewood and other neighborhoods, along with the East Bank riverfront.
The Cumberland River wraps around its western, southern and eastern sides; there is no official boundary on land to the north. A narrow definition uses Ellington Parkway and ZIP code 37206. A broader “Greater East Nashville” reaches I-65/I-24 on the west and Briley Parkway on the north.
Development
Edgefield became a city in 1869, and Nashville annexed it in 1880. A fire on March 22, 1916 destroyed more than 500 houses. Tornadoes struck the area in 1933, on April 16, 1998 and on March 3, 2020; the 2020 tornado did heavy damage around Five Points. The Edgefield Historic District was listed on the National Register in 1977, and the next year it became Nashville’s first historic zoning district. The riverfront East Bank, about 550 acres between I-65 and I-24, is being redeveloped under Metro’s Imagine East Bank plan (2022). The work includes a new enclosed Nissan Stadium next to the 1999 stadium and an Oracle campus of about 82 acres in River North.
Parks & Recreation
Shelby Park opened in 1912 and covers more than 336 acres. Together with Shelby Bottoms Greenway and Natural Area, the parkland totals more than 1,200 acres, with golf courses, Sevier Lake and paved trails. East Park was laid out after the 1916 fire. Cumberland Park (2012) is a 6.5-acre riverfront park between the Shelby Street Pedestrian Bridge and the Korean War Veterans Memorial Bridge.
Transit
WeGo route 56 Gallatin Pike serves Five Points Station. Route 4 Shelby runs along Shelby Avenue to Shelby Park, and route 34 Opry Mills uses Ellington Parkway. I-24, I-65, Ellington Parkway and Briley Parkway provide highway access. The Shelby Street Pedestrian Bridge connects to downtown on foot and by bike.