Cordova, Tennessee
Encyclopedia
Shelby County, Tennessee
Shelby County is a county located in the U.S. state of Tennessee. It is the state's largest both in terms of population and geographic area, with a population of 927,644 at the 2010 census...
, Tennessee
Tennessee
Tennessee is a U.S. state located in the Southeastern United States. It has a population of 6,346,105, making it the nation's 17th-largest state by population, and covers , making it the 36th-largest by total land area...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. Cordova lies on Memphis' northeast side, north of Germantown
Germantown, Tennessee
Germantown is a city in Shelby County, Tennessee. The population was 38,844 at the 2010 census.Germantown is a suburb of Memphis, bordering it to the east. Germantown's economy is dominated by the retail and commercial service sectors; there is no heavy industry in Germantown...
, and northwest of Collierville
Collierville, Tennessee
Collierville is a town in Shelby County, Tennessee, United States, and a suburb located in the Memphis metropolitan area. The town had a population of 43,965 at the 2010 census....
.
The majority of Cordova has been annexed by the City of Memphis
Memphis, Tennessee
Memphis is a city in the southwestern corner of the U.S. state of Tennessee, and the county seat of Shelby County. The city is located on the 4th Chickasaw Bluff, south of the confluence of the Wolf and Mississippi rivers....
. The remainder of Cordova is in unincorporated Shelby County, in the Memphis Annexation Reserve area. The boundaries of the Cordova community are inexact, but are generally regarded as the Wolf River
Wolf River (Tennessee)
The Wolf River is a alluvial stream in western Tennessee and northern Mississippi, whose confluence with the Mississippi River was the site of various Chickasaw, French, Spanish and American communities and forts that eventually became Memphis, Tennessee....
on the south, Whitten Road on the west, Interstate 40
Interstate 40
Interstate 40 is the third-longest major east–west Interstate Highway in the United States, after I-90 and I-80. Its western end is at Interstate 15 in Barstow, California; its eastern end is at a concurrency of U.S. Route 117 and North Carolina Highway 132 in Wilmington, North Carolina...
on the north, and Pisgah Road on the east. Parts of Shelby Farms are considered part of Cordova. 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 is often referred to as part of the Cordova area by association. It contains major shopping centers, businesses and apartments.
Early history
Cordova was a farming village east of Memphis with fewer than a dozen farms when it was founded in 1835. Cordova was renowned for the freshly cut flowers that were shipped to Memphis, Tennessee thus the town's motto was "Farms, Flowers and Fellowship".Cordova has changed its name several times. Originally, it was known as Allentown next Marysville then Dexter. In 1888 the Dexter post office was opened. Then in 1900 the name was changed to Cordova. The town most likely changed its name to "Cordova" so not to be confused with another town named Dexter that was located on the same NC&St.L railroad line that ran through town.
Railroad heritage
Nashville, Chattanooga and St. Louis Railway
The Nashville, Chattanooga and St. Louis Railway was a railway company operating in the southern United States in Kentucky, Tennessee, Alabama and Georgia...
route to Memphis, Tennessee. The original station which was built in 1889 is still standing. It is located on the corner of Macon Rd. and B St. in downtown. A train named, 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 who 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
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
.
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 and St. Louis Railway
The Nashville, Chattanooga and St. Louis Railway was a railway company operating in the southern United States in Kentucky, Tennessee, Alabama and Georgia...
(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
CSX Transportation
CSX Transportation operates a Class I railroad in the United States known as the CSX Railroad. It is the main subsidiary of the CSX Corporation. The company is headquartered in Jacksonville, Florida, and owns approximately 21,000 route miles...
until 2002, when it was taken out of service. In 2008, this section of railroad was removed. There are plans for it to be replaced by a greenway/trail leading from the county's eastern edge all the way to Midtown Memphis.
