In recent months, we’ve delved into the history of local landmarks with exciting tales to tell — like The Union Station Nashville Yards and The Southern Turf Building. And Marathon Village, with its oldest building constructed around 1881, certainly has its own share of stories. Outside of its notable distinction as home to the first automobile manufacturing facility in the country, this “micro-neighborhood” on Clinton Street is also home to Nelson’s Green Brier Distillery.

Let’s take a look at the distillery’s past, which includes a stormy sinking ship tragedy, a penniless soap maker’s success story, a longstanding whiskey legacy, and even a post-Prohibition resurrection.

Exterior of Nelson's Greenbrier Distillery, where history comes alive through entrances for tastings, tours, and a restaurant and bar, all set against large windows and an industrial-style brick facade.
Nelson’s Green Brier Distillery has called Marathon Village home since November 2014. Happy Decade-iversary! Image: Nelson’s Green Brier Distillery

The legend of Nelson’s Green Brier Distillery has its ups and downs, and that’s putting it mildly. Its storied past dates back to the 1800s, when German-born John Philip Nelson (a candle- and soap-maker by trade) trekked his family to America in search of a happier and more profitable life. Sadly, the fates did not align for poor John, who met an untimely end when storms hit, sinking their ship and purportedly taking him down with the family’s stash of gold.

Fortunately, the rest of John’s family survived the ordeal, including Charles Nelson, his eldest son. Then-15-year-old Charles took over as head of the household and began making soap and candles to support the family. We won’t get into the rather extensive career path that ultimately led him to whiskey, but suffice it to say there were a fair number of odd jobs that paved his path to the modern-day Nelson’s Green Brier Distillery legacy. At one point in the late 100s, his wife Louisa even ran the distillery, making her one of the only women of her time to boast such an accomplishment. After all, women couldn’t even vote yet!

But we’re going to fast-forward a bit to the distillery’s resurgence in 2009, when Charles Nelson’s triple great-grandsons, Andy and Charlie, took over the family business. And by that, we mean they spent three years researching and restructuring the whiskey legacy, then reopening it for our consumption — a full century after it had closed during Prohibition. Now, the distillery occupies a prominent location at 1414 Clinton Street — which has a history all its own.

An empty urban street with old red brick buildings and parked cars, under a clear sky. A tall, narrow brick building stands prominently to the left of the street, reminiscent of the Marathon Motor Works era. Trees and a bridge are in the background.
In its pre-Marathon Village stages, Clinton Street was a rough-and-tumble neighborhood. “Before we came into this building, the block was fairly well blighted,” says James. “As small businesses on either side of us left, we took over the lease on those spaces and expanded to the footprint we have today.” Image: Barry Walker

In November, Nelson’s Green Brier Distillery will celebrate 10 years of distilling whiskey at Marathon Village. “We carefully selected this spot for its square footage and neighborhood,” explains James Hensley, Nelson’s general manager and a longtime team member. “The location is close enough to downtown and in a community that could benefit from a business anchoring the area to support revitalization.” And revitalize, they have. But it isn’t just the building’s new life that’s noteworthy.

Interestingly, the building at 1414 Clinton Street was originally used to produce sandbags for both World Wars. Some of those bags were even unearthed during the distillery’s construction! “We were told that at one point, Werthen Bag owned the building and produced sandbags for the war effort,” says James. “While cleaning the top of an interior storage room, the team found old sandbags that had never been used.”

People in orange safety vests and hard hats use sledgehammers to demolish a wall in an indoor setting at Nelson's Greenbrier Distillery.
Let the construction commence! Image: Nelson’s Green Brier Distillery
A large copper distillation apparatus, a nod to Nelson's Greenbrier Distillery history, stands in an industrial warehouse with an American flag displayed behind it. A man is visible walking in the background.
This copper still was installed during the early stages of the distillery’s renovation. Image: Nelson’s Green Brier Distillery

Some even say the building is haunted.

“We have had employees report hearing strange sounds and voices,” James admits. In fact, the distillery recently posted a unique opportunity to hear about some of them at an upcoming cocktail and culinary event in October. “Reserve your spot and hear some of our real-life haunted stories from inside our 100+ year old distillery building,” the Instagram post reads. Consider us intrigued.

A street scene at sunrise featuring the exterior of Nelson's Greenbrier Distillery, with the sun casting a warm glow and the road empty, whispers of history evident in every brick.
There’s a glow at 1414 Clinton Street. It could be the sunset, or it could be because the bourbon is so dang good! Image: Nelson’s Green Brier Distillery

These days, despite rumored hauntings, the Clinton Street location is full of life. “The amount of growth in the past 10 years for Nelson’s Green Brier has been remarkable, both in space and staffing,” James tells us. “We started out with three people — the two founders and myself — and now we have a staff that stays around 80 employees.” Additionally, the distillery opened a fantastic restaurant and bar in July 2023. From casually sipping cocktails at the bar to joining one of their elevated dining experiences, you’re in for a treat … and perhaps a history lesson or two!

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Jenna Bratcher
About the Author
Jenna Bratcher

Jenna Bratcher is StyleBlueprint Nashville’s Associate Editor and Lead Writer. The East Coast native moved to Nashville 17 years ago, by way of Los Angeles. She is a lover of dogs, strong coffee, traveling, and exploring the local restaurant scene bite by bite.