History
The park occupied a low bowl near a sulfur spring just north of the Tennessee State Capitol. Baseball was played there from the 1880s, and Grantland Rice's 'Sulphur Dell' name stuck.
Right field was only about 262 feet from the plate, and the ground rose steeply toward the fence, so right fielders played on a slope. The Nashville Vols played here until 1963.
The park was demolished in 1969 and the land spent decades as parking. In 2015 the Nashville Sounds opened First Horizon Park on the same block.
Why it matters: It was one of the oldest and most unusual ballpark sites in the minor leagues, and baseball returned to the same ground in 2015.
Timeline
- 1885
An enclosed ballpark opened when Nashville joined the Southern League.
- 1908
Sportswriter Grantland Rice popularized the name Sulphur Dell.
- 1927Ballpark rebuilt[1]
The park was rebuilt with a new grandstand designed by Marr and Holman.
- September 1963Last Vols game[1]
The Vols played their final game at the park in September 1963.
- April 16, 1969
The ballpark was razed.
The site today
| Physical status | Site redeveloped[1,2] |
|---|---|
| Current use | First Horizon Park, home of the Triple-A Nashville Sounds (opened 2015); previously state parking lots[1,2] |
| Surviving remnants | First Horizon Park marks the old marquee location and Sulphur Dell's home plate position with a sign and plaque.[1] |
| Mapped location | Former venue site |
Street View near the former site · Satellite view (external, current imagery)
Teams & events
| Nashville Americans | Southern League · 1885–1886 |
|---|---|
| Nashville Vols | Southern Association / South Atlantic League · 1901–1963 |
| Nashville Elite Giants | independent / Negro leagues · 1920–1928 · tenant |
Listed here are organizations that used this physical venue. A franchise's history and a venue's history are tracked separately.
Venue facts
| Other names | Athletic Park (1885–1908) |
|---|---|
| Location | 900 Fifth Ave. North; block bounded by Jackson St., Fourth Ave. N., Harrison St. and Fifth Ave. N., Nashville, Tennessee[1,2] |
| Venue type | Ballpark |
| Sports | Baseball, Football |
| Level | Minor League, Negro Leagues |
| Opened | 1885[1,2] |
| Last used for sports | September 1963[1,2] |
| Demolished | April 16, 1969[1,2] |
| Physical status | Site redeveloped |
| Original capacity | 1,000[1] |
| Final capacity | 8,500[1] |
| Capacity notes | Wikipedia lists capacities from 1,000 (1894) to 8,500 (1938). |
| Architect | William R. Gunn (1885); Marr and Holman (1927 rebuild)[1] |
| Construction cost | $7,600 (1885)[1] |
| Closure | The Vols folded after the 1963 season. |
Documented details
Connected venues
Sources
- Sulphur Dell, Wikipedia. Accessed 2026-10-19Supports: address, architect, capacity, closed, construction cost, coordinates, current land use, demolished, opened, remnants, teams
- Sulphur Dell (Nashville), Society for American Baseball Research. Accessed 2026-10-19Supports: address, closed, current land use, demolished, opened
Research confidence
Some facts on this page rely on a single source or are still being corroborated. Treat specific dates and figures with care. Last reviewed 2026-10-19.
Where sources disagree (2)
- Wikipedia's infobox gives the last Vols game as September 7, 1963, while its body says September 8; SABR gives only 1963.
- Wikipedia dates the first game to March 30, 1885 although construction is listed as running to May 1885.
See something wrong or missing? Suggest a correction or submit a source.