Edgefield became a Historic Zoning Overlay district in May 1978; it was amended September 1996. Neil S. Brown, governor of Tennessee from 1846 to 1850, is credited with originating the name Edgefield.

In 1853 Dr. Shelby subdivided most of his land holdings into residential lots that would become Edgefield. In 1977, Edgefield became the first residential district in Nashville to be listed in the National Register of Historic Places. Edgefield illustrates residential architectural styles from 1860 to about 1930.