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The North Broadway Historic District is comprised of one block of North Broadway Street, a 4 acre strip of land containing 13 houses. The district was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1985 due to the presence of houses constructed in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Houses that old are a rarity in Tupelo today because of a tornado that hit the city in 1936. Because the 13 houses are some of the few that survived, they are all considered contributors to the historic character of the area. In 1936, the towns of Tupelo, Mississippi and Gainesville, Georgia were hit with tornadoes that caused destruction for four consecutive days. The tornadoes killed 466 people, and another 3500 were injured. The first twister touched down on April 5th, 1936 in Coffeeville, Mississippi and headed toward Tupelo. The town of Tupelo was devastated by the tornado, with many homes swept off the ground. The tornado was estimated to be an F5, a class of tornadoes for the most destructive. It is believed the twister had wind speeds above 261 miles per hour.&nbsp; The houses that remain in the North Broadway Historic District are some of the few that survived the tornado of 1936. Because of this, the North Broadway Historic District provides a unique look at the culture and history of Tupelo prior to 1936. The district features two houses built in 1895, four houses built in 1900, four houses built in 1905, two houses built in 1915, and one house built in 1920. Many of these are L-shaped cottages, but there also 1-1/2 and 2 story houses in Queen Anne-style, Colonial Revival-style, and East Lake-style.

This photo, from a collection in the Lee County Library, shows Spring Street, looking north, as it appeared in 1928. The town was originally named Gum Pond.

One of the houses in the district, an L-shaped cottage built in 1900.

National Register of Historic Places Webpage 

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The North Broadway Historic District in Tupelo, Mississippi is a historic district that was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1985. The area is composed of 4 acres which contain 13 properties. The district is historically significant because it contains some of the only remaining buildings in Tupelo that were constructed before 1936. A tornado destroyed a large portion of the city of Tupelo in 1936, making buildings constructed before that time a rarity today. 

North Broadway Historic District

This walking tour includes many of the major sites in Tupelo's downtown area. Included in this tour are famous Elvis sites, historical landmarks, memorials, and more. With a wide variety of entries included, this tour gives an overview of Tupelo's rich history. Focused primarily in the downtown area, this tour remains concise while incorporating many different aspects of Tupelo's history and culture.

Although segregated until the late 1960s, Tupelo was unique from many other cities in the South in one way- Robins Field was used both by both the white and African American teams. In most Southern cities, the Black high school was not allowed to use the athletic facilities&nbsp;that belonged to the city. As a result,&nbsp;many Black athletic teams competed at segregated parks, built their own facilities, or played their home games at YMCA gymnasiums&nbsp;or empty lots. Owing to the success of Carver High School, white residents attended games such as&nbsp;the all-Black state championships that were held in Tupelo. While Black attendees would be required to sit in a segregated section during the games of the all-white high school, white and Black fans sat among one another during the games played by Carver High.&nbsp;&nbsp; Despite the unanimous decision of the Supreme Court against school segregation in 1954, Tupelo and other Southern cities remained completely segregated for over a decade. The schools of Tupelo began integration with the "Freedom of Choice" desegregation plan that allowed Black parents some choice as to whether they wanted to send their children to the previously all-white schools or keep them enrolled in the Black schools of their community. Full integration came to Tupelo in the 1970s, but residential segregation continues to make full integration difficult without giving up on the concept of children attending&nbsp;neighborhood schools.&nbsp;

Constructed in 1927, Robins Field was home to both the white and Black high school football teams of Tupelo prior to the integration of the schools. The all-white Tupelo High School Golden Wave played on Fridays and the Blue Devils of the all-Black Carver High School played their home games on Saturdays. Integration of the high schools of Tupelo began in the late 1960s and this field was used by the integrated high schools of Tupelo until 1991. The field was named in honor of Tupelo Mayor D.W. Robins.

Robins Field, Tupelo

De Soto is believed to have explored territory from Florida to Arkansas and is credited with being the first explorer of European descent to discover the Mississippi River. The monument was erected in 1923 by the Colonial Dames of America and consists of a bronze plaque fixed to a pink granite boulder. In 1539, De Soto began his expedition through territories that today make up the southern United States, landing with his men in Florida. From there he made his way westward through Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, and most likely Arkansas. De Soto and his men had several battles with Indian tribes in the area, leaving them low on supplies. De Soto and his men spent the winter of 1540-1541 in northeast Mississippi, near the Chickasaw Indian tribe. When spring arrived, De Soto demanded men from the tribe to help carry supplies. The Chickasaw refused and attacked De Soto's camp, destroying much of their remaining supplies. De Soto continued with his mission despite the lack of supplies, continuing west toward the Mississippi River. The location where De Soto crossed the path that later became the Natchez Trace Parkway is marked on the trail today. This location is near the city of Tupelo, where the monument is located. Hernando De Soto died from a fever on May 21, 1542, on the banks of the Mississippi River. Before his death, De Soto appointed Luis de Moscoso Alvarado to take over once he had passed away. Once De Soto had passed, the leaders of the army decided to end the expedition. The men headed for the Spanish colony of Mexico City. De Soto started his expedition with 700 men, but by the end of the journey, only 300 to 350 remained.&nbsp;

