Once Upon a Nashville Night

<p><strong>Everyone who remembers Nashville's Nativity scene will enjoy hearing about the people who made it happen and learning about how it came to be. I couldn't put it down. -<em>Fred Harvey III</em> grandson of Fred Harvey Sr.</strong></p><p><strong>A thoughtfully crafted exploration of a fondly remembered moment in Nashville's history. -<em>Bonnie Seymour</em> registrar and assistant curator of the Nashville Parthenon</strong></p><p></p><p><span style=color: rgba(34 34 34 1); background-color: rgba(255 255 255 1)>From 1953 through 1967 Nashville's Centennial Park hosted a Nativity scene so grand it stretched the length of the Parthenon captivating visitors from all fifty states and many foreign countries earning its place as the largest in the world at the time. Behind this beloved holiday tradition were three remarkable men: Fred Harvey Sr. the Ringling Brothers of retail who envisioned and donated the scene; George Silvestri Jr. an entrepreneur with boundless creativity who produced it; and Guido Rebechini the master sculptor who brought the figures to life. These men created a community experience that enriched even defined the Christmas season for over a million people.</span></p><p><em style=color: rgba(34 34 34 1); background-color: rgba(255 255 255 1)>Once Upon a Nashville Night</em><span style=color: rgba(34 34 34 1); background-color: rgba(255 255 255 1)> is the story of how this extraordinary display came to be and the lasting impact it had on those who experienced its magic. Themes of business development European immigrant entrepreneurs and artists Christian symbols in popular culture and the assumed unity of earlier simpler days offer an overview of changing times in mid-century America.</span></p><p><span style=color: rgba(34 34 34 1); background-color: rgba(255 255 255 1)>Those who remember the Nativity scene will delight in the memories evoked and everyone will more fully understand the ways that cultural religious and consumer life were briefly joined in mid-century Nashville as they often were throughout the South. Mr. Harvey's Nativity scene was a stunning artistic achievement and the gift to the city was not only an unparalleled gesture of generosity but also a symbol of a place and time in Nashville's history. </span></p>