Status: Demolished; delisted Jan. 17, 1985

Address: 784 Poplar Avenue, Memphis

Built: 1874-75

Architectural Style: Victorian Italianate

The Stephens-Cochran House was placed on the National Register on July 9, 1980.

History: The house was constructed of brick in 1874-75 in the Victorian Italianate style, perhaps by owner of the land William Stephens, but the first long-term occupants were the Marcus Emmett Cochran family. Cochran was a pre- and post-Civil War city alderman and partner in the M.E. and J.W. Cochran Lumber Company.  Cochran died in 1873 shortly after the family occupied the house, but his widow Sophia and other family members continued to make it their home until Sophia died in 1908. The house was later remodeled and used “as an apartment house of up to twelve separate apartments.” The property passed through a number of hands until in 1978 it was sold to an owner who had it named to the National Register. A note attached to the 1978 photo above states that its 6,900 square feet and 20 rooms were at this time split into four apartments. This owner “expressed a willingness to restore the building’s exterior” and had already made initial repairs, but that availed little. The house has long since been demolished and its site on the northwest corner of Poplar and Leath is now occupied by The Spot Market and Tana Liquors.

City Council District: 7

Super District: 8

County Commission District: 8