National Register Listings in
Shelby County, Tennessee

Adams Avenue Historic District Allen, Walter Granville, House American Snuff Company Historic District Anderson-Coward House Annesdale Annesdale Park Historic District Annesdale-Snowden Historic District Anshei Sphard-Beth El Emeth Synagogue Arlington Historic District Ashlar Hall Austin, John Alexander, House Bank of Commerce and Trust Company Building Barksdale Mounted Police Station Barretville Bank and Trust Company Building Barton, Pauline Cheek, House Beale Street Historic District Beale Street Historic District (Boundary Increase) Bennett, Gladys "MaDear", House Boyce-Gregg House Bradford-Maydwell House Brister, John Willard, Library Brooks, Wilks, House Calvary Episcopal Church and Parish House Campbell, Joseph A., House Capleville Methodist Church Capt. Harris House Carrier, Robert M., House Central Gardens Historic District Central High School Charles, Davis, House Chickasaw Heritage Park Chucalissa Indian Village Clancy, Cornelius Lawrence, House Clayborn Temple Clayborn Temple Collierville Historic District Collins Chapel CME Church and Site Columbian Mutual Tower Cooper-Young Historic District Cordova School Cotton Row Historic District Court Square Historic District Crisscross Lodge Crump, E. H., House Darnell, Rowland J., House Davies Manor Delmar-Lema Historic District Dermon Building Dixie Greyhound Bus Lines Complex Dudney, Jack, House East Buntyn Historic District Elam Homestead Ellis, William C., and Sons Ironworks and Machine Shop Elmwood Cemetery Elmwood Cemetery Office and Entrance Bridge Evergreen Historic District Fairview Junior High School First Baptist Church First Baptist Church First Colored Baptist Church First Congregational Church and Parish House First Presbyterian Church Fleming, John M., Home Place Forrest Park Historic District Fountain Court Historic District Fowlkes-Boyle House Galloway-Speedway Historic District Gaston Park Historic District Gayoso-Peabody Historic District Gayoso-Peabody Historic District (Boundary Increase, Boundary Decrease) Germantown Baptist Church Germantown Redoubt Glenview Historic District Goodwinslow Goodwyn Street Historic District Gotten, Nicholas, House Grace Episcopal Church Graceland Green Meadows-Poplar Glen Historic District Greenlaw Addition Historic District Greenlevel Greenstone Apartments Greenwood Hein Park Historic District High Point Terrace Historic District Hotel Claridge Houston, J. W., House Humes, L.C., High School Hunt-Phelan House Idlewild Historic District Idlewild Presbyterian Church Knickerbocker Apartments, The Lauderdale Courts Public Housing Project Lee and Fontaine Houses of the James Lee Memorial Lee, James, House Lee, Lt. George W., House LeMoyne College Historic District LeMoyne Gardens Public Housing Project Lenox School Love, George Collins, House Lowenstein House Lowenstein, Abraham, House Lowenstein, B., & Brothers Building Madison-Monroe Historic District Magevney House Martin Memorial Temple CME Church Mason Temple, Church of God in Christ Maxwelton McFadden, John H., House McFerrin, John B., House Medical Arts Building and Garage Melrose School Memphis Bank and Trust Building Memphis Federation Of Musicians Local 71 Building Memphis Landing Memphis Merchants Exchange Memphis National Cemetery Memphis Overland Company Memphis Parkway System Memphis Pink Palace Museum Memphis Queen II Floating Vessel Memphis Trust Building Mid-South Coliseum Missouri Portland Cement Terminal Moore, William R., Dry Goods Building Mosby-Bennett House Mt. Airy National Cotton Council Building National Trust Life Insurance Company Building Nelson-Kirby House Newburger, Joseph, House Normal Station Historic District Oaklawn Garden One Hundred North Main Building (Additional Documentation) Orpheum Theatre Overton Park Historic District Overton Parkway Historic District Paisley Hall Patton-Bejach House Peabody Elementary School Peabody Hotel Picardy Place Historic District Pinch-North Main Commercial District Pinch-North Main Commercial District (Boundary Increase) Porter, Dr. D. T., Building Porter-Leath Home Presley, Elvis, House Rayner, Eli, House Richards, Newton Copeland, House Rock of Ages Christian Methodist Episcopal Church Rosemark Historic District Roulhac, Dr. Christopher M., House Rozelle Elementary School Scimitar Building Sculptures of Dionicio Rodriguez at Memorial Park Cemetery Sears, Roebuck and Company Catalog Distribution Center and Retail Store Second Congregational Church Shadowlawn Historic District Shrine Building South Bluffs Warehouse Historic District South Main Street Historic District South Main Street Historic District (Boundary Increase) South Main Street Historic District (Boundary Increase) South Main Street Historic District (Boundary Increase) South Parkway-Heiskell Farm Historic District Southern Railway Industrial Historic District Southwestern at Memphis Historic District Southwestern at Memphis Sorority Row Historic District Speedway Terrace Historic District Squire's Rest St. Mary's Cathedral, Chapel, and Diocesan House St. Mary's Catholic Church St. Paul Avenue Historic District St. Thomas Catholic Church and Convent Steele Hall Sterick Building Sterick North Garage and Hotel Stonewall Place Historic District Strathmore Place Historic District Stratton, Leslie M., YMCA Sun Record Company, Memphis Recording Service Tennessee Brewery Tennessee Club-Overall Goodbar Building Tennessee Trust Building Third Additon to Jackson Terrace Historic District Thomas, John W., House Toof Building Toof, John S., House Tri State Iron Works Tri-State Bank U.S. Marine Hospital U.S. Marine Hospital Executive Building and Laundry-Kitchen U.S. Post Office-Front Street Station Universal Life Insurance Company Victorian Village District Vollintine Evergreen Avalon Historic District Vollintine Evergreen Historic District Vollintine Evergreen North Historic District Vollintine Hills Historic District Wells School Wildwood Farms (Additional Documentation) Wooten Fallout Shelter Zion Cemetery
Tennessee was the site of the first commercial nuclear power plant in the United States. The Tennessee Valley Authority's Watts Bar Nuclear Plant began operating in 1996 and remains in operation today.
Tennessee random facts
Shelby County, located in southwestern Tennessee, has a rich and diverse history dating back thousands of years. Its earliest inhabitants were Native American tribes such as the Chickasaw and Choctaw, who relied on the fertile land and abundant wildlife for sustenance. European exploration and settlement began in the late 17th century, with French explorers venturing into the region.

