Shelby County

Why this county matters

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.

The record at a glance

Story themes

Featured historical markers

• 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.

THC program connections

• Survey & Inventoryfederal

  THC maintains the statewide inventory of historic resources — the foundation for National Register nominations, planning, and protection.

• Historical Markersstate

  THC places and maintains historical markers across Tennessee's 95 counties to commemorate people, places, and events of statewide significance.

• Cemeteriesstate

  THC documents and helps protect Tennessee's historic cemeteries, including abandoned and African American burial grounds.

• National Register of Historic Placesfederal

  As Tennessee's SHPO, THC administers the National Register — the nation's official list of places worth preserving. Tennessee has 2,000+ entries, at least one in every county.