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A−History
History · Memphis

Memphis’ post office opened in 1838, and 24% of its homes were built before 1940

More historic than 82% of U.S. towns. What drives it

Its Register listing is the Downing House. Below: maps from 1884 on and the census since 1850.

1838first post office
1on the National Register
24%homes built before 1940
4famous people
Add an old photoShare a memory
Quick answers

How Memphis began

When was Memphis founded?

1838

The Memphis post office opened in 1838, the earliest record of the town by name. Wikidata gives 1843.

First census: 183 in 18502020 census: 1,731188 years

How historic is Memphis?

A−

More historic than 82% of U.S. towns, on its age, its old homes and the National Register.

What drives the grade ↓
Founding year: the first Memphis post office (Blevins & Helbock, CC0). Wikidata: 1843.The full story ↓
History grade

What drives Memphis’ History grade

On its age, its old homes and the National Register, Memphis is more historic than 82% of U.S. towns. All 3 inputs are above most U.S. towns; its share of homes from before 1940 ranks highest and its National Register listings lowest.

A−
HistoryA character grade: shown, never part of Memphis’ overall grade.
Founding era1838, from the first post office: founded 1776–1849, an older era than 75% of U.S. townsA−Homes built before 194023.5% of homes (±6.5) · typical MO town 8.4% · U.S. 8.4%A−National Register1 listing, 5.6 per 10,000 residents · typical MO town 2.4 · U.S. 2.4B
All U.S. towns we grade (21,289)Ahead of 82%
NewerOlder

Missouri towns list about as much on the Register as the country (a typical Missouri town has 2.4 per 10,000 residents, the U.S. 2.4), so Memphis’ 5.6 sits above most of its state (66% of Missouri towns have fewer) while its 1 listings outnumber those of 51% of U.S. towns.

How sure. Graded on any two of the three inputs instead, the letter would range from B+ to A−. The pre-1940 share is a Census survey estimate (±6.5 points). The founding year is the first post office, not a stated founding date; Wikidata’s 1843 falls in the same era, so the grade doesn’t depend on which one is used.

Founding year: the first post office (other dates in Quick answers). Homes: Census ACS 2020–24. National Register: National Park Service, May 2026 list; each listing counted once (boundary changes and added documentation belong to their listing), and a historic district counts its contributing buildings. How TownRatings grades history →

What stands out about Memphis’ past

Read from the archive, the National Register and the record. The page puts what stands out first.

A history waiting to be writtenNo old photos of Memphis are in the public archives yet. The rest are in attics and albums.Mapped building by building5 fire insurance maps, 1884 to 1921, drew every building in Memphis.On the map since 19033 editions of the USGS map, 1903 to 1982. Watch Memphis change.Deep rootsA post office since 1838: 188 years of Memphis.
★ What stands out · Help out

Start Memphis’s collection

The first neighbors to add old photos shape how Memphis’s history is told.

Decades since 1900 with photos
00s10s20s30s40s50s60s70s80s90s
0 of 10 decades. The empty ones are waiting for someone’s album.
Share a family photoSign in to add one+10
Every building

Memphis, building by building, 1884–1921

Fire insurance maps drew every building, what it was made of and what it was used for, so insurers could price the risk of fire. Pick a year, then a sheet.

Memphis fire insurance map, 1884, sheet 11884Sheet 1 of 1
Edition
Sheets
BrickWoodStone

Sanborn Map Company, via the Library of Congress. Editions published in 1930 or earlier, which are in the public domain.

On the map

Memphis on the map, 1903 to 1982

Every edition of the U.S. Geological Survey’s map of Memphis. Tap a year, or press play to watch the town change.

Memphis on the 1903 USGS mapMemphis on the 1965 USGS mapMemphis on the 1982 USGS map1903Edina sheet · 1:125,000

U.S. Geological Survey historical topographic maps (public domain), via Esri’s collection of the scans. The red ring marks the center of Memphis.

The story

How Memphis came to be

From Wikipedia’s history of Memphis.