Annexation
Today
Cordova grew from a quiet country farm hamlet with a population of 150 people in 1912 to one of the fastest growing neighborhoods of Memphis. Retail growth exploded in the late 1990s thanks to the Wolfchase GalleriaWolfchase Galleria
Wolfchase Galleria is a regional shopping mall in northeast Memphis, Tennessee owned by Simon Malls. Also known as 'Wolfchase' or 'The Wolfchase Mall', it is located only a few blocks from the city limits of Bartlett, Tennessee at the intersection of Germantown Parkway and Interstate 40...
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 Parkway
Tennessee State Route 177
Tennessee State Route 177 is a secondary state highway in Shelby County, Tennessee. The majority of the route is known as Germantown Road and Germantown Parkway.-Route description:...
. 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.
The community is home of the Hope Presbyterian Church
Hope Presbyterian Church
The Hope Presbyterian Church is an Evangelical Presbyterian megachurch in Cordova, a district of Memphis, Tennessee. Dr. R. Craig Strickland is the Senior Pastor...
, a megachurch
Megachurch
A megachurch is a church having 2,000 or more in average weekend attendance. The Hartford Institute's database lists more than 1,300 such Protestant churches in the United States. According to that data, approximately 50 churches on the list have attendance ranging from 10,000 to 47,000...
with average weekly attendance of over 7,500.
In 2005 the church scaled down plans for a $50 million auditorium with a bell tower that would reach to 180 feet after protests from local homeowners, but opened a smaller facility with 5,000 seats in December 2007.
In 2010, the area's Heartsong Church gained national attention for opening its doors and welcoming the local Muslim population. The worshipers used this space during the month of Ramadan while the Cordova Islamic Center was being built. There were no protests, contrasting with other areas at the time including the proposed Islamic center in New York, and Mosque in Murfreesboro,Tennessee.
Notable residents
- Businessman Pate Carter, born in Cordova in 1902, founded the Memphis local grocery chain called Easy-Way StoreEasy-Way StoreEasy-Way Store is a family-owned grocery chain in the Memphis area of Tennessee, United States.Easy-Way specializes in produce. As of 2009, it operates one full-service grocery store in Memphis and seven produce-only locations in Memphis and its suburbs...
. - Actress and singer, Lucy Kate Hale was born in MemphisMemphis, TennesseeMemphis is a city in the southwestern corner of the U.S. state of Tennessee, and the county seat of Shelby County. The city is located on the 4th Chickasaw Bluff, south of the confluence of the Wolf and Mississippi rivers....
but grew up in Cordova. - Golfer John DalyJohn Daly (golfer)John Patrick Daly is an American professional golfer on the PGA Tour.Daly is known primarily for his driving distance off the tee , his non-country club appearance and attitude, and his rough-and-tumble personal life. Daly remains one of the most popular and intriguing figures on the PGA Tour...
grew up here.
Historic places
- 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 PlacesNational Register of Historic PlacesThe National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
- 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.
- Sangie Cemetery
Near the corner of Walnut Grove Road (formerly Raleigh-LaGrange Road) and Sanga Road, the cemetery is very old, dating back to the early 19th century. Privately Owned Cemetery.
- Walter Granville Allen House
The Walter Granville Allen House is an early 20th century Colonial Revival private residence listed in the National Register of Historic Places
Education
Since the majority of Cordova was annexed by the city of Memphis, it is a part of the Memphis City SchoolsMemphis City Schools
Memphis City Schools is the school district operating public schools in the city of Memphis, Tennessee. Its headquarters are in the Francis E. Coe Administration Building...
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.
Memphis City Schools
Public schools in Memphis City Schools:- Cordova Elementary School http://www.memphis-schools.k12.tn.us/schools/cordova.es/newIndex.htm
- Cordova Middle School http://www.memphis-schools.k12.tn.us/schools/cordova.ms/index.htm
- Cordova High SchoolCordova High School (Memphis, Tennessee)Cordova High School is a public high school located at 1800 Berryhill Road in the Cordova community of unincorporated Shelby County, Tennessee, United States, east of the city of Memphis, with a ZIP code of 38016....
