Nashville was founded about 1840. In 1856, Nashville was designated seat of the newly formed Berrien County. It was incorporated as a town in 1892 and as a city in 1900.[6] While some say the city is named after Francis Nash (1742–1777), an officer in the American Revolutionary War, many historical articles in the local newspaper claim otherwise.[7] The Berrien Press published an article in its November 22, 2006 edition under the title of Will the Naming of Nashville Controversy Ever Be Truly Settled?[8] The 2006 article pointed to The Griffin Papers, written in the 1930s, and several articles from The Nashville Herald - December 24, 1909, October 14, 1910, January 19, 1933, June 13, 1935, June 29, 1944, October 12, 1950, November 27, 1952, and March 5, 1953. Every one of these articles, and the 1956 Berrien County Centennial plates all lay claim to Nashville being named after Simon W. Nash, a local citizen of the 1850s and 1860s.
Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 4.7 square miles (12.2 km2), of which 4.6 square miles (12.0 km2) is land and 0.039 square miles (0.1 km2), or 1.13%, is water.[9]
Climate
The climate in this area is characterized by relatively high temperatures and evenly distributed precipitation throughout the year. According to the Köppen Climate Classification system, Nashville has a humid subtropical climate, abbreviated "Cfa" on climate maps.[10]
As of the 2020 United States census, there were 4,947 people, 2,032 households, and 1,217 families residing in the city.
Education
Berrien County students in kindergarten to grade twelve are in the Berrien County School District, which consists of two elementary schools, a middle school, a high school, and a charter school.[14] The district has 172 full-time teachers and over 3,037 students.[15]