Read it all →

Although the Missouri General Assembly organized Scotland County on January 29, 1841, the town of Memphis was not developed until more than two years later. County commissioners met at Sand Hill on May 15, 1843, to select the county seat. They chose a spot near the county's geographical center and, after some debate, named it Memphis, after Memphis, Egypt. The name had been previously used by a U.S. Post Office that operated near the North Fabius River a short distance away.

ChaptersCivil War20th century

Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

Timeline

Memphis, 1838 to 1969

Woven from the archive, old maps, post office records, the National Register and the people born here.

  1. 19th century
  2. 1838Post officeThe Memphis post office opens
  3. 1872Born hereMinnie Howard is born here
  4. 1898Born hereAlexandre Hogue is born here
  5. 20th century
  6. 1903On the mapFirst mapped by the U.S. Geological Survey
  7. 1909Born hereGeorge Saling is born here
  8. 1969Born hereBrian Boyer is born here
By decade

Memphis, decade by decade

Today6 recent
MemphisMoWestSideSquare2012MemphisMoWestSideSquareMemphisMoSouthSideSquare2012MemphisMoSouthSideSquareMemphisMoNorthSideSquare2012MemphisMoNorthSideSquareMemphisMoEastSideSquare2012MemphisMoEastSideSquareMemphisMoCityLimits2012MemphisMoCityLimitsMemphisMoCityHall2012MemphisMoCityHall
On the National Register

1 historic place in Memphis

The country’s official list of buildings and places worth saving.

place listed
1
National Historic Landmarks
0
none yet
historic buildings protected
1
each building in a district counts
first listed
1979
Downing House
Downing House
Buildings

Architectural styles listings

Greek Revival1
Italian Villa1
Downing HouseGreek Revival

National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places. Photos from Wikimedia Commons, credited on each place’s page.

People over time

Memphis, census by census

05001,0001,5002,0001850190019502000Peak: 2,195

Between 183 and 2,195 people in every census since 1850.

17 censuses, 1850–2020.

U.S. Census Bureau decennial counts, from the census table on Memphis’ Wikipedia page.

Famous people

4 famous people were born in Memphis

Writers, athletes, leaders and more, ranked by how widely they’re known.

See all →
G
George SalingAthletics competitor · b. 1909
A
Alexandre HogueAmerican painter · b. 1898
M
Minnie HowardAmerican physician and historian · b. 1872
Brian BoyerAmerican college basketball coach · b. 1969

Questions about Memphis’ history

What year was Memphis founded?

The Memphis post office opened in 1838, the earliest record of the town by name (U.S. post office records). Wikidata gives 1843.

How does Memphis rank for history?

Memphis is more historic than 82% of U.S. towns. The History grade combines the town’s founding era, the share of homes built before 1940 and its National Register listings. It’s a character grade, so it isn’t part of the overall grade. How it works.

What is on the National Register in Memphis?

One place: the Downing House (listed 1979).

How old are the homes in Memphis?

24% of Memphis’ homes were built before 1940 (Census estimate, ±6.5 points), against a typical 8.4% for a Missouri town; the median home was built in 1969.

Memory lane

What the archives can’t tell you, neighbors can.

Town Square →
Start a conversation
Sources

Where this page comes from

Founding dates: Wikidata, Wikipedia, the U.S. post office records of Blevins & Helbock (CC0) and the Census. Homes by year built: Census ACS 2020–24. National Register of Historic Places: National Park Service (list of May 22, 2026). Old photos, postcards and papers: Wikimedia Commons, the Library of Congress and other public archives, credited on each item’s page. Maps: U.S. Geological Survey historical topographic maps (via Esri) and Sanborn fire-insurance maps (Library of Congress). History text and census tables: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0). Places that used to be: USGS Geographic Names Information System (2021).

From Wikimedia Commons (6), Wikidata (1), the National Register of Historic Places (1), Wikipedia, Wikidata and Wikipedia for famous people, U.S. Geological Survey historical maps, U.S. Census counts (via Wikipedia), the US Post Offices dataset (Blevins & Helbock), the USGS Geographic Names Information System and Sanborn fire insurance maps (Library of Congress). Archive images are copied here with their credits and licenses, shown on each photo’s page. Refreshed monthly.