This is a banner for the Nashville District's 130th Anniversary in 2018

Nashville District celebrates 130 years of service

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Nashville District celebrates 130 years of service to the nation and the region in 2018. Army Special Order 191 created the Nashville District Aug. 18, 1888 under the command of Lt. Col. John W. Barlow.  He began the task of constructing a series of locks and dams on the Cumberland River.   

Today the Nashville District is responsible for directing all water resources activities of the Corps throughout the Cumberland River Basin, and navigation and regulatory matters in the Tennessee River Basin.  The District’s Construction and Operations program is spread throughout a 59,000 square mile area that touches seven states. In the Cumberland River Basin, the Nashville District operates and maintains 10 multi-purpose projects for navigation, flood damage reduction, hydropower, environmental stewardship, and recreation.  Nine of these generate hydroelectric power.  The district has four navigation locks on the Cumberland River, and operates 14 locks on the Tennessee River and one on the Clinch River at 10 Tennessee Valley Authority dams.

Nashville District Historical Timeline

Historical Vignettes

Community commemorates, dedicates Dale Hollow Dam on 75th Anniversary
10/19/2018
CELINA, Tenn. (Oct. 19, 2018) – As a heavy fog lifted over Dale Hollow Dam and Reservoir during the 75th Anniversary Commemoration this morning, members of the community and U.S. Army Corps of...
Corps team navigates Cumberland River to celebrate Districts’ 130th Anniversary
10/16/2018
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (Oct. 16, 2018) – U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Nashville District employees, family members and retirees participated in a canoe, kayak, and boat voyage down the Cumberland River in...
Nashville District celebrates its history, commits to future workforce readiness
8/18/2018
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (Aug. 18, 2018) – The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Nashville District celebrated its storied history and significant milestones of service to the region today at the 130th Anniversary...
Nashville District digs historic role building new passageway
7/27/2018
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (July 27, 2015) – If you dig history, you’ll love how engineers excavated nearly 100-million dump truck loads of soil to connect the Tennessee and Tombigbee Rivers, opening a new...
Region recognizes J. Percy Priest project on its 50th birthday
6/29/2018
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (June 29, 2018) – Community leaders and citizens celebrated the 50th Anniversary of J. Percy Priest Dam and Reservoir today, acknowledging the project’s positive impact on the region...
Nashville District tames Cumberland River with the 'Old Locks'
2/14/2018
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (Feb. 14, 2018) – Using wood coffer dams, primitive hand tools, A-frames and even animals to haul in supplies and stone blocks on tracks from nearby rock quarries, Army engineers...
Nashville District celebrating its 130th Anniversary in 2018
1/18/2018
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (Jan. 18, 2018) – The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Nashville District is celebrating its 130th anniversary in 2018. The Nashville District formed from the Chattanooga District to...
Tennessee Crossroads to feature Dale Hollow Dam’s story
9/13/2017
CELINA, Tenn. (Sept. 13, 2017) – Where do you go when you want to learn about the unique and exiting places in Tennessee? Well the Tennessee Crossroads television program of course! And where does...
Barkley Dam brought hope to region 50 years ago
8/20/2016
GRAND RIVERS, Ky. (Aug. 20, 2016) – Barkley Dam, a symbol of progress in western Kentucky, turned 50 today with fanfare, remembrances and special tributes during a commemoration ceremony at the...
Dale Hollow Lake photo of ‘town that drowned’ goes viral on Facebook
2/25/2016
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (Feb. 25, 2016) – A photo with an aerial view of an old school house foundation visible on the bottom of Dale Hollow Lake is going viral on the lake’s Facebook page. It shows the only...
Imagery of 1939 flood on USACE Digital Library
11/6/2015
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (Nov. 6, 2015) – An old photo album with historical imagery from the February 1939 flood of the Cumberland River Basin is now available to the public on the Internet in the USACE...
Center Hill historical marker dedicated
10/27/2015
LANCASTER, Tenn. (Oct. 27, 2015) – Local community leaders and Corps officials dedicated a new Tennessee state historical marker today that highlights the technical significance of Center Hill Dam and...
Museum dedicated to transportation of Tennessee-Tombigbee Waterway
2/6/2015
COLUMBUS, Miss. (Feb. 6, 2015) – Thirty years after the dedication of the Tennessee-Tombigbee Waterway, officials cut another ribbon today dedicating a museum that provides education outreach and...
Restoring American Bald Eagle to upper Cumberland region a tall tale
12/22/2014
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (Dec. 22, 2014) – Nurturing baby American Bald Eagles in a man-made crib atop a 23-foot tower seems like a tall tale, but that is exactly how biologists carried out a conservation...
Nashville District showcasing historical maps from 1800s
9/16/2014
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (Sept. 16, 2014) – An 1874 military map of Middle Tennessee and 1888 map of Muscle Shoals were recently restored and replicas of them are now being showcased in the Barlow Conference...
Retired lock operator recalls rich history of navigation at Hales Bar
1/13/2014
JASPER, Tenn. (Jan. 13, 2014) — The decommissioned Hales Bar Navigation Lock is crumbling and in an obvious state of disrepair, but remains a historical landmark here on the bank of the Tennessee...