By the early 19th century, Shelby County had become a significant center of commerce and trade due to its strategic location along the Mississippi River. The city of Memphis, founded in 1819, quickly emerged as the region's economic hub, attracting merchants, entrepreneurs, and settlers from all across the country. The county played a crucial role in the cotton industry, with Memphis serving as a major cotton market and transportation hub.

The Civil War had a profound impact on Shelby County. While the state of Tennessee initially seceded from the Union, Memphis was occupied by Union forces in 1862, shifting the region's allegiances. The county experienced significant destruction during the war, witnessing battles and suffering from prolonged military occupation. However, with the end of the war came a period of reconstruction and rebirth for Shelby County.

Throughout the 20th century, Shelby County continued to grow and evolve. The city of Memphis became a center of civil rights activism, with pivotal events like the 1968 assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. taking place there. The county has also been known for its musical contributions, particularly in the genres of blues and rock 'n' roll, with iconic artists such as Elvis Presley and B.B. King originating from the region. Today, Shelby County remains an important cultural, economic, and political center in Tennessee, blending its historical legacy with modern progress.

This timeline provides a glimpse into the major events and milestones that have shaped the history of Shelby County, Tennessee.

  • 1819: Shelby County was established on November 24.
  • 1835: Memphis was incorporated as a city on December 19.
  • 1843: Shelby County Courthouse, now known as the Old Shelby County Courthouse, was built.
  • 1861-1865: Shelby County was deeply affected by the American Civil War.
  • 1899: The first automobile was registered in Shelby County.
  • 1925: The Memphis Pyramid was completed.
  • 1968: The assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. took place at the Lorraine Motel in Memphis.
  • 1977: Elvis Presley, the "King of Rock and Roll," passed away in his Graceland mansion.