The origins of the neighborhood can be traced back to 1850. Dr. Samuel
Mansfield built an Italianate mansion on the outskirts of Memphis on a
knoll above the stage route to Mississippi. In 1869 Colonel Robert C.
Brinkley bought the home as a wedding gift to his daughter, Annie Overton Brinkley, and her new husband, Colonel Robert Bogardus Snowden. The two hundred acre estate was Annesdale in her honor.

Their sons, John and Robert, along with their father, built in 1903 what is recognized as "the first subdivision in the South, "Annesdale Park". After this successful venture, the Snowden brothers developed the Snowden Homestead Subdivision in 1910. These exclusive lots were sold for top prices and featured all of the modern conveniences of the era. The streets were named after their children.

The early residents kept the neighborhood fashionable through the teens, twenties and thirties. Kemmons Wilson, Mignon Dunn, and Walk
C. Jones are famous names that called Annesdale Snowden home. The depressionand WW II took their toll. The neighborhood began it's decline. Zoning changes to multi-family further deteriorated the area through the 1950's and 1960's.

Then in 1975, the Annesdale - Snowden Association was formed with the goals of halting commercial encroachment and of improving the general appearance of the neighborhood. As a result of a request by this group, the Memphis City Council approved down-zoning to the original single-family configuration in 1977. Further proof of the area's value came in 1979 with listing in the National Register of Historic Places And in 1983, the neighborhood was honored by the City Council as first listed in the Memphis Landmarks Register. Thus, today, the area is known as the Annesdale - Snowden Historic District.

Annesdale Snowden, a Memphis Landmark neighborhood, was founded in
1906 when families entertained themselves on Sunday afternoons by
listening to musicand engaging in scintillating conversation over a cup of
tea. Contemporary composers of the day included Debussy and Rimsky-
Korsakov. On a lighter note, George M. Cohan and Irving Berlin provided
music for more amateur singing, playing, and listening.

The Annesdale Snowden Historic District is a combination of two early
twentieth century subdivisions developed by the Snowden family on land
surrounding Annesdale, their family home. Initially, the area attracted
families of merchants and businessmen looking for the clean, open-air
suburban environment highly desired in the early part of the century. 
The neighborhood was developed to take advantage of two streetcar
lines for ease of transportation and included all the latest developments
of the era: paved streets and sidewalks, gas streetlights, and complete
sanitary facilities. By 1920, virtually all of the area had been developed.

The neighborhood flourished throughout the twenties and continued to
hold its head high that the depression, although there were hard times
for many residents. In the forties, it was considered patriotic to provide
rooms for workers in the war industries,and neighborhood residents did
their best. Unfortunately, there was no provision that said when the
war was over that homes should be returned to single-family usage,
so many were not. Thus, a period of decline that extended into the
sixties was felt by the neighborhood. Today, however, the area thrives. 
Significant renovation and restoration of the area's houses have led to
a vital, close-knit neighborhood.

Annesdale Snowden comprises nearly 200 early twentieth century homes
in a virtuallyintact setting. Only a few houses have been added since 1931. This unique, historic setting was recognized by the United States
Department of the interior in 1979 when the area was listed in the
National Register of Historic Places. The City of Memphis recognized the
historical importance of the area in 1983 by designating Annesdale -
Snowden a Memphis Landmark, the first residential neighborhood to be so honored.

As a major landmark neighborhood, Annesdale Snowden will provide future generations of Memphians an opportunity to see how their predecessors lived. Each year, the residents attempt to make that opportunity even more meaningful by presenting a tour of houses that exemplify the variety of architectural styles in Annesdale Snowden. The families of Annesdale - Snowden Historic District welcome you to a neighborhood they feel responsible for sharing and preserving for the future. Thank you for spending this time with us. We hope you enjoy your peek into the past.