Sunset Park: Preserving the Story of a Community That Refused to Be Forgotten

When people hear the name Sunset Park, many assume it was simply another neighborhood park.

It wasn't.

For generations of African Americans in Nolensville and throughout Middle Tennessee, Sunset Park was the only recreational gathering place where families could come together to enjoy baseball, music, fellowship, church picnics, family reunions, and community celebrations during segregation.

As the youngest daughter of Thomas and Jessie Brown, the last owners of Sunset Park, I have spent years researching its history through deeds, newspaper articles, historical records, and the memories passed down by those who experienced it firsthand. My hope is that by sharing its story, future generations will understand why Sunset Park remains such an important part of Nolensville's history.

A Vision That Began in 1907

The story of Sunset Park begins with Ben and Mary Chrismon.

Ben purchased the property in 1907 and, sometime during the early 1900s, established what would become Sunset Park. While the exact founding date has never been conclusively documented, historical evidence shows the park was operating before Hadley Park opened in Nashville in 1912 as the city's first public park for African Americans. 
Ben was also a successful entrepreneur. He and his brother Jim operated a shoe repair shop near the entrance to the property, repairing shoes for both black and white customers. Although everyone paid the same price, segregation meant white customers were served first whenever they entered the shop. That reality serves as a reminder that while slavery had ended, inequality continued to shape everyday life for African Americans throughout the South.

Ben and Mary never had children of their own, but they loved young people and welcomed everyone else's children as if they were family. That spirit became the foundation of Sunset Park.

The Place Everyone Came

"Every Sunday after church, people came. Some walked dusty roads for miles. Others rode charter buses from Nashville. Everyone came because Sunset Park offered something they couldn't find anywhere else."

Families traveled from Franklin, Triune, College Grove, Kirkland, Antioch, Providence, Nashville, and neighboring communities. After church services ended, groups would begin making their way to Sunset Park, knowing they would spend the afternoon surrounded by friends and family.

For many families, the journey itself became part of the tradition.

The roads were dusty, the walk was long, and the summer heat could be exhausting. None of that mattered because of what awaited them at Sunset Park.

More Than a Park

Sunset Park was full of life.

On one side of the concession stand was the baseball field. Nearby were wooden bleachers filled with cheering families. The entrance was lined with stacked stone fencing, and the tree trunks were whitewashed, creating a beautiful welcome for visitors.

The first concession stand was a simple tin roof structure where fish was fried over an open fire in large cast iron kettles. Eventually, it was replaced with the concrete concession building that still stands on the property today.

Visitors enjoyed fried fish, sandwiches, hot dogs, homemade ice cream, snow cones, and bottled soft drinks. The empty glass bottles were returned to the store for a deposit on the next purchase.   Ben Chrismon often paid neighborhood children a nickel, or sometimes as much as fifty cents, to help clean the grounds after everyone went home.

Simple moments became lifelong memories.

A Home for Sports and Community Pride

Sunset Park became one of the most important African American recreational centers in Williamson County.

The park hosted highly competitive men's and women's baseball games, drawing teams and spectators from across the region.

One local player, Woodrow Williams, developed his skills at Sunset Park before continuing his baseball career with the Baltimore Elite Giants of the Negro National League.

Another remarkable figure connected to the property was Ted Rhodes, recognized as America's first Black professional golfer. Historical records note that Rhodes practiced on a three hole golf course located at Sunset Park.

The park also hosted the 1928 Williamson County Colored Agricultural Exhibit, a three day event featuring livestock competitions, field events, carnival attractions, agricultural displays, baked goods, household crafts, and educational exhibits that celebrated the accomplishments of African American families throughout Williamson County.

A Family Legacy Continues

When Ben Chrismon passed away in 1963, the future of Sunset Park was uncertain.

In June 1965, my parents, Thomas and Jessie Inez Boyd Brown, purchased the nearly eleven acre property and continued operating the park for another decade.

Running Sunset Park truly became a family affair.

My Aunt Juanita Brown fried the fish.

My mother prepared the food, made homemade ice cream, and managed the concession stand.

My father and my two brothers maintained the grounds, lined the baseball field every week, and prepared everything before visitors arrived.

My four sisters worked in the concession stand.

I wasn't old enough to work inside, but I was certainly old enough to help clean up afterward. Picking up trash was a family chore for all.  Looking back, I'm grateful it allowed me to be part of something much bigger than I realized at the time.

When Times Changed

"Sunset Park didn't close because it failed. It became less needed as doors that had once been closed finally began to open."

As segregation ended, African Americans gained access to public parks and recreational facilities that had once been unavailable.

Families who once depended on Sunset Park now had opportunities much closer to home.

Attendance gradually declined, organized baseball ended in 1975, and the park eventually became quiet.

Although the crowds disappeared, the memories never did.

Keeping the Story Alive

In 2006, the Nolensville Historical Society dedicated a historical marker at Sunset Park to ensure its story would never be forgotten. 

Twenty years later, another meaningful chapter was written. 

In March 2026, the Town of Nolensville voted to name its newest public park Chrismon-Brown Park, honoring both the Chrismon family, who established Sunset Park, and my parents, who preserved its legacy for another generation.

Then, on June 20, 2026, after nearly fifty years of inactivity, Sunset Park came alive once again as hundreds of people gathered for Nolensville's Historic Juneteenth Gathering.

Watching children play where generations before them had once played was something I will never forget.

For one afternoon, history wasn't simply remembered.

It was experienced. 

Juneteenth Gathering recap video

Why Sunset Park Still Matters

Sunset Park is more than a piece of property.

It tells the story of families who created joy despite segregation, entrepreneurs who invested in their community, athletes who pursued greatness, and neighbors who found belonging in one special place.

Today, we have an opportunity, and a responsibility, to preserve that history.

Not simply because it happened here.

But because stories like Sunset Park remind us that communities are built through resilience, fellowship, and the determination to create places where everyone belongs.

As long as we continue telling this story, the legacy of Sunset Park will continue to inspire generations to come.