Nashville is known for country music, but this sweet southern city has fostered QUITE a few things that snag us a spot in the history books. Whether you have a penchant for sweet things or hot chicken, these seven things wouldn’t exist without Nashville, Tennessee. We were first, we can forever say – we were most definitely first. And the whole world should know.
- Cotton Candy!!!
jacinta lluch valero - Flickr The Cotton Candy Machine was invented by a man from Nashville. The crazy thing? This man was a dentist. It was invented in 1897 but didn’t really catch on until the World’s Fair rolled through St. Louis in 1904, where it was sold as “Fairy Floss.”
- Combination candy bars became a thing here in Nashville.
Brent Moore - Flickr Invented by the Standard Candy Company in 1912, the Goo Goo Cluster was the world’s first combination candy bar. At the time, candy was made from chocolate, caramel, or taffy, but not a combination of any of them. So, you can pretty much thank Nashville for inventing the idea that is responsible for 90% of the candy bars at the checkout counter today.
- We started the hot chicken craze.
Ntcrwler - Flickr Hot Chicken has been a staple in Nashville for decades, but it has recently caught on across the country. You can now find in from New York to Los Angeles, and even Melbourne, Australia now has Nashville-style hot chicken restaurants!
- Ah, yes - Cracker Barrel.
Mike Mozart - Flickr The first Cracker Barrel was opened more than 45 years ago in the Nashville suburb of Lebanon by a man that wanted to create a down-home experience for any traveler anywhere in America. Today, there are nearly 650 Cracker Barrel’s across America, all because of one Nashville man’s dream.
- Good ’til the last drop, Maxwell House Coffee
Roadsidepictures - Flickr The Maxwell House Hotel in Nashville is an iconic and historic hotel. Seven different presidents have stayed at the hotel, including Teddy Roosevelt who tasted the hotel’s unique coffee blend and reportedly said that it was “Good ’til the last drop.” The rest is history, as Maxwell House Coffee can be found in any grocery store coffee aisle in America, each can still displaying that famous phrase.
- Seeing Eye Dogs got their start in Music City.
Wally Gobetz - Flickr Nashville Native and Vanderbilt graduate Morris Frank is responsible for introducing Seeing Eye dogs to America. He started training his dogs in Nashville in 1929 but had to relocated to New Jersey shortly thereafter.
- Oprah on TV - yes, it’s true.
Oprah Winfrey - Facebook Did you know Oprah’s TV career began in Tennessee? It’s true! She was a regular news anchor on News Channel 5 in the early 1970s, being not only the youngest anchor in the station’s history, but also the first black female anchor in its history. Since then, of course, Oprah has gone on to bigger and better things, but it all started right here in Nashville!
Continue the fun with 7 Glorious Campgrounds Around Nashville Where No Reservation Is Required. They’re amazing!
jacinta lluch valero - Flickr
The Cotton Candy Machine was invented by a man from Nashville. The crazy thing? This man was a dentist. It was invented in 1897 but didn’t really catch on until the World’s Fair rolled through St. Louis in 1904, where it was sold as “Fairy Floss.”
Brent Moore - Flickr
Invented by the Standard Candy Company in 1912, the Goo Goo Cluster was the world’s first combination candy bar. At the time, candy was made from chocolate, caramel, or taffy, but not a combination of any of them. So, you can pretty much thank Nashville for inventing the idea that is responsible for 90% of the candy bars at the checkout counter today.
Ntcrwler - Flickr
Hot Chicken has been a staple in Nashville for decades, but it has recently caught on across the country. You can now find in from New York to Los Angeles, and even Melbourne, Australia now has Nashville-style hot chicken restaurants!
Mike Mozart - Flickr
The first Cracker Barrel was opened more than 45 years ago in the Nashville suburb of Lebanon by a man that wanted to create a down-home experience for any traveler anywhere in America. Today, there are nearly 650 Cracker Barrel’s across America, all because of one Nashville man’s dream.
Roadsidepictures - Flickr
The Maxwell House Hotel in Nashville is an iconic and historic hotel. Seven different presidents have stayed at the hotel, including Teddy Roosevelt who tasted the hotel’s unique coffee blend and reportedly said that it was “Good ’til the last drop.” The rest is history, as Maxwell House Coffee can be found in any grocery store coffee aisle in America, each can still displaying that famous phrase.
Wally Gobetz - Flickr
Nashville Native and Vanderbilt graduate Morris Frank is responsible for introducing Seeing Eye dogs to America. He started training his dogs in Nashville in 1929 but had to relocated to New Jersey shortly thereafter.
Oprah Winfrey - Facebook
Did you know Oprah’s TV career began in Tennessee? It’s true! She was a regular news anchor on News Channel 5 in the early 1970s, being not only the youngest anchor in the station’s history, but also the first black female anchor in its history. Since then, of course, Oprah has gone on to bigger and better things, but it all started right here in Nashville!
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