Nashville History On Tour is a private tour company based in Nashville. David gives the Best Nashville Tours on topics including Nashville history, Nashville Music History, Civil War History, Civil Rights History, Tennessee Women’s Suffrage, Nashville sports, Nashville political history, Nashville whiskey tours, Ryman Auditorium tour, Country Music Hall of Fame Tour, Andrew Jackson Hermitage Tour, Nashville Parthenon Tour, Marathon Village Tour, North Nashville Tour, African American Nashville Tour, Civil Rights Room at the Nashville Public Library, Votes for Women Room at the Nashville Public Library, Nashville Food Tour, Nashville Printers Alley Tour, Nashville Architecture Tour and Nashville River Tour.
“David Steele Ewing is a ninth generation Nashvillian, historian, tour guide and history consultant. He frequently speaks on Nashville to locals and visiting groups and has been interviewed recently by the New York Times, Washington Post and Los Angeles Times for his expertise regarding Nashville history. David has been invited to speak to the national board of PBS and the conference of former U.S. Attorneys on Nashville history and National Road Builders Convention.
The London Telegraph said “David Ewing is a local polymath, historian, author and tour guide.” The Nashville Scene named David “Best Historian” in the annual Best of Nashville issue. The Nashville Scene referred to him as “the esteemed unofficial Nashville historian.” The Tennessean recently said
David Ewing is “known for uncovering cool and important bits of Nashville history.” The Nashville Scene named his Instagram, “The Nashville I Wish I Knew,” the best Nashville Instagram. His Instagram has over 25,000 followers.
In 2016 David uncovered the lost police arrest records and mugshots of Congressman John Lewis, long forgotten in a Nashville police department archive and unveiled these artifacts to the Congressman. This surprise presentation to John Lewis was featured on National Public Radio’s All Things Considered, Los Angeles Times, American Bar Association Journal, and the Smithsonian Magazine.
David served as both the historical consultant and featured expert for the 2021 Nashville Public Education Foundation documentary “By Design: The Shaping of Nashville’s Public Schools.” Additionally, David appeared as a historian in the Charley Pride PBS American Masters documentary, “I’m Just Me.”
David is a graduate of the University School of Nashville, Connecticut College and Vanderbilt School of Law. David previously served as the Senior Vice President of Government and Community Relations for the Nashville Area Chamber of Commerce and held that similar role at Ryman Hospitality.
David has served on over 30 Nashville boards. His board positions included Chairman of the Metro Board of Zoning Appeals and board member of the Metro Historical Commission and Metro Historic Zoning Commission. David has served on the boards of Cheekwood, The Nashville Symphony, The Nashville Opera, The Hermitage and Cumberland Valley Girl Scouts. David currently serves on the boards of Centennial Park Conservancy, and the Music City Concierge Association.”
David Ewing has the largest private collection of Nashville memorabilia including items related to the Civil Rights Movement, Women’s Suffrage Movement, Nashville colleges and schools, Nashville businesses, Maxwell House Coffee items, Nashville whiskey bottles, Tennessee political items, Tennessee State maps, Nashville bus and transit items, Nashville dairy products, Nashville coffee cans, Nashville history books, Nashville bank items, Grand Ole Opry memorabilia, country music items, Nashville history books, Nashville African American items and Nashville photographs.
