Chronology of Evergreen History

This week, as a member of the purple team I, along with the team have been working hard to establish some concrete connections to the Evergreen community. We have been doing a lot of leg work. One of the preliminary measures we have taken is to create a chronology of the Evergreen history. Of course there is much to include, however this is a starting list. I, along with Mac, worked on this and have attempted to include the most pertinent points in the history. Everyone is welcome to comment if you discover that you have more information to include.

Courtney Waters and Mackenzie Zalin

Chronology of Evergreen Neighborhood

Compiled by Mackenzie Zalin & Courtney Waters
Last updated: June 17, 2009
Crossroads to Freedom

Year	Event
1819	Founding of Memphis
1900	Creation of Memphis Park Commission by State
1901	Area currently known as Overton Park acquired by City; development of Evergreen occurs immediately thereafter when Robert Galloway builds house on Dewey Street (now Galloway) (T11). Growth based largely upon extension of Memphis Street Railway lines further east on Poplar on the Raleigh Springs line.
1906	Memphis Zoo founded
1909	Woman’s Evergreen Improvement Club founded. Later changed to Woman’s Evergreen Club in mid 1920’s.
1910	Snowden Elementary School opens
1916	Brooks Art Gallery constructed in Overton Park
1925	Rhodes College (then Southwestern) moves from Clarksville to Memphis, just north of neighborhood
1926	Park Commission purchases Williamson Park “in order to prevent the sale and use of the property for Negro tenement houses” (T29).
1935	Men’s and Women’s branches of Evergreen Club merge
Early 50’s	Bureau of Public Roads accepts so-called Bartholomew Plan to build an expressway (now I-40) surrounding and intersecting Memphis
1957	Committee to Preserve Overton Park (CPOP) created. ‘Committee’ changed to ‘Citizens’ in 1964
1968	City supports federal decision to build east-west segment of I-40 through Overton Park. Private groups (i.e. CPOP et al.) continue to oppose public consensus.
1968	Mid-Memphis Improvement Association (MMIA) formed, predecessor of Evergreen Historic District Association (EHDA)
1969	CPOP files suit against City Council
1970	Vollintine Evergreen Community Action (VECA) established
1970	Supreme Court hears CPOP case to prevent construction of I-40 through Overton Park.
1971	Supreme Court sends case back to lower court. Decision considered a victory for Evergreen, although controversial. Case stagnates in court for remainder of decade as does vacant corridor intended for I-40.
1973	Plan Z goes into effect, which pairs Vollintine/Snowden schools without changing official boundaries. Measure created in order to better integrate schools
1979	Overton Park Historic District joins National Register of Historic Places
1979	Evergreen down-zoned to single family area
1984	Neighborhood officially changes name to Evergreen Historic District
1985	Evergreen placed on National Register of Historic Places
1986	Federal government returns I-40 corridor to city/state
1989	City Council Approves Evergreen’s Historic Conservation Zoning
1991	Construction of new homes begins in I-40 corridor

 

Sources:

Tilly, Bette B and Pat Faudree. Yesterday’s Evergreen, Today’s Mid-Memphis. Memphis, TN: Metropolitan Inter-Faith Association (MIFA), 1980.

“Mid Town Corridor West Redevelopment.”

“Chronology: Overton Park Development.”

“Corridor Chronology.”

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