National Register of Historic Places News
By J. Ethan Holden, National Register CoordinatorSeven Tennessee Properties Added to the National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the nation’s official list of cultural resources worthy of preservation. It is part of a nationwide program that coordinates and supports efforts to identify, evaluate and protect historic resources. The State Historic Preservation Office administers the program in Tennessee. The state’s new listings are:

Cross—Boggs Place
Listed 05/06/2024
(Clinton—Anderson County)
The Cross—Boggs Place was listed in the National Register for its local architectural significance. Joseph Black Cross built the house circa 1860 in the small community of Dorsett in East Tennessee. The Cross—Boggs Place was initially constructed as an I-House, a well-known vernacular style characterized by its two-story height, one-room depth, three-to-five symmetrical façade openings, central hall plan, and optional front porch. It was later renovated in the Folk Victorian style in 1900 before it gained its current Classical Revival appearance in 1930. The two-story flat roof porch with columns, exterior end chimneys, and ornate door and window surrounds mark the house as a locally important example of the Classical Revival type. Joseph’s daughter, Hanna Mae Cross, and her husband, M.E. “Ted” Boggs, bought out the remainder of the Cross siblings in the early twentieth century to become the sole owners of the property. The house remained in the Boggs family until 1945, after which it changed hands until the current owner, Bonnie Shoemaker, purchased the home in 1993. The East Tennessee Development District recognized her preservation efforts and successful National Register listing with an award presented at the September 2024 District Celebration ceremony.

Webb Public School
Listed 5/10/2024
(McKenzie—Carroll & Weakley County)
Located in the city of McKenzie in Carroll and Weakley Counties, the Webb Public School was listed in the National Register for its educational significance. The first school for African American children in McKenzie was organized in a local church building in 1898. The introduction of the public school system soon after led to the establishment of the first official school for African American students, the Booker T. Washington School. Attendance rapidly outgrew the Washington School’s capacity, which led to the construction of multiple schools during the early-twentieth century, including a four-room Rosenwald School and an expansion of the McTyeire College campus in McKenzie. The nominated Webb Public School was built in 1958. Named after John L. Webb for his generous financial contributions and support of expansion drives, the Webb Public School was the only public high school available to African American children in both counties. The school offered courses in Social Studies, Math, Agriculture, and Language. Extracurricular activities like football, basketball, band, and glee clubs offered students enrichment opportunities beyond academics. Webb Public School closed in 1966 following desegregation. In 1969, alumni of the school joined together to form the Webb Alumni Association. The Association now owns the building and continues to use the property as a center for education and community service in McKenzie.

The Civil Rights Movement in Nashville, Tennessee, 1942-1969
Listed 8/2/2024
Multiple Property Documentation Form
The Civil Rights Movement in Nashville, Tennessee, 1942-1969 Multiple Property Documentation Form was approved by the National Park Service on August 2, 2024. The MPDF documents the important history of the Civil Rights Movement in Nashville between 1942-1969 and identifies the many different types of cultural resources that are associated with this important movement. The push for Civil Rights in Nashville began following the conclusion of the Civil War and gained momentum during the World War II era. The Southern Conference for Human Welfare established their headquarters in Nashville in the 1940s. Around the same time, Fisk University also launched the Race Relations Institute, an innovative program that sponsored race relations workshops. These early events set the stage for the nonviolent, direct action training workshops in the 1950s, which in turn transformed Nashville into the center for young civil rights activists in the State. The successful desegregation of Nashville’s public accommodations between 1958 and 1964 are testament to the dedication and planning of the movement members. The MPDF identifies three property types associated with the movement, including strategy centers, conflict centers, and properties associated with prominent persons. Thanks to the thorough research and survey present in the MPDF, Civil Rights-related resources in Nashville can be more easily listed in the National Register in the future.

Clark Memorial Methodist Church Complex
Listed 8/2/2024
(Nashville—Davidson County)
The Clark Memorial Methodist Complex in Nashville, Davidson County was listed in the National Register under “The Civil Rights Movement in Nashville, Tennessee, 1942-1969” National Register Multiple Property Documentation Form for its important role in the Civil Rights Movement. The complex consists of the 1945 sanctuary, 1956 parsonage, 1941 Walker House, and several outbuildings. From 1945-1964, the Clark complex hosted training workshops, community meetings, conferences, fundraisers, and other important events that fueled the Nashville Civil Rights Movement. The complex is also associated with legendary Civil Rights leader James M. Lawson, Jr. and physician Dr. Charles J. Walker. Lawson led nonviolent, direct-action training workshops at the Clark complex from 1958 to 1959. Considered to be one of the most important contributing factors to the Nashville Civil Right Movement’s success, Lawson’s workshops prepared both students and young people for the protests and demonstrations that made 1960 the most active protest year in the history of the Nashville movement. Dr. Walker, a minister and local leader within the Nashville movement, also lived on the Clark Campus. It is this confluence of activism, leadership, and training that made the Clark complex the “cradle” of the Nashville Civil Rights Movement.

