La Vergne
Middle Tennessee
Bumping right up against Nashville's city limits is La Vergne, a rapidly growing community. Its first settlers were French, and historians speculate that "La Vergne" loosely translates to "the green," referring to the area's lush, green pastures. Like much of Middle Tennessee, La Vergne alternated between Union and Confederate occupation during the Civil War. There were at least seven documented battles and skirmishes fought here, and most of the buildings were burned in 1862. So little was left of the town that it became unincorporated--there were simply not enough people left living here to lead and organize a town. For the next century, La Vergne was a quiet, unincorporated agricultural community. As Nashville's metropolitan area grew in the 1960s, La Vergne saw its population increase, officially re-incorporating in the 1970s and reporting a 149% population increase in the 1990s alone. Today, it is home to the largest industrial park in the state, and has become a smart choice for international companies to set up headquarters, including Bridgestone, Ingram Books, Whirlpool Corporation and Singer Sewing Company.
