Nolensville: A Family Friendly Town
Nolensville is not only a quintessential small town but also has a rich history that includes being heavily impacted by the Civil War as noted by several historical markers throughout town. As you drive through the city, you will see historic buildings and homes still standing today. William Nolen, a Revolutionary War veteran, founded Nolensville in 1797. He, his wife Sarah, and their five children were heading west when their wagon wheel broke. The broken wagon wheel has since become a symbol for the city. Nolen decided to settle here with his family, and the town was later named after him, as Nolensville.
Park & Trails
Today small-town charm, high-caliber schools, and proximity to Nashville have been credited to the doubling of the population over the last 10 years. Community amenities include Nolensville Park, located along Mill Creek, near the historic downtown. The park offers guests: athletic fields, a dog park, a playground, and a walking trail. The paved walking and bike trail runs from the Historic School in the town center, through Nolensville Park, and ends at York Road, near Mill Creek Middle School. A trail spur on Sunset Road allows residents to walk or bike to sports fields, the Saturday morning farmer’s market, restaurants, and shops on Nolensville Road. In addition, many of the neighborhoods have adjoining trails that run along the creek, through woods, and other scenic areas, making it not only easy to get from neighborhood to neighborhood on foot but also making Nolensville a uniquely walkable place to live.
Mill Creek
A significant part of Nolensville’s landscape is Mill Creek, a 27.9-mile-long tributary of the Cumberland River that extends through the town into Nashville/Davidson County. Mill Creek is the only known habitat for the endangered Nashville Crayfish. Residents of Nolensville enjoy the peaceful scenery the creek offers, and as you walk or bike the trails near the back of the Silver Stream neighborhood, you may even see kids swinging across the creek on the rope swings.
Organized Sports
Organized sports are a great way for both kids, and parents, to meet new friends. Wondering where to go to register for a new, or favorite, activity? Thankfully, Nolensville has plenty to offer. Organized youth sports are available through Williamson County Parks and Recreation (wcparksandrec.com) or Nolensville Youth Athletics (playnya.com). Sports offered include softball, baseball, soccer, flag football, football, cheer, and basketball. Albion SC Nashville offers training camps and travel team competitive play. (albionscnashville.org) Youth sports are also offered at local public schools.
Photo credit: Portraits by Paige
Festivals
Looking for some fun for the entire family? Look no more! Nolensville offers festivals and parades that are sure to bring joy to people of all ages. In mid-April, Nolensville hosts the Buttercup Festival in the historic downtown. This one-day event is free and features live music, food trucks, and more than 100 artisan and craft vendors. The Broken Wheel Festival features live music, food trucks, and a wide array of vendors. It is hosted by Round Up for Nolensville, an organization that provides financial assistance to Nolensville area residents and public servants in times of need. This one-day event takes place in the fall and does have an entrance fee. Independence Day is celebrated at Nolensville Park typically on the Saturday before July 4th with live music, food trucks, and fireworks. The volunteer-run Nolensville Community Events committee manages town-sponsored festivals. Residents may serve on a volunteer board or committee by applying at nolensvilletn.gov.
Nolensville also offers parades where residents gather and celebrate members of the community. The Veterans Day Parade runs through historic downtown on Nolensville Road and is held in November on Veterans Day or the first Saturday before. The Nolensville High School Homecoming Parade is also a parade you won’t want to miss. The parade runs by the high school and middle school down Summerlyn Road with impressive floats and the highly talented Nolensville Band.
But What About Traffic?
With the population growing rapidly, you may have heard the traffic is a bit of a challenge, especially down Nolensville Road, which is also U.S. Route 31A and tracks north all the way to Nashville.
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While this is true, there are ways to navigate the roads and make the commute more bearable. Be sure to look at other routes and use backroads to avoid traffic build-up. With a little scouting, you will likely find multiple routes out of your neighborhood or to your destination to the other side of town. When leaving for work, use a GPS to show the best way to get to your destination. There are usually a lot of ways to get from point A to point B and a GPS system is a great tool for finding the best route each day. Part of understanding the backroads means being familiar with what connecting roads are on the east and west side of Nolensville Road. There are times of the day when traffic is typically worse. This includes the hours when people are commuting to and from work, and when schools have their drop-off and pick-up times. Becoming aware of these times, and where the schools are located, will help you to better plan your travel route and hopefully avoid being stuck in traffic.
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Nolensville Elementary drop-off runs mornings between 8:25 and 8:36 with a pick-up time of 3:45 pm.
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Mill Creek Elementary drop-off runs mornings between 8:20 and 8:35 with a pick-up time of 3:45 pm.
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Sunset Elementary drop-off runs mornings between 8:25 and 8:43 with a pick-up time of 3:50 pm.
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Sunset Middle drop-off runs between mornings 7:30 and 7:45 with a pick-up time of 2:57 pm.
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Mill Creek Middle drop-off runs mornings between 7:20 and 7:40 with a pick-up time of 2:52 pm.
There are late start Mondays that can be found on the website. On these days drop off runs between 7:40 to 8:00 am.
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Nolensville High drop-off runs mornings between 7:10 and 7:35 with a pick-up time of 2:47 pm.
The late start Monday morning bell rings at 8:25 and students should be in their classes at that time.
Quality of Life
In addition to the wonderful things already mentioned, Nolensville provides its residents with a variety of opportunities that enhance well-being and the overall quality of life, such as the Rec Center and Farmer’s Market.
The Williamson County Recreation Complex is located off Nolensville Road. The complex offers health and fitness classes, personal trainers, a workout facility, gymnasium, outdoor pool, meeting and classrooms, arts and crafts rooms, a dance studio, a cycle room, and more. They are open daily. Monday through Thursday from 5:00 am – 8:00 pm, Friday from 5:00 am – 6:00 pm, Saturday from 8:00 am – 5:00 pm, and Sunday from 1:00 pm – 5:00 pm. The Rec Center offers yearly individual or family memberships and, if you enjoy taking classes, they also offer a membership plus classes for a bit more. The great news is you can get into any of the Williamson County Recreation Complexes located all throughout the county with your membership.
Photo credit: Portraits by Paige
The Farmer’s Market is another Nolensville perk you won’t want to miss. Local vendors gather to sell fresh produce, baked goods, meats, meals, home goods, plants, and much more. The market runs every Saturday beginning in late April at the Historic School off Nolensville Road and runs through their Winter Farmer’s Market in January from 8:00 am – 12:00 pm at 7260 Nolensville Rd. Be sure to check out their website (nolensvillefarmersmarket.com/events) for information about sponsored events such as Food Truck Festival, Nolensville Chili Cook-Off, Grill Feast, Tomato Festival, Strawberry Extravaganza, TailGate at the Market, Corn Bash, Fall Finale, and the Farm to Table Dinner in July.
As you can see, Nolensville has a lot to offer its residents. This beautiful suburb of Nashville provides those who live here the benefits of living in a small, close-knit community. After spending time in Nolensville, it becomes pretty apparent why it is growing so fast!
Town of Nolensville
7218 Nolensville Rd.
Nolensville, TN 37135
615-776-3633
Population 16,872
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