Status: Preserved
Address: 290 South Front Street, Memphis
Built: 1876
Architectural Style: Italianate Victorian
Original Function/Purpose: Residential
History: Before the South Bluffs Warehouse Historic District transformed into warehouse use, it was an elegant residential community. With completion of the Frisco Bridge in 1892, demand for rail-related facilities between the bridge and downtown resulted in the near complete transformation of this area. The John Alexander Austin House is one of the few remaining residences in the area reflecting the district’s era as a residential community, and the only remaining single-family Victorian-era residence built in the late 1800s. The original owner for whom the house is named was a prominent manufacturer and retailer of men’s clothing in Memphis and New York. The house remained in the family until the 1930s.
City Council District: 6
Super District: 8
County Commission District: 8