Shelby County Schools
Public Schools still under Shelby County Schools district:- Chimneyrock Elementary School http://www.scsk12.org/SCS/elementary/Chimneyrock/default.htm
- Dexter Elementary School http://www.scsk12.org/SCS/elementary/Dexter_Elem/default.html
- Macon-Hall Elementary School http://www.scsk12.org/SCS/elementary/Macon_Hall/maconhallhome.html
- Dexter Middle School http://www.scsk12.org/SCS/middle/Dexter_Mid/index.html
- Mount Pisgah Middle School http://www.scsk12.org/SCS/middle/Mt_Pisgah/new_defaulthome.htm
- Bartlett High School
Private Schools
- Briarcrest Christian SchoolBriarcrest Christian SchoolBriarcrest Christian School is an independent coeducational college preparatory school with two campuses in Shelby County, Tennessee, in Memphis and Eads ....
, K-12 - Evangelical Christian SchoolEvangelical Christian SchoolEvangelical Christian School, also known as ECS, is a private, non-denominational, evangelical school in Memphis, Tennessee. It was founded in 1965 and joined Association of Christian Schools International in 1984...
, K-12 - First Assembly Christian SchoolFirst Assembly Christian SchoolFirst Assembly Christian school is a college preparatory school located in the Cordova section of Memphis, Tennessee. FACS was founded in 1972; programs for kindergarten through Grade 8 began in 1972 and grades 9-12 were added in 1975. The school is fully accredited by the Southern Association of...
, K-12 - Harding AcademyHarding Academy (Memphis)- The Early Days—Memphis Christian School:In December 1949, a group of men met to discuss starting a Christian school where the Bible could be studied daily. This dream became reality in the fall of 1952 when Memphis Christian School opened in the education building of the Normal Church of Christ,...
, elementary - Bright Stars Christian Academy,Pre-K, K-12 {http://www.brightstarschristianacademy.com
- Lamplighter Montessori School, K-8 http://www.lamplighterschool.org
- St. Benedict at Auburndale High School, 9-12
- St. Francis Catholic School, elementary http://www.sfawolves.org/
- Shady Oaks School, elementary http://www.shadyoaksmemphis.com
- Huthchison School of Memphis http.//hutchisonschool.org
Higher education
- Mid-America Baptist Theological SeminaryMid-America Baptist Theological SeminaryMid-America Baptist Theological Seminary prepares students for vocational ministry. It provides associate, masters and doctorate theological degrees, and is accredited by The Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools....
(MABTS), in Cordova, is accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and SchoolsSouthern Association of Colleges and SchoolsThe Southern Association of Colleges and Schools is one of the six regional accreditation organizations recognized by the United States Department of Education and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation...
for associates, masters and doctors degrees in Divinity, Christian Education, Missiology, Pastoral Ministries and Philosophy.
Recreation
- Colonial Country ClubColonial Country Club (Memphis)For the club in Fort Myers, see Colonial Country Club Colonial Country Club is a private golf club in Cordova, Tennessee . For many years, it was host to an annual PGA Tour event.- History :...
in Cordova is a private golf clubGolf courseA golf course comprises a series of holes, each consisting of a teeing ground, fairway, rough and other hazards, and a green with a flagstick and cup, all designed for the game of golf. A standard round of golf consists of playing 18 holes, thus most golf courses have this number of holes...
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 FordGerald FordGerald Rudolph "Jerry" Ford, Jr. was the 38th President of the United States, serving from 1974 to 1977, and the 40th Vice President of the United States serving from 1973 to 1974...
hit a hole in oneHole in oneIn golf, a hole in one or hole-in-one is when a player hits the ball directly from the tee into the cup with one shot. This is most possible on a par 3 hole. Longer hitters have accomplished this feat on shorter par 4 holes...
during the event's Pro-Am. Later, professional golfer Al GeibergerAl GeibergerAllen Lee Geiberger, Sr. is an American professional golfer who has won numerous golf tournaments.Geiberger was born in Red Bluff, California...
shot a record 59.