Books

The Tennessee Bicentennial Mall was dedicated on June 1, 1996, and over the past quarter century has matured and hosted celebrations, concerts, and educational events. Located directly north of the State Capitol, the 19-acre urban setting is part of Tennessee’s state park system. It is one of Nashville’s most visited public spaces and has received national and international recognition.

In this comprehensive book, architect and lead designer Kem Hinton first shares the story of the State Capitol, the National Landmark designed in 1845 by Philadelphia architect William Strickland. He next documents the efforts to establish a new public park in an underappreciated part of Nashville, one that would serve as a commemorative civic gift and also provide an unobstructed vista of the historic statehouse. This is followed by an explanation of the design process to create in this unusual location an informative outdoor museum about nation’s sixteenth state. Hinton includes numerous elements and enhancements added after the Mall’s dedication during the Bicentennial Celebration, notably the Tennessee World War II Memorial, 95-bell Tennessee Carillon, and 96^th “answer bell” on Capitol Hill. The book concludes with detailed information on two recently completed new facilities: the Tennessee State Museum and the Tennessee State Library & Archives.  Now an established cultural and educational destination, the Mall and these adjacent institutions combine to delight citizens and visitors, reinforcing the original theme to here honor: “the land, people, and music of Tennessee.”

Presented by Grandin Hood Publishers, the 180-page hardback publication contains scores of historic documents, illustrations, maps, drawings, and photographs documenting the State Capitol, the evolution of Capitol Hill, and the establishment of the $59-million urban park.  It further includes exceptional professional images of the Mall captured in the past twenty-five years by the state’s finest photographers including John Guider, Bob Schatz, Slick Lawson, Robin Hood, Dean Dixon, Keel Hunt, John Schweikert, Jackson Gibson, and many others.

A Long Path – The Search for a Tennessee Bicentennial Landmark

Though most Tennesseans first heard of the Tennessee Bicentennial Capitol Mall during the year of its celebration, the path of its creation is almost as old as the state itself. From details of the first settlement on the site of the Mall to descriptions of items still to come, Kem Hinton tells the story of this vital Nashville area through historical pictures and commentary.

Seablets – The Funny Sayings of Architect Seab Tuck III, FAIA

For three decades, Kem Hinton has documented the humorous sayings of his business partner, Seab Tuck. Beginning in the mid-1980s, Kem and others in their design studio of Tuck-Hinton Architects noticed Seab’s quirky, often hilarious malapropisms, including phrases such as:

“I had a sense of ray,” “Our height is too low,” and “She was a sheep in fox clothing.”

In this modest book, you’ll find over 700 quotes, evidence of a talented architect’s ability to keep the laughs coming and proof of his contributions to making their office environment just plain fun.