Fort Negley is a Civil War fort built after Union forces took Nashville early in the war. The city became one of the most fortified places in the United States because of its importance to supply lines on the western front.
The fort was partly reconstructed by the Works Progress Administration in the 1930s and later reopened with boardwalks and interpretive signs. Its history is difficult as well as military: much of the original construction was done by enslaved and newly freed Black labourers forced to work on the defences. The hilltop site gives a useful view back toward downtown Nashville.