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Protecting East Nashville’s Lockeland Springs Park

This is Lockeland Springs Park Cover

Deep in the East Nashville neighborhood of Lockeland Springs is an oasis of year-round crystal clear streams, fascinating history, whimsical tree tunnels, and countless native plants and animals.

This is Lockeland Springs Park.

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Established in 2010, this unique Metro Park is nestled in a deep, wooded valley. Its springs and sparkling stream flow year-round, attracting animals of many kinds. Deer, turkey, frogs, hawks, salamanders, turtles, woodpeckers, butterflies, crayfish, aquatic snails, owls, raccoons, foxes, and chipmunks live in the valley, and this tract serves as their primary biological reserve. Paths run through the woods along the stream, cross bridges, and lead to outdoor classroom areas. The land’s varied topography—stream bed, banks, undeveloped slopes, and hilltops—currently offers food, shelter, water, and cover to numerous species of animals and plants. Renowned for its water quality by early Nashvillians, Lockeland Springs evoked the timeless importance of sheltered coves across generations.

Before the devastating March 2020 tornado ripped through the neighborhood and park, Lockeland Springs was also dense with trees sheltering gentle spring-fed streams. Locals still lovingly refer to it as the “Fairy Forest” due to the tiny fairy houses tucked among the trees, outdoor classroom, and the stone ruins of its historic springhouse. But its history stretches far further back.

In 1889, James Richardson purchased Lockeland Springs and surrounding acres and quickly noticed the mineral water from the springs “improved his health.” This was likely due to its lithia qualities—or the mineral water’s natural lithium salts. Richardson erected Lockeland Springs soon after, bottling the water for public consumption. A sensation followed, and the water was sold in mass quantities up until the late 1940s.

Remains of the historic springhouse stand in the park to this day. Yet the precious nature surrounding it has seen constant threat from the rapid development of East Nashville.

Lockeland Springs’ Permanent Protection by TennGreen & Partners

Thankfully, a change of land ownership in 2021 allowed for the Friends of Lockeland Springs Park group to pursue expansion and safeguarding of the Metro park, leading to its permanent protection by TennGreen Land Conservancy as a Conservation Easement, which protects the land—and everything within it—in perpetuity.

This was made possible by Trust for Public Land (TPL), and the Lockeland Springs Neighborhood Association. Both rallied alongside TennGreen to raise $1.6 million in six months to acquire an adjacent four-acre property, expanding this local treasure with Metro Nashville Parks and Recreation. Metro was—and remains—an integral partner and champion of these accomplishments.

Now that this unique oasis is safe from development, the property serves as a spruce, maintained destination for Nashvillians to enjoy the outdoors.

Again, we cannot thank donors of this project enough. If your community needs assistance expanding or creating local parks, please contact TennGreen.

For more information on this critical East Nashville project, see our full Lockeland Springs project page.

PROJECT PARTNERS:
TennGreen Land Conservancy, The Trust for Public Land, The Lockeland Springs Neighborhood Association,  Metro Nashville Parks