Cordova, Tennessee
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Cordova is a community in Shelby County, Tennessee, United States. Much of Cordova (and some surrounding areas) have been annexed by the city of Memphis. Some of the area to its southeast is currently still unincorporated. The annexed portion lies on Memphis' northeast side, north of Germantown, and northwest of Collierville.
The two major areas of Cordova are Old Cordova Area and Wolfchase Area. The Old Cordova Area is centered around Macon and Sanga Roads, 3 miles east of Germantown Road. It consists of the former town of Cordova, with some of the original structures still present. The Wolfchase Area is not actually a part of Cordova, but named so due to association. It contains major shopping centers, businesses and apartments.
The boundaries of Cordova neighborhood are inexact but are generally regarded as the Wolf River on the south, Germantown Road on the west, Interstate 40 on the north, and Houston-Levee Road on the east. (While some consider Shelby Farms as a part of this community, it is 2-3 miles west of the community at large.)
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[edit] Early history
Cordova was a farming village east of Memphis, Tennessee with fewer than a dozen farms when it was founded in 1835. Cordova, Tennessee was renown for the freshly cut flowers that were shipped to Memphis, Tennessee thus the town's motto was "Farms, Flowers and Fellowship" .[citation needed]
Cordova was originally named Allentown, but eventually became known as Marysville and later Dexter. Dexter, Tennessee most likely changed its name to Cordova so not to be confused with another town named Dexter that was located on the same railroad.
[edit] Railroad heritage
Cordova was one of the many small railroad stops along the Nashville, Chattanooga & St. Louis railroad route to Memphis, Tennessee. A named train, the Memphian from Nashville to Memphis stopped at the former Cordova Railroad station. (this station is still standing and has been sold to an individual that is renovating it so it can be utilized as a retail business). An important ammunition plant was near Cordova and was served by the railroad during World War II.
Cordova has a railroad line running parallel to the main street (now Macon Road) that was served by P&M (Paducah & Memphis) division of the N. C. & St. L. Railroad (Nashville, Chattanooga & St Louis) that was chartered in Tennessee on December 11, 1845. In March 1957 NC&StL was taken over by the L & N Railroad (Louisville and Nashville). Because this rail line was considered redundant, the mileage between Cordova and Jackson, Tennessee was abandoned and later scrapped in 1968. The remaining section was therefore made a spur line for the L&N, and later the CSX until 2002. Now the line is completely out of service. The future of the line is being discussed. Proposals have included a trail, commuter rail or possible sale to a rail heritage society.
[edit] Annexation
After a seven-year court challenge to the right of Memphis to annex, portions of Cordova were annexed into the Memphis City Council Second District in 1990s that included the subdivisions and land developments of Countrywood (1995), Berryhill (1997), and South Cordova (2001). The subdivision of Rockcreek after several court and legislative challenges completed Memphis's annexation of the Cordova region, alongside a stretch of U.S. 64 leading to the Fayette County line.
[edit] Today
Cordova grew from a quiet country farm hamlet with a population of 150 people in 1912 to one of Memphis' fastest growing neighborhoods. Retail growth exploded in the late 1990s thanks to the Wolfchase Galleria shopping mall, which at the time was the largest retail center in Shelby County outside of Memphis city limits. Today the majority of the growth is along Houston Levee Road and Macon Road as well as major retail and commercial centers on Germantown Road (segments of which are called Germantown Parkway). There are now over 1,226 businesses with over 19,400 employees working in Cordova.
Cordova continues to preserve its past with a historic downtown which each year celebrates with an annual crafts fair and having its own Fourth of July parade.
[edit] Renowned residents
- Pate Carter, businessman, was born in Cordova in 1902. Carter owned and started a local Memphis grocery chain called Easy Way Store that had a total of 12 stores. Carter started his career by working for Clarence Saunders and helped Saunders open the world's first self-service grocery store named Piggly Wiggly. At one time there were more than 1,200 Piggly Wiggly grocery stores in 30-plus states.
- George Klein (b. 1935) (aka "GK") is one of the more well known local Memphis and Mid South media personalities. He befriended Elvis Presley in 1948 at Humes High School and became one of the original members of Elvis' travelling companions ("Memphis Mafia"). Klein started his broadcasting career in 1957 with WHBQ-AM (56) and during the 1960s and 1970's at WHBQ-TV (Channel 13) was host of "Talent Party" show that gave many local area bands publicity. George Klein had his own entourage called the WHBQ Cuties as part of his Talent Party television show. Most recently, Klein has or is currently host of the syndicated "George Klein's Original Elvis Hour" , broadcasted live from Elvis' Graceland for Sirius radio's all-Elvis channel and an executive host at Horseshoe Casino. His annual George Klein Christmas Charity Show and Auction is a staple and tradition in the Memphis area during the holidays for generations.
[edit] Historic places
- Cordova Community Center
- Cordova Community Center (also known as "Cordova School" or "Cordova Elementary School") is a former school, former Shelby county library with meeting rooms and one time where a church worshiped each Sunday . It was constructed about the time of World War I and is listed in the National Register of Historic Places
- Cordova Station
- A one room train station for the Nashville Chattanooga and St. Louis railroad in downtown Cordova on Macon Road. Later it served as the Cordova Branch Library of the Memphis-Shelby County Library for more than 50 years until the library was moved to its current modern facilities.
- Sanga Cemetery - near Walnut Grove Baptist Church
- The cemetery is very old, dating back to the early 1800s.
- Walter Granville Allen House
- The Walter Granville Allen House is an early 1900 Colonial Revival private residence listed in the National Register of Historic Places
[edit] Education
Since the majority of Cordova was annexed by the city of Memphis, it is a part of the Memphis City Schools district. The Cordova areas within Shelby County Schools are zoned to SCS elementary and middle schools and Memphis City Schools' Cordova High School. There are also several private schools in the area.
[edit] Memphis City Schools
Public schools in Memphis City Schools:
- Cordova Elementary School[1]
- Cordova Middle School[2]
- Cordova High School
[edit] Shelby County Schools
Public Schools still under Shelby County Schools district:
- Chimneyrock Elementary School[3]
- Dexter Elementary School[4]
- Macon-Hall Elementary School[5]
- Dexter Middle School[6]
- Mount Pisgah Middle School[7]
[edit] Private Schools
- Briarcrest Christian School, K-12
- Evangelical Christian School, K-12
- First Assembly Christian School, K-12
- Harding Academy, elementary
- Lamplighter School, K-12 [8]
- St. Benedict at Auburndale, K-12
- St. Francis Catholic School, elementary [9]
- Shady Oaks School, elementary [10]
[edit] Higher education
- Mid-America Baptist Theological Seminary (MABTS), in Cordova, is accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools for associates, masters and doctors degrees in Divinity, Christian Education, Missiology, Pastoral Ministries and Philosophy.
[edit] Recreation
- Colonial Country Club in Cordova is a private golf club which formerly hosted the Memphis Open golf tournament (now known as the Stanford St. Jude Championship). It received national attention for two occurrences during the 1977 event. First, President Gerald Ford hit a hole in one during the event's Pro-Am. Later, professional golfer Al Geiberger shot a record 59.
[edit] Geography
The center of Cordova is located at 35.2° North, 89.8° West [1].
[edit] References
- ^ US Gazetteer files: 2000 and 1990. United States Census Bureau (2005-05-03). Retrieved on 2008-01-31.
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