The Colonial Dames of America erected this Tupelo monument in 1923 to commemorate the arrival of Spanish explorer Hernando De Soto. De Soto and his men spent the winter of 1540-1541 in northeast Mississippi during their extended expedition in which they explored what is now the southern United States today. De Soto is credited as the first person of European descent to discover and cross the Mississippi River. Half of the men who began the journey with De Soto died during the expedition owing to disease and conflicts with Native tribes. After De Soto died in 1542 along the Mississippi River, his men decided to end the expedition. Diaries from De Soto's expedition only offer the perspectives of the Spanish explorers, but they remain one of the best sources of information related to the people of this region in the 16th century. While the Spanish Crown claimed vast sections of land, they also regarded De Soto's expedition as a failure owing to the lack of obvious mineral resources and concentrated their colonization efforts in other parts of the Americas.

Hernando De Soto Landmark - Tupelo

The Tupelo Hardware Company was founded by George H. Booth in 1926. The store has since passed through four generations of the Booth family and has remained family run throughout its life. The business was officially incorporated in 1969 and remains open today. The store has been under the management of George H. Booth, William T. "Billy" Booth, George H Booth II, and George H Booth III.&nbsp; The hardware store is known for offering a wide variety of items. Alongside general hardware supplies, the store also specializes in small engine parts and mill and industry supplies. There is also a large collection of guitars and accessories for sale, something that has contributed to the store's fame today.&nbsp; Tupelo Hardware Company is known as the store where Elvis Presley bought his first guitar. Forrest L. Bobo, a long-time employee of the store, remembers working the day that Elvis and his mother, Gladys Presley, came in to purchase a birthday present for Elvis. In January of 1946, Elvis came in with hopes of buying a rifle. However, his mother wanted him to buy a guitar. After playing a guitar in the store for some time, Elvis decided to purchase it, with his mother paying the remainder of the cost.&nbsp;

Tupelo Hardware Company was established in 1926 and is best known for being the place where Gladys Presley purchased a guitar as a present for her son Elvis in 1946. According to a letter written by a longtime employee who was present that day, young Elvis Presley wanted a .22 rifle but was eventually persuaded by his mother that a guitar was a better gift. The hardware store is a family run business that has been serving the city of Tupelo for over 90 years. 

Tupelo Hardware Co., Merchant who Sold Elvis Presley's First Guitar

The Elvis Presley Homecoming Statue is located in Tupelo, Mississippi, the town where Elvis was born and spent most of his childhood. Elvis and his family lived in Tupelo until his early teen years, before Elvis became widely popular. After releasing his debut album and performing several shows on live television, Elvis' popularity grew rapidly. When he returned to Tupelo in September 1956, Elvis was a star. Known as the most famous person from Tupelo, Elvis' homecoming concert was an event that attracted a large crowd.&nbsp; Elvis returned to Tupelo&nbsp;on September 26, 1956 to perform at the Mississippi-Alabama Fair and Dairy Show. He was greeted by the governor, and a parade was thrown the same day in his honor. Different news reports claim that anywhere between 5000 and 50,000 fans attended Elvis' two shows that day. It was at this concert that Roger Marshutz, a Hollywood photographer, captured a photo of Elvis reaching his hand&nbsp;out to touch several fans in the audience. This photo became the inspiration for the Homecoming Statue. Located on the land where the fair was held in 1956, the Elvis Presley Homecoming Statue honors the memory of Elvis today. The statue was placed in August of 2012, commemorating the 35th anniversary of Elvis' death. Both the Tupelo Elvis Fan Club and the Tupelo Convention and Visitors Bureau are responsible for the statue's placement. The statue was sculpted by Bill Beckwith. The position of the statue allows visitors to view the Tupelo City Hall over Elvis' right shoulder and Tupelo Hardware, the store where Elvis and his mother purchased his first guitar,&nbsp;over his left.

