Born in 1879, Col. Luke Lea served as manager of the fabled 1899 Sewanee football team, founded The Tennessean newspaper, served as U.S. senator, emerged as the principal developer of Belle Meade, organized and led the 114th Field Artillery to fight in World War I, and hatched a plot to capture Kaiser Wilhelm II to stand trial for war crimes.

That was all before 1927, when Lea gave 868 acres to the city of Nashville for a park, named after his father-in-law, Percy Warner, who had chaired the parks board until his death that year.

After Lea’s death in 1945, officers from his regiment commissioned a monument to honor his contribution. The plaque, at the base of the park’s iconic steps, was unveiled in 1950 with family and friends in attendance, including (left to right) Gov. Gordon Browning, a clergyman, Luke Lea’s widow Percie Warner Lea, and children Overton Lea, Laura Lea (m. Knox) and Mary Louise Lea Tidwell.