Status: Preserved

Address: 2000 North Parkway (Rhodes College Campus), Memphis

Built: 1925

Architectural Style: Late Gothic Revival (Collegiate Gothic), Tudor Gothic

Original Function/Purpose: Education

Date Listed on the National Register: July 20, 1978

National Register Reference Number Link: 78002635

History: Southwestern at Memphis Historic District (Rhodes College) is represented by a harmonious group of Collegiate Gothic buildings whose construction began in 1925 and which are now surrounded by trees planted at the same time. Its architect, Henry C. Hibbs of Nashville, was awarded the gold medal of the Southern Chapters of the American Institute of Architects for his designs. In order to insure uniformity of its building materials, the college purchased its own sandstone quarry in Arkansas. At the time it was listed in 1978 it included a total of 43 buildings, only two of which were not constructed of the same Arkansas sandstone. In an annual poll conducted by Princeton Review, Rhodes was recognized in 2016 as having the nation’s most beautiful campus. In 2025, an issue of Condé Nast Traveler showcased the campus in a gallery devoted to the “54 Most Beautiful College Campuses in the United States.” The story reported that “The stone buildings that wrap around the central quad are composed of various stones in different shades of warm natural colors, making each facade appear like a mosaic baked in the Southern sun.” In addition to its architecture, “Rhodes is home to about 1,500 trees representing close to 120 species, including two new species planted this year: pawpaw and persimmon.”

Map:

Rough outline of Southwestern at Memphis Historic District traced onto the current Rhodes College campus. Any historical map of this district used in its nomination to the National Register has not yet been located.

City Council District: 5

Super District: 9

County Commission District: 7