National Register of Historic Places News

By J. Ethan Holden, National Register Coordinator
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Four 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:

Photograph Courtesy of Esosa Osayamen.

West J. Crawford House
Listed 11/4/2024
(Memphis – Shelby County)

The West J. Crawford House was listed in the National Register on November 4, 2024, under Criterion C for its local architectural significance. The handsome Italianate residence was constructed in 1877 to serve as the home of West J. Crawford and Annie Louise Thompson. It was once part of the formerly listed Vance-Pontotoc Historic District, a neighborhood locally known as “Millionaire’s Row.” Wealthy Memphians like Crawford constructed lavish houses in the Italianate, Queen Anne, and other Victorian-era styles in the area. Now, the West J. Crawford is the only remaining Italianate House on Lauderdale Street, and one of the last three houses that comprised the original neighborhood. Important features of the Crawford House include its side-passage plan, brick construction, arched hooded windows, overhanging eaves, decorative brackets, and classically influenced porch. 

Photograph Courtesy of Sara Anderson.

Mossy Creek Presbyterian Church
Listed 11/6/2024
(Jefferson County – Jefferson County)

Located in Jefferson City, the Mossy Creek Presbyterian Church was listed in the National Register on November 6, 2024, for local architectural significance under Criterion C as an excellent example of its style. The original portion of the church was constructed in 1871 and featured a two-story bell tower on the façade, imposing brick pilasters, decorative brick turrets, and tall-arched windows. An addition was constructed on the rear of the church in 1949 to accommodate the church’s growing needs. The rear addition is characterized by its modest Colonial Revival influences. Nomination research concluded that Mossy Creek Presbyterian Church may be one of the earliest surviving examples of its style as it pertains to religious architecture in East Tennessee. The church currently houses the First Presbyterian Church of Jefferson County. The congregation continues to preserve the church building and serves the local community through various outreach programs.

Photograph Courtesy of Rebecca Schmitt.

Rosenwald Recreation and Community Center
Listed 11/21/24
(Shelbyville – Bedford County)

The Rosenwald Recreation and Community Center in Shelbyville was listed in the National Register on November 21, 2024, under Criterion A for its local significance in the educational and social life of the surrounding African American community. In 1929, local African American citizens formed clubs to fundraise for the establishment of a larger school for their children. Known as the Rosenwald Clubs, the organizations met monthly with a Rosenwald Building Agent named Professor Robert E. Clay. The clubs raised approximately $1700 and purchased two lots of land for a school. However, Shelbyville and Bedford County opened the Bedford County Training in School in 1939. In response, community members used the funds and land to build the Rosenwald Recreation and Community Building for the use and benefit of the local African American community. The building hosted vital community activities, including tutoring, art classes, and family festivals. Outdoors sports like baseball and basketball were held on the grounds, and the large backyard was used for band practice. The center continued to be an important asset into the 1980s and 1990s and served as the location for the South Central Human Resource Agency’s Early HeadStart Program for twenty-years until 2020. The Rosenwald organization continues to maintain the building and serve the local community.

Photograph Courtesy of Rachel Hunt, Melissa Nimon, and Rebecca Schmitt.

Bachman – McCoy Farm
Listed 12/2/2024
(Chattanooga – Hamilton County)

Nestled along Anderson Pike near the historic W Road in the Town of Walden on Signal Mountain, the Bachman-McCoy farm was listed in the National Register of Historic Places on December 2, 2024, for its historical significance. Bachman family members played significant roles in local politics, social reform causes, and environmental preservation. In 1911 Nathan L. Bachman purchased the property as a summer home for his family. By 1918, the Bachman's had transformed the property into a full-time residence and gentleman’s farm. With the farm as his home base, Nathan L. Bachman rose in Tennessee’s political world, serving in the Tennessee Supreme Court and as an important southern Senator in the U.S. Congress during the first phase of the New Deal from 1933 to 1936. He played roles in the creation of the Tennessee Valley Authority and the passage of the Social Security Act. His wife, Pearl Duke Bachman, had significant involvement in the local Garden Club movement. She was an early advocate for land conservation and other social causes. Their daughter, Martha Bachman McCoy, became a powerful voice for highway beautification. Martha and her family became the farm’s primary residents ca.1940. Her will transferred the farm to the Town of Walden for use as a public park. The property’s 38 acres are now open daily for outdoor recreation and events.