What’s happening: On Wednesday, Jan. 24, the State Review Board will meet in Nashville to determine whether eight historic Tennessee sites meet the criteria to be placed on the National Register of Historic Places. And two of the eight sites are located right here in Memphis.
What’s nominated: The two Memphis properties nominated for listing in the National Register of Historic Places include Cherokee Arms, a Block-type apartment building built in 1923, and the West J. Crawford House, a two-story Italianate townhouse built in 1876.
Case #1: Cherokee Arms has been nominated for “its local historic contributions to Community Planning and Development as an apartment type built to house the burgeoning middle-class population that migrated into the city in the early twentieth century to seek jobs and an urban way of living,” reads the application, which also argues that the century-old building is also worthy of the National Register for it being an “excellent example of a Block Style Italian Renaissance style apartment building.”
The Cherokee Arms is still an apartment building today, renovated and operated by Left Field Properties. Read our previous coverage of
Left Field Properties on High Ground:
History comes full circle with Pressbox Lofts renovation.
Case #2: The
West J. Crawford House has been nominated for its architectural significance as an 1876-built home in the Italianate style. Per their application: “The West J. Crawford House is the only remaining Italianate example on Lauderdale Street and one of the last three in the formerly listed Vance-Pontotoc National Register Historic District.”
The Crawford House is still a private residence today, located in the former
Vance-Pontotoc Historic District. That district was “de-listed” in 1987; the Crawford House is just one of 12 buildings remaining of the original 65 listed in the now de-listed district.
Why it’s important: Being listed on the National Register of Historic Places opens new opportunities for the historic properties’ owners, including access to grants and tax credits for site renovations, and more.
How to get involved: For those interested in attending the State Review Board’s meeting but don’t want to drive to Nashville, a virtual option is also available.
Visit the Tennessee Historical Commission online to learn more.
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