Dedicated in 2012, this statue commemorates the 1956 "Homecoming Concert" of music legend Elvis Presley, Tupelo's most famous native son. The statue faces east towards the place where Elvis was born and is located near the former fairground where the concert took place. The statue is positioned so that the Tupelo City Hall is visible over Elvis' right shoulder and Tupelo Hardware is visible over his left. Based on a famous photo of Elvis taken by Roger Marshutz at the concert in 1956, the statue was created by a sculptor from Mississippi named Bill Beckwith.

Elvis Presley Homecoming Statue 

The museum was the dream of friends Frank Spain (museum founder)&nbsp;and Max Berryhill&nbsp;(museum curator). Spain began the antique car collection in 1974 and over many years, he and Berryhill conducted much research and eventually collected 150 rare automobiles, gathering vehicles from various locations in North American and Europe. According to the museum website, the men&nbsp;stored their collection in many different locations throughout the nation, until the city of Tupelo, Spain's hometown, "rallied support for the museum. With the help of the Tupelo Convention and Visitors Bureau and Tupelo Mayor Larry Otis, placing the museum in Tupelo became a reality." The museum now serves as the official State of Mississippi automobile museum.

The museum, which opened in 2002, houses over 100 automobiles, from an 1886 Benz to a 1994 Dodge Viper. A century of automobile history is represented throughout the museum. Additionally, cars once belonging to various celebrities, including Elvis Presley's Lincoln, and various rare models of cars are on display at the museum. The museum was designated the official State of Mississippi automobile museum in the spring of 2003. The collection's value totals to about $6 million, and more vehicles are added as they are restored. 

Tupelo Automobile Museum

Johnnie's Drive-In is a historic restaurant located in Tupelo, Mississippi. The drive-in first opened in 1945, making it the oldest restaurant in Tupelo today. It was started by Johnnie Chism, who had been discharged from serving in the armed forces. It is said the Johnnie built the restaurant on the same street where his parents once owned a grocery store. The restaurant is known today as a place where Elvis Presley enjoyed spending time during his youth. It is said that Elvis would come to the drive-in with his friends often, enjoying the food and the atmosphere. The drive-in is such a notable Elvis location that it is featured on the Elvis Presley Driving Trail. This makes Johnnie's Drive-In a must see for any Elvis fans or tourists looking for a view of historic Tupelo. The drive-in serves several different meals, all of which are considered Tupelo heritage dishes today. The restaurant is known to serve the same dishes that were popular when it first opened, giving visitors a taste of dining during the 1940s and 50s. Some of the dishes include barbecue, country fried steak, toasted cheese, and pimento cheese. One of the most famous dishes is known as the doughburger, a meal that dates back to the times when the restaurant opened. Rationing was still in effect when Johnnie's Drive-In opened, making food harder to come by. Beef was especially costly, having to be purchased with both money and ration coupons. In order to make beef last longer, it was mixed with flour before being cooked into burgers. This unique take on hamburgers is still being served at Johnnie's today, keeping a special piece of history alive for future generations to enjoy.&nbsp; Alongside its historic significance as Tupelo's oldest restaurant, Johnnie's Drive-In is well known as an Elvis hangout. The restaurant even features a booth known as the Elvis Booth. On the wall next to the booth is a photo of Elvis sitting in the same booth in 1956. The photo was taken by Paul Cramer, a traveling jewelry salesman who happened to be next door to Johnnie's and hear that Elvis was eating there at the time. Cramer got Elvis' permission to take the photo, keeping it in his belongings until 1997, when he donated a copy to Johnnie's. Today, the photo hangs with an assortment of other photos and historic memorabilia, giving visitors a glimpse into the history of Tupelo and the Drive-In itself.

Johnnie's Drive-In was known as one of Elvis Presley's favorite hangouts during his childhood. Originally opened in 1945 by Johnnie Chism, Johnnie's Drive-In is Tupelo's oldest restaurant. Chism started the restaurant after he was discharged from the armed forces, and the site remains popular today. The restaurant is still serving the same great food that was served when Elvis dined there, allowing visitors to experience the Drive-In the way Elvis did during his younger years. Featured on the Elvis Presley Driving Trail, the restaurant is known as one of twelve important sites form the time of Elvis' youth.

