2nd Ave. N in front of the Tax Office The Nashville Gas Light Co., founded March 1850, with General Washington Barrow, President, built first gas works in Tennessee for manufacturing gas from coal. First street lamp was lighted Feb. 13, 1851 at Second Ave. North and Public Square. First gas stove was used in 1894. Natural gas piped from Texas was first used in Nashville on August 5, 1946.