The Victorian Village Neighborhood of Memphis
was Named One of the Newest
Preserve America Communities

The Stately Mallory-Neely House provided a perfect setting for celebrating Preserve America.

Yvonne Leander, Memphis Field Office Director, described the Preserve America Initiative to an audience keenly interested in historic preservation.

Some 300 persons enjoy the premier of The View from Adams Avenue - 19th Century Memphis.

On May 31 at a picnic on the lawn of the stately Mallory-Neely House some 300 persons, a few in period clothing, enjoyed music by local musicians, presentations by dignitaries and a historical documentary film depicting life in 19th century Memphis.

Yvonne Leander, Memphis Field Office Director, presented the Preserve America Designation letter from First Lady Laura Bush to Victorian Village Community Development Corporation's Executive Director Scott Blake on the porch of the historic home. She quoted Ms. Bush as saying, "Historic preservation has the power to unite us, entire communities, through a desire to preserve our shared heritage." The greater-than-expected attendance proved her correct. Ms. Leander informed the large audience about the Preserve America Initiative and encouraged Victorian Village to apply for a 2008 Preserve America grant.

The event ended with the outdoor premier showing of the documentary film, The View from Adams Avenue - 19th Century Memphis. The documentary told the story of the founding and development of Memphis' first suburb. In its heyday, the neighborhood was the true economic, social, and political center of the city. These homes were the castles of the city's industrial and commercial magnates, and this film told their story and tied it to the rest of the city, which lay just across the Gayoso Bayou. Today, only a handful of homes remain to reflect the opulence and the importance of the Victorian era in Memphis.