Around the world, landmines and unexploded munitions from wars recent and long ago are a serious problem. Every day, people are killed or maimed by this deadly detritus of war. Here in the United States, we think of these things as the problems of other countries, but there have been major wars on our soil, and live ammunition from the Civil War is still out there. In 1999, when excavations for the foundation of the building now known as the Baker Donelson Center were underway, workers discovered a number of Civil War cannonballs, and not dead weight cannonballs, but the kind meant to explode. They were still live and ready to detonate. Fortunately, none of them went off. After munitions experts defused them, Nashville artist Joe Sorci incorporated them into this piece, “Timeless” (2002), which sits in front of the entrance to the Center. Go ahead, bang on the cannonballs. I’m sure nothing bad will happen.
Located at 211 Commerce Street, in Commerce Center Park. The sculpture is right next to the sidewalk. This is downtown Nashville, so lots of parking, almost none of it free. This is also just half a block from Lower Broad, so incorporate it into your next bachelorette party!