Johnnie's Drive-In

Elvis was born in the two-room home along with his stillborn twin brother, Jessie Garon. The family only remained in the home for a few years before being forced to move due to financial hardships. They remained in Tupelo for thirteen years, moving frequently while Vernon and Gladys worked multiple jobs in an effort to make ends meet.&nbsp;The themes in Elvis's iconic music can be traced to his&nbsp;childhood in Tupelo. The&nbsp;Presleys were&nbsp;members of the Assembly of God Church in Tupelo, and that is where Elvis was first influenced musically. While the family was living in the Shake Rag community of Tupelo the young Elvis was also exposed to the blues. According to the official website of the Elvis Presley Birthplace, "[The Presley]&nbsp;family also listened to country music radio programs from which Elvis drew influence."Elvis embarked on what would be a life-time music career starting with his first public radio broadcast in 1945.&nbsp;According to the Elvis Presley Birthplace website, "At ten years old, Elvis stood on a chair and sang 'Old Shep' in a youth talent contest at the Mississippi-Alabama Fair and Dairy Show at the Tupelo Fairgrounds. WELO Radio broadcast the talent show, and Elvis won the second prize of $5 and free admission to all the fair rides."After purchasing his first guitar at Tupelo Hardware in 1946, his pastor taught him how to play. And before leaving for Memphis with his parents, he performed a farewell tribute to&nbsp;Milam Junior High class.According to the official website for&nbsp;Elvis Presley Birthplace,<blockquote>Nine years later, Elvis returned to the fairgrounds and performed a benefit concert for the City of Tupelo. After his triumphant homecoming concert at the fairgrounds in September 1956, Elvis returned on September 27, 1957 and performed a benefit concert to raise money to build a Youth Center and park for Tupelo. The proceeds were used to purchase his birthplace and make a park for the neighborhood children. The Elvis Presley Birthplace Park now consist of the Birthplace, Museum, Chapel, Gift Shop, “Elvis at 13” statue, Fountain of Life, Walk of Life, “Memphis Bound” car feature and Story Wall. </blockquote>

Elvis Presley--"The King of Rock-n-Roll"--, though he gained immense fame and fortunate during his lifetime as a music and acting star, began his life in a modest two-room house. Born to Vernon and Gladys Presley on January 8, 1935, Elvis spent the first thirteen years of his life in Tupelo before moving to Memphis with his parents. Today, the home is a part of a museum devoted to the legendary celebrity and is opened to the public seven days a week.

Elvis Presley Birthplace

The decision of Mississippi and Tupelo residents to fund the construction of the wall demonstrates the way that public perception of&nbsp;memorials and monuments can change over time. In the early 1980s, the initial&nbsp;design for the monument at the National Mall received criticism from leading conservative politicians who hoped to create a memorial&nbsp;that was similar to other war monuments. Some politicians and commentators even attacked the designer, 21-year old student May Lin, because she was the daughter of Chinese immigrants.&nbsp;By the time of the monument's dedication, however, most Americans approved of the monument's design and were moved to see the reflections of the living in the Black granite wall&nbsp;as they reflected upon the names of the dead.&nbsp;&nbsp; Tupelo's Vietnam War Replica Wall was created with the same intent of
honoring and remembering veterans of the Vietnam War. Inscribed with the names
of those who were killed or went missing during the war, the wall stands as a
reminder of the sacrifices many soldiers made in the name of the United States.
The wall is a replica of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial wall located in
Washington, D.C. The wall in Tupelo is 60 percent of the size of the original wall.&nbsp;As of Memorial Day 2017, there were 58,318 veterans known to
have been killed or gone missing during the Vietnam War. The Vietnam Memorial
Replica Wall contains every name, even at its reduced size. The idea and preparations for the wall began in 2011, when Janie Alexander and Barbara Rushing approached the City of Tupelo with the idea for the replica wall in Veterans Memorial Park. Alexander and Rushing were the leaders of a small committee that proceeded to raise funds for the wall after the idea was approved. With combined funds from the committee and the City of Tupelo, the wall was able to be completed along with the parking lot and the&nbsp;infrastructure surrounding the memorial.There have been many small scale replica walls that have
traveled the United States in the past. However, these traveling walls
were never able to capture the full experience of the memorial wall in Washington,
D.C. The Vietnam Memorial Replica Wall in Tupelo was designed to be more of a
full replica for this purpose. John Rowan, the president of the Vietnam Veterans
of America, has been to the Tupelo replica wall. Rowan stated that wall in
Tupelo was the first full replica he had seen.

Dedicated in 2017 at Tupelo's Veterans Memorial Park, this replica of the Vietnam Memorial at the National Mall honors the 58,318 veterans known to have been killed or missing during the Vietnam War. The names of the veterans are inscribed on a 300’ Black granite wall within the park. While traveling replicas of Washington D.C.'s memorial have toured the nation, this is the first granite replica and is sixty percent of the size of the original. The state of Mississippi allocated $750,000 for the project while local residents and the City of Tupelo raised the remaining funds for the project's completion. 

Downtown Tupelo Walking Tour

North Broadway Historic District

Introduction

Images

Backstory and Context

Sources

Additional Information