Status: Preserved
Address: 198 Adams Avenue, Memphis
Built: ca. 1836
Architectural Style: Modest, middle class structure of the early Nineteenth Century
Original Function/Purpose: Residential
History: This is the oldest home still standing in Memphis. When Irish immigrant Eugene Magevney purchased the lot in 1838, the existing structure had four rooms and a downstairs hall, probably erected by John M. Manning in about 1836. Magevney added to the house during his lifetime, ran one of the city’s first private schools, and led the fight to establish the city’s first public schools. The first Catholic Mass was celebrated inside this house in 1839. The house was owned by the Magevney family until the 1940s when it was donated to the City of Memphis.
Additional Documentation (approved March 1, 2023): This additional documentation clarifies the boundary of the Magevney House provided in the original nomination.
City Council District: 6
Super District: 8
County Commission District: 8