Non-Profit Memphis Heritage, Inc. Organization 2282 Madison Avenue at U.S. Postage Paid Edgewood Memphis, TN Memphis, TN 38104 Permit No. 965

MEMPHIS HERITAGE KEYSTONE November - December 2014 | Vol. 17. Issue 5 Support Memphis Heritage this 2014 Holiday Season and get your shopping done in one place! Memphis Heritage reminds ev- loves to get one of the mag- eryone that we have many ways nificent Newman photographs to give a great gift and support to hang in their home or office, Historic Preservation in our com- available in 8 x 10 to mural size. munity. Memberships to Mem- phis Heritage make terrific gifts MHI will once again be selling a and show your family and friends special gift item this holiday sea- that you care about making your son, The Memphis City Dining ADAPT-A-DOOR “6” NOV 8th Issue: 5 Vol.17. 2014 | - December | November Memphis Heritage Keystone community a place to be proud Cards. This offering gives folks of. discounts at favorite restaurants As we go to press we are excited and supports Memphis Heritage about our upcoming Adapt-a- MHI Memberships start at $35.00. at the same time. To get more de- Door 6. We are so thankful for Or for a donation of $15 per name tails and how you can purchase a our generous presenting spon- MHI will send out a gift card let- set of The Memphis Dining Cards sor, Delta Door and Hardware. ting your friends know that you go to our website www.mem- made a donation in their name phisheritage.org. This cleverly as a Holiday gift and we’ll even designed deck of discount cards include one of our 2015 MHI Cal- make great stocking stuffers. endars. Just send us your list and we will do the rest! Don’t miss out on these great holiday gifts for that preserva- We also have our Howard Hall or- tionist or history buff! Give us a nament that is in limited quanti- call at (901)2727.2727 or email ties. This three dimensional brass us at info@memphisheritage. INSIDE THIS ISSUE: ornament looks great hanging org or go to our website www. alone or on your tree. Our heavy memphisheritage.org and see Once again our great food will The Zoo We knew cotton T-shirts, short and long how easy it is for you to do all of be provided by Bardog Tavern, The Richards House sleeves and cool baseball caps your shopping in one place. And The Slider Inn and Tart. We are Handwerker Gingerbread are seasonal favorites. the best part is that all proceeds so grateful that Aldo and Clif Playhouse Historic Properties Trading Block We have a few of the Evergreen from the sale of these great gift and their team have been with Updates on Memphis Landmarks Neighborhood Histories avail- items support the mission of us since the first Adapt-a-Door Read more at: able. And of course everyone Memphis Heritage. back in 2008. www.memphisheritage.org 2 Other major sponsors include Dillard Door and Entrance Con- trol, The Memphis Flyer, Kathy Manning Loeb, Yuletide Office Solutions, and The Commercial MEMPHIS HERITAGE KEYSTONE Appeal. And thanyou to all of our creative “door” Artists who without these amazing works there would be no fundraiser and to our host com- The Keystone is a publication of mittee and of course to our MHI volunteers that make it all happen! Memphis Heritage, Inc. Memphis Heritage’s mission is to Along with the following: Marty stimulate an appreciation for our Gorman, Cato Fashion, Chris Sul- heritage and preserve historic livan, Laurence & Susan Chan, places. Our offices are at 2282 John Griffin, Joey Hagan, Old Madison Avenue. You can write City Millworks/Posey Hedges, to us or call us at 901-272-2727. Or visit our website at Leigh Gilliland, Jeff Wamble, and www.memphisheritage.org. Memphis Heritage Keystone | July - August 2014 | Vol.17. Issue: 3 Vol.17. 2014 | | July - August Memphis Heritage Keystone Carl Raff. Executive Committee

Joey Hagan – President, AIA Carl Raff - Past President Will McGown's "Poker Table" Robert Paulus, Associate AIA – Vice President Aaron Chestnut – Treasurer John Griffin – Secretary The Handwerker Gingerbread Playhouse Hal B. Howard, Jr. – Ex-Officio The Handwerker Gingerbread Playhouse is an important historical When he died in 1928, he was Member building located behind the Woodruff-Fontaine house in Victorian June Waddell West – Executive the oldest practicing doctor in Director Village at 680 Adams. The actual James Lee Memorial property was Memphis. Dr. John V. Handwerk- dissolved when the James Lee House was purchased from the city. er built the Playhouse for his Directors The presence of the daughters on