NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) — South of downtown Nashville along Nolensville Pike sits the quiet Woodbine neighborhood.

After the Louisville and Nashville railroad opened Radnor Yard in 1919, the area was mostly full of cottages for railway workers and farms. Nashville’s suburbs boomed in the post-war era, and by 1948, the Woodbine Chamber of Commerce reported a population of around 16,000. That number has only continued to grow. 

Known for being a tight-knit community, Woodbine has a history of standing up for itself. Barbara Clinton is a member of the Woodbine community organization, which has deep roots in the neighborhood. 

"There's always been a kind of welcoming attitude here. More recently we had more international people move in, and that's been wonderful for the neighborhood," Clinton said.

"One of the first things the neighborhood organization did was organize to keep the school building," Clinton said. "The city wanted to sell it and put a warehouse there, and we wanted to keep it for a neighborhood center — and we won that battle.” 

Like many battles, it takes more than just one person to win. Clinton said Woodbine is a Nashville staple, and the diverse community only continues to grow. 

"This neighborhood is very focused on what's best for the neighborhood and how we can work together to keep it that way," Clinton said.

After years of advocating for her neighbors, Clinton has passed on the torch to McKenzie Beaver and Patrick Garner. As co-presidents of the Woodbine Neighborhood Association, they recognize all the things that make it special.

"This is the type of neighborhood where you can borrow a cup of sugar from your neighbors — like how it used to be back in the day," Beaver said.

Historically, Woodbine has had the advantage of a low tax rate. But with Nashville property values increasing, Beaver said it's imperative to maintain affordability in their corner of the city.

"We want people to live here. We want to be welcoming. We want more neighbors. We want to make sure that that growth happens in a sustainable way," Garner says.

From peach trees to plant nurseries to beloved tree canopies, Woodbine neighbors care about these staples in their neighborhood and they’re looking to protect them at all cost.

"My plants are thriving here. I love gardening; it's absolutely wonderful, and I attribute that to the fact that this used to be a nursery and a peach grove," Beaver said.

Some Woodbine neighbors are concerned about the future of housing think elected officials aren’t listening. In the middle of plans to rezone parts of South Nashville, Beaver has urged residents to take a survey dedicated to preserving woodbine’s assets. Beaver said that while leaders aren't opposed to change, they want to make sure future developments take into account what makes the area special.

"This is our chance to collectively say what we want, and we will be presenting it to them in late June, so that they're in the room listening to our findings and listening to our summary of what we as a neighborhood and as residents say that we want," Beaver said.

Considered something of a Nashville hidden gem, Woodbine neighbors said they plan to follow in the footsteps of those who saved the school building and keep preserving the neighborhood.

A full report on the survey results will be available by the end of the month.

News Source : https://www.wkrn.com/news/local-news/on-tour-middle-tn/woodbine/