Preservation Series 2005 Review

by Marie Zwolinski

Great Neighborhoods I: Uptown, Downtown and Midtown, the Memphis Heritage 2005 Preservation Series class, concluded on March 28. For the second year in a row, the class was a sellout. It was nice to see so many new faces with our regulars this time.

In Uptown, the first session, John Griffin delighted us with old pictures and maps of Greenlaw, the first developed neighborhood in Memphis, and shared his own trials and tribulations in renovating properties there. Many “awwws” were heard between the laughter as we viewed photos of once beautiful buildings in disrepair or gone forever. But, John’s presentation was one of positive energy and hope—that with persistence, creativity, risk, and a bit of luck, buildings can be saved.

Those in attendance at Downtown, the second session were treated to a “Who Was Who” in Memphis, with historians John Shepherd, John Harkins and John Goetz. “The 3 Johns,” as they were dubbed early on, were assembled to talk about the residential/commercial mix in downtown Memphis in the early years and reflect on the return to that pattern with the recent downtown revival. Well, the presentation rarely addressed that subject, but nobody seemed to mind. We heard all about the Greeks, the Irish, and the many adventures of John T. Shea. Who knows, maybe this was just the first stop for the Three Johns Historical Comedy Tour.

Week 3, Midtown, focused on the Cooper-Young neighborhood, courtesy of Randle Witherington, a longtime resident and owner of one of the oldest and loveliest houses in the neighborhood. Cooper-Young has lost buildings too, and the streetcars no longer run, but much of its history is still evident today — a thriving commercial district, a mixture of churches and a variety of homes, old and new.

Suzy Askew concluded the classroom portion of the Series with her presentation on historic gardens, including exclusive photographs of the garden at the Rozelle House. Suzy gave us a preview for the class field trip to the Irish kitchen garden at the Magevney House in Victorian Village. Many of the attendees commented on the amount of research that Suzy put in to her presentation and we greatly appreciate her efforts, as we do all of our speakers, who participate on a volunteer basis.

For those who registered for the class, the field trip will take place on Saturday, April 23, 2005. The first stop will be a tour of the Magevney House and Garden, 198 Adams Street, at 2:00 p.m. The second segment will be a tour of John Griffin’s residence at 194 Looney Avenue, and possibly some other sites in Greenlaw.

As always, the MHI Education Committee would like to hear your feedback on this class and your ideas for future classes. So, contact Linda Lipinski, Education Committee Chair at llipinski@southwest.tn.edu or MHI Executive Director June West at jwest@memphisheritage.org and let them know what you think. We also welcome any interested parties to join the Education Committee, which meets on the first Tuesday of every month at Linda Lipinski’s house, 774 Snowden Circle. On behalf of the Education Committee, a resounding thank you to our speakers, volunteers and participants for another great Preservation Series class!