Jackson Avenue playhouse in Victorian in 1890. The inspiration for the Carol DeForest Marty Gorman, AIA Dan Johnson Antonio Raciti Village provides an ex- design was taken from a nearby Chris Sullivan Robert Tom cellent example of suc- stable and at the time only in- Chris Bird Katharine Manning Loeb cessful historical con- cluded the front 100 square foot Brian Swope Suzanne Henley servation when public portion of the current structure. Larry Chan Jeff Wamble minded citizens, busi- The original structure included MHI Staff ness leaders and elected Queen Anne style trim, the tur- officials work together. ret with stained glass and a red June West - Executive Director The Queen Anne ‘ginger- tin roof. The Playhouse was later Carrie Stetler­­ - Admin Asst. bread’ style playhouse moved to North Thomas Street Publications/Website was originally built by and was expanded in 1907, and Committee a descendant of Boniface Handwerker, John Valentine Handwerker. again in 1927, to include space The family’s patriarch and family arrived in Memphis in 1849 and he for an office for Dr. Handwerker Robert Tom was the first organist at St. Peter’s Catholic Church and taught mu- after he retired and closed his Dan Johnson Mark Parrish pharmacy on Main Street. Charlie Lambert Robert Lanier sic at St. Agnes Academy. Boniface Nigel Price Handwerker died with many other Memphians when the steamboat The Playhouse was donated to Ad Sales: Mark Parrish Bulletin II exploded on the Mis- the Association for the Preserva- For advertising information con- tion of Tennessee Antiquities by tact: Mark Parrish, (901) 857-2353 sissippi River in 1855. The family [email protected] stayed in Memphis and over the the Handwerker family in 1972 years made contributions to the and relocated to Victorian Vil- Copyright © 2014 Memphis Heri- community in medicine, religion, lage by the Memphis Board of tage, Inc. All rights reserved. music and science. Professor John Realtors the same year. Before recently been restored to its orig- George Handwerker, Boniface’s it was moved to the James Lee inal white and red color scheme. eldest son, survived the Bulletin II property, the building was se- The Playhouse hosts weddings, tragedy and became the first con- lected by the Historic American birthdays and numerous other ductor of the Memphis Sympho- Building Survey in West Tennes- events. The Woodruff-Fontaine netta. John Valentine Handwerker see to have architectural draw- House Museum including car- became a pharmacist and main- ings of it made and placed in the riage houses, Helen Pigeon tained his practice and pharmacy National Architectural Archive in playhouse and the Handwerker without interruption during both the Library of Congress. This rec- cottage is maintained by the yellow fever epidemics. He later ognition places the Playhouse Memphis Chapter of the Asso- became a doctor which wascom- on the National Register of His- ciation for the Preservation of www.grahamslighting.com mon for pharmacists at that time. toric Places. The playhouse has Tennessee. Antiquities. 3 ADVERTISE WITH US MEMPHIS HERITAGE Rates as low as $25 • Your target audience KEYSTONE Contact Mark Parrish ~ [email protected] or 901-857-2353 The Zoo We knew I recently had occasion to look for some Memphis Zoo history to verify data I needed to write an article about it. To my surprise any history of the Zoo in Overton Park Thank you is almost nonexistent. It opened between 1904 and 1906 with 23 cages of animals. Other than that there is little illuminating information for public consumption. for remembering

I worked at the Zoo over 60 years ago and have lots of Issue: 5 Vol.17. 2014 | - December | November Memphis Heritage Keystone memories. To reinforce my own recollections I called on an old friend, Donne Walden, to help me construct Memphis Heritage some concept of the 1950’s-60’s Zoo. He had worked with me and began his tenure there even longer ago in your will! than I did – March 1, 1950. The Zoo was at that time known as the largest FREE ZOO in the United States. Memphian Abe Plough of Plough Incorporated, made a large donation each year to make improvements and to keep the zoo free. Your legacy will Between the two of us we came up with some inter- esting stories about people, animals, and others hap- penings during our decade of working at the Zoo. I help us continue began working there shortly before my tenth birth- day in the spring of 1953. My job, on weekends only, Artie Shaw’s song “Frenesi” that I don’t think of the was to rent