Shelby County
West Tennessee | County Seat: Memphis | Founded 1819
Mississippi River gateway — Memphis, blues, soul, and cotton commerce.
Shelby County is home to Memphis, Tennessee's second-largest city, on the Mississippi River. Founded in 1819, Memphis became a major cotton trading and shipping center. The city is the birthplace of the blues and a cradle of soul music (Stax Records) and rock and roll (Sun Records). The National Civil Rights Museum at the Lorraine Motel and Graceland are internationally known landmarks.
Read more about Shelby County
Shelby County occupies the southwest corner of Tennessee on the Mississippi River bluffs. Memphis, founded 1819, became the world's largest inland cotton market and a major railroad junction. The city's musical heritage includes W.C. Handy (father of the blues), Sun Records (Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash), Stax Records (Otis Redding, Booker T. Jones), and Hi Records (Al Green). The National Civil Rights Museum at the Lorraine Motel, where Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated in 1968, documents the American civil rights movement. Graceland, Elvis Presley's home, is one of the most visited private residences in the United States. The county's cotton and lumber wealth shaped its historic architecture, including the historic downtown and Victorian Village.
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Historic Sites
Markers
Cemeteries
NR Entries
Partners
Story Themes
On the map
National Register places, state historic sites, markers, and cemeteries in Shelby County. Cemetery locations shown at county center are approximate; exact locations are withheld for preservation. Browse the full survey →
Historical MarkersSample data for demonstration
Beale Street
Beale Street in Memphis is a foundational home of the blues, associated with W. C. Handy, the 'Father of the Blues.'
Lorraine Motel / National Civil Rights Museum
The Lorraine Motel, where Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated in 1968, is now the National Civil Rights Museum.
Sun Studio
Sun Studio in Memphis recorded early rock and roll, including Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, and Carl Perkins.
CemeteriesSample data for demonstration
Elmwood Cemetery
Earliest known burial: 1852
Memphis's historic Elmwood Cemetery, founded in 1852, a Victorian garden cemetery.
Zion Christian Cemetery
Earliest known burial: 1873
One of the oldest Black-owned cemeteries in Memphis, the focus of ongoing preservation efforts.
Contribute to Shelby County's Story
Spotted a damaged marker? Know of a cemetery that needs documenting? Have a historic place to share? Your submission enters the Heritage OS review queue.
Report a Marker Issue
Spotted a damaged, missing, or incorrectly placed historical marker? Let THC know. Your report enters the review queue.
Submit a Cemetery
Know of a cemetery that should be documented? Submit it for the county record. Your submission enters the review queue.
Submit a Historic Place
Know of a historic building, site, or structure worth documenting? Submit it for the county record. Your submission enters the review queue.
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