First Community Church
Listed 8/2/2024
(Nashville—Davidson County)
First Community Church in Nashville, Davidson County was also listed in the National Register under “The Civil Rights Movement in Nashville, Tennessee, 1942-1969” National Register Multiple Property Documentation Form for its role in the Civil Rights Movement. The First Community Church building was constructed in 1960 around an earlier building on the same property. From 1957-1969, First Community Church served as a strategy center for the Nashville Civil Rights movement and sponsored other important community events, such as voter registration drives and seminars on race relations. The church is also significant for its association with Reverend Cordy Tindell (C.T.) Vivian, who pastored the church from 1957-1961. Rev. Vivian is recognized as one of the three major pastors who was responsible for the success of the Nashville Civil Rights Movement. The Reverend organized and participated in the many workshops and trainings that prepared activists for the rigors and challenges the Civil Rights Movement faced in Nashville. He also oversaw the construction of a modern church building that reflected the property’s important role as both a house of worship and instrument of social justice. The church and congregation continued to be heavily involved with the Civil Rights Movement following Rev. Vivian’s departure, with one member, Johnetta Hayes, serving as the first female president of the Nashville branch of the NAACP from 1959-1962. Strategy centers like the First Community Church were critical components of the Nashville Civil Rights movement.

Ell Persons Lynching Site
Listed 8/7/2024
(Memphis – Shelby County)
Located on the outskirts of Memphis, the Ell Persons Lynching Site was listed at the state and local levels of significance for its association with the lynching of Ell Persons on May 22, 1917. Ell Persons was a local African American man and woodcutter accused of murdering a sixteen-year-old white girl, Antoinette Rappel. Police began their investigation into Rappel’s murder after her body was found on May 2, 1917. Though all the evidence suggested a white assailant, the Memphis sheriff insisted that she was murdered by an African American worker. Ell Persons was taken into police custody as a suspect when his employer E.J. Brooks reported that Persons acted suspiciously. Persons was interrogated for hours, during which time he was beaten by officers until they reportedly obtained a forced confession. A white mob removed Persons from prison and, in front of approximately 5,000 men, women, and children, burned Persons alive before decapitating his body. His head and foot were later tossed into a group of African American men on Beale Street as a warning. Person’s lynching sparked national outrage. The Boston branch of the Equal Rights League sent a telegram to President Woodrow Wilson about the lynching, urging him to prevent further instances from happening. In July 1917, approximately 10,000 African Americans marched in New York City to protest the lynching, and several others, in what became known as The Silent Protest Parade. Back in Memphis, African Americans organized to form the Memphis branch of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), which played a key role in the Civil Rights movement. The Ell Persons Lynching Site today remains undeveloped and is a potent reminder of the racial terror inflicted on African Americans and the movement for change it sparked.

Cedar Heights Farmhouse
Listed 5/10/2024
(Mt. Juliet – Wilson County)
The Cedar Heights Farmhouse was listed for its local architectural significance as a good example of the Folk Victorian style. The Farmhouse was constructed in 1891 on land that belonged to the Williamson family, one of the wealthiest and most influential families in the then small town of Mt. Juliet. The Folk Victorian style was popular across the nation from roughly 1870-1910. The rise of the railroad system, pre-milled lumber, and affordable wood decorative elements contributed to its popularity. Important characteristics of the Folk Victorian style include spindle-work detailing, flat jigsaw cut trim, cornice line brackets, asymmetrical floor plans, and frequent ell-shaped additions. The Cedar Heights Farmhouse exemplifies many of these details, while also boasting unique architectural features more common to the Queen Anne style. This includes its wraparound porch, two story height, oculus window, pediments with rosette design, and intricate porch details. The interior also boasts the original staircase, decorative fireplace mantels, and wood door and window surrounds. The house was passed down through the family until the current owner was deeded the property in 2017. Since then, he has worked to restore, protect, and preserve the house, ensuring that it remains a prominent landmark in the city.