baby strollers to the public (I was the first good old days watching that circus. The record our mission of person to be hired for that duty). They rented for fif- was played as part of the show each day and the ty cents per day. The customer had only to sign a log melody could be heard all over the park. with a name and address and the check-out time. As saving our past the day progressed I’d enter the return time of each When he was not doing a circus performance, buggy and keep the miniature vehicles wiped clean. Tommy was in charge of a pony track, providing That was quite a responsibility for a nine-year-old. Un- rides around a quarter-mile track for kids at ten for generations fortunately, we were not as germ conscious then as we cents a ride. He was also one of the Zoo’s manag- are today so the hygiene applied to the strollers was ers. Tommy took a baby guerilla home with him pretty rudimentary. for several weeks one time to be sure it received to come! Donne, in the meantime was the Zoo’s photographer, proper feeding during the night. The Zoo’s then taking pictures in an enclosed building (formerly a Director, Mr. Nick Melroy, brought the circus to the popcorn stand) and developing the prints in one min- Zoo in the late 1940’s. He had been a lion tamer at ute. The snapshots cost a quarter. The untold thou- Cole’s and a tattoo artist. Word is Melroy practiced sands of pictures taken and preserved at that photo the art of tattooing at the Zoo, informally, in the 901-272-2727 booth is amazing to consider. Almost half the people house on the grounds where he lived. The hous- www.memphis heritage.org from the Memphis area remember and/or have pic- ing comprised part of his compensation as Direc- tures that were taken there. They remain unfazed to tor. 2282 Madison Avenue this day; they just do not fade. at Edgewood Getting back to the picture booth for a minute, Memphis, TN 38104 We vividly recall the free circus that commenced at we used a direct-positive camera that reversed 2:30 each afternoon. In the 50’s the ringmaster was everything it saw. Therefore, the backdrop had to Tommy O’Brien, with a history at Cole Brothers Circus, be printed backward. We used a scene showing and his wife, Marguerite, who put on a forty-five min- the original front gates of the Zoo with the cur- ute spectacular for a gallery full of smiling and cheer- rent date thumb-tacked in every day. Today, that ing kids and adults. There were elephants, horses, scene has been recreated near the front entrance ponies, dogs, a camel, as well as human acrobats and to the Zoo. A number of the pictures taken in the aerialists. Clowns added to the fun. Tommy was a mas- 50’s and 60’s are posted there. Donne took most ter animal handler and in his silk shirt and whip, was a of them and, starting in 1954, I, too, was a pho- commanding presence. . I never hear a recording of tographer. Donne recalls the original backdrop 4 was some rocks and water with the words, “Memphis Zoo” as its title. Donne says an old man CRISTOFIR BRADLEY CABINETRY named Smith painted the scene QUALITY CUSTOM CABINETRY - FAIRLY PRICED and keeping a bottle of whiskey in the dark room for frequent bookcases, closet organizers, trim carpentry nips. Perhaps painting scenes in reverse was easier when he was not totally sober. He later paint- 901.237.6687 | [email protected] ed the new scene with the Zoo gates. We added dates to the pictures in the early 1950’s. That was an ingenious idea in those days that sold a lot of pictures.

Memphis Heritage Keystone | July - August 2014 | Vol.17. Issue: 3 Vol.17. 2014 | | July - August Memphis Heritage Keystone I cannot leave out our boss, Charlie R. Bell, the one who inno- vated the idea of a picture stand and who was responsible for the strollers as well. Over the years he owned or managed rides, carnival games, and other enter- prises at the Zoo, Fairgrounds, Riverside Park, and elsewhere. He referred to himself as a “Con- cessionaire”. He was much more than that. He had the gift of gab and could sell anything to any- one. He talked the patrons of the picture stand into multiple copies (at a quarter apiece) of the pictures he sold. “How about one with the grandmothers?” he’d croak. Some of those folks spent five or ten dollars on pic- tures and souvenir frames (ten or twenty-five cents each). They went away happy with their pur- chases and often came back be- fore leaving for more pictures. Sometimes the take for the day was about one-hundred dollars. That was a fortune in the 1950’s.

