Baseball in Civil War Nashville

In the spring of 1862, Nashville became the first Confederate state capital to fall to Union forces. As the Union army took control, it established camps around the State Capitol building, including in this area, one of the most historic places in Nashville. It was called French Lick in the 1700s, Sulphur Spring Bottom in the 1800s, and Sulphur Dell in the 1900s. During the Civil War, it served as a recreational field for Union soldiers. These men, in turn, introduced the northern version of baseball to local residents as early as 1862. The sport was new to Nashville; the first games were played in 1860.