Part 2 to follow in the New Year! 5 Memphis Heritage Keystone | November - December 2014 | Vol.17. Issue: 5 Vol.17. 2014 | - December | November Memphis Heritage Keystone 6 ADAPT-A-DOOR Memphis Heritage’s Annual 2014 Holiday and 2015 Calendar Release PREVIEW Party Thursday, December 11 Our annual party welcoming the holiday season and the unveiling the 2015 Memphis Heritage Calendar will once again be held in part- nership with the local US Green Build Council’s Holiday event. This fun party will be held on Thursday, December 11th at Howard Hall from 6:00 till 8:00pm. This will be our 4th year to celebrate with USGBC. Avaliable now - 2015 Calendar DRUM ROLL...... We are very excited to announce that our 2015 MHI honoring MALCO THEATRES calendar honors the long and successful 100 year history of Malco Theatres, Inc., a true historic part of Memphis and the regional entertainment scene. Our 2015 Calendars are available for purchase at the following retailers: The Arcade Restaurant, Diane’s Gifts, Burkes Books, Memphis Heritage Keystone | July - August 2014 | Vol.17. Issue: 3 Vol.17. 2014 | | July - August Memphis Heritage Keystone Brooks Art Museum Gift Shop, Maggie’s Pharm, Dabbles, The Art Center, Dixon Gallery Gift Shop. Current members of Memphis Heritage are invited to this annual party where they can pick up their free 2015 cal- endar. If you are not a current member of MHI you can join or rejoin at the door. This is a great opportunity to bring friends and family so they can become members of MHI and join in the festivities. Updates on Memphis Landmarks “Garden Door” ROWLAND DARNELL up, etc. The latest information the cause to celebrate our com- Lisa Tribo HOUSE (AKA 19th Century we have about the potential use munity’s historic treasures and Club) of the property relates to a pro- create plans that will work to gram that would work to help prevent demolition on these ir- In early September the plaintiffs reestablish veterans when they replaceable icons. Contact us by dropped their appeal of the case return from service to civilian calling 901-272-2727 or email involving the January 2013 sale life. Find Save Ashlar Hall group [email protected]. of the historic Rowland Darnell on Facebook. Home. Most involved thought Now Available “Memphis Entertainment Table” that the next step would cer- TN BREWERY The Idlewild Childrens Center tainly be demolition, the origi- Online Summer Camp nal plan by the owners that pur- Memphis Heritage coordinated chased the historic property at a community meeting on Jan. Genuine Memphis Heritage auction. Much to our surprise 23 at Howard Hall to brainstorm goodies now available at: the owners made the decision to and gain feedback from any- restore and reuse the property. one interested in the future of www.memphisheritage.org We are thrilled and grateful and the landmark TN Brewery. One have offered our support as the popular idea was to create a sort T-Shirts, Hats, Posters, Prints and owners move forward with this of buzz around the property by more! exciting restoration project. Ar- working on a “pre-revitalization” cher Custom Builders will do the concept; using the property for “Autumn Leaves” work. We are very grateful to all a month long use similar to Pop Jean Handley of those who generously donat- Up businesses and The Brewery ed money that paid for all court Untapped was born. Through fees and costs that ultimately this exciting and successful pro- lead to this happy ending. gram potential buyers gained in- terest in the reuse of the historic ASHLAR HALL property. At this time a group lead by local businessman Billy After it was revealed thru the me- Orgel are planning on closing on dia that Robert (Prince Mongo) the property in the next month. Hodges had quitclaimed Ashlar For the latest information and to Hall to Kenny Medlin, Environ- follow the ongoing story go to mental Court determined after the Facebook group, Save the TN Our Past several months that Mr. Medlin Brewery. would be given the opportunity is to continue working on plans Memphis Heritage will continue Your Present to restore the building. Work to work closely with the own- has been done on the property ers and any person or group(s) www.staxmuseum.com site, garbage has been cleaned that are interested in joining 7 Memphis Heritage Keystone | November - December 2014 | Vol.17. Issue: 5 Vol.17. 2014 | - December | November Memphis Heritage Keystone 8 Information THANKS TO through October OUR GREAT 31, 2014 VOLUNTEERS RENEWING MEMBERS ANNUAL GIVING HOWARD HALL Dennis Givens Melissa Downing Edward Greene Logan & Simone Meeks A special thanks to the follow- Margaret Vandiver ing for helping to keep MHI GIFTS IN MEMORY OF Emily Levings beautiful: Karen Ralston Mark Bieber’s beloved Nancy Wight Jerry Bradfield & Larry Harris Cocker Spaniel - Sa- Laure Terry John Dulaney vannah Charles Pazar Brian Swope by Kenneth and Re- Mary Beth Wiggins Robert Paulus becca Muska Sally Damron Amy Money Christopher & Amber NEW MEMBERS Murphy YARD SALE VOLUNTEERS Memphis Heritage Keystone | July - August 2014 | Vol.17. Issue: 3 Vol.17. 2014 | | July - August Memphis Heritage Keystone Debbie & Jim Eubanks Betty & Charlie Lambert Johnny Taylor Fred Durbin Amy Money Tony & Jamie Stall- Rod Gary Shirley Money smith Patty Waddell-Smith Mark Bieber Jeanne Seagle Fenwick Chappell Suzanne Henley Brad & Sarah Gilmer Larry Johnson Jeff Wamble Lynn Jackson and Lori Dale Schaefer Larry Chan Connolly James Jalenak John Griffin Amy McDaniel Charles & Betty Lam- Nigel Price Ken & Kelley Hayes bert Stephanie Wexler Blake Graves and Peter & Karen Scata- Fred Durbin Thomas Smith macchia Kevin Holland Ruth Ellen Williams Keystone VOLUNTEERS Rachel Burkett Karen McCarthy Stefan Wunn Don & Lisa Street Charlie Lambert Greg Krosnes Anna & Tod Holtzclaw Nigel Price Scott Cowan Timothy & Lizi Ward Mark Parrish Rhonda Miles Harry Jaffe Dan Johnson Ashley Tubbs Robert Tom Mollie Baker DONATIONS Bill Crowder Carmon Harwood Bob Lanier Cathy Crouse Eddie Hutchison Brent Kernodle Kathy & Edward Fer- Nancy & Fred Toma guson Lori Roper Leah Greene Susan Mackenzie & Nancy Wilson Virginia Stallworth Cheryl Yates Nancy Jane Baker Joy Asbury Janice Pettis Kendra Powers Amy Money Ginny Taylor Shirley Money Stephanie Stephens Mary Lisa Mc- Claire Ryan Gaughran Judith Johnson Alexandra Scott Brian Swope Chris Bird Jewel Rosenburg Larry Chan Russell Baker Marina Pakis John Dulaney RENOVATIONS ADDITIONS GARDENS Jo Kee Fred Durbin HAPPY Jonny Ballinger Suzanne Henley 194 LOONEY AVE. MEMPHIS, TN 38107 901. 581. 3290 Kevin Morgan HOLIDAYS THE KEYSTONE TRADING BLOCK HISTORIC PROPERTIES MARKET Name Address Listing Price Approx ft² Year Built Style Realtor Contact

Dermon Building 46 N. Third St $1,900,000 95,000+ 1925 Renaissance Revival Jerry Couloubaritisis (901) 761-4444 Tennessee Brewery 495 Tennessee St $1,200,000 60,000 1890 Romanesque Revival UNDER CONTRACT Old Memphis Humane Shelter 463 N. Front St $ 950,000 6,771 1936 Art Deco Garland Co. (901)527-7779 Ashlar Hall 1397 Central owned by Urban Renaissance Initiative run by Kenny Medlin. Trial period currently running to determine whether this new owner will be have the capacity to restore the property so that it can be repurposed Clayborne Temple 294 Hernando St $ 600,000 20,000 1891 Romanesque Revival Sam Mitchell, KW Commercial (901)569-2307 Bradford-Maywell House 648 Poplar Ave $ 159,000 3,785 1859 Federal with Italianate details James Rasberry, Rasberry CRE (901)722-8234 Elam Homestead 1428 Fox St. $ 31,000, 3,600 1840 Log house (foreclosure) MOVOTO R.E. (888) 766-8686

The Memphis Heritage Advocacy Committee is looking forward to working with property owners, agents and buyers. Our goal is to act as liaison with all interested parties in order to prevent inappropriate demolitions and work toward proposals that will be favorable to historic properties. If you would like to promote your historic property for sale via The Keystone, or are interested in a property from our listings, please contact our office at 901.272.2727.