Adams Avenue is a historic road in Memphis, Tennessee. Once known as millionaire's row, it was home to numerous mansions, and was where Nathan Bedford Forrest once operated a giant slave market, said to be the South’s largest, that boasted “the best selected assortment of field hands, house servants, and mechanics … with fresh supplies of likely Young Negroes.” [1] Historic buildings on Adams Avenue include the Calvary Episcopal Church at 102 North Second Street at Adams Avenue; the Magevney House at 198 Adams Avenue; the Mallory–Neely House at 652 Adams Avenue; the Fire Museum of Memphis in Fire Engine House No. 1 at 118 Adams Avenue; the Mollie Fontaine Taylor House at 679 Adams Avenue; the Shelby County Courthouse, designed by James Gamble Rogers; the Woodruff-Fontaine House; and the James Lee House. The area is popular for historic building tours.[2] The area's low-income renters are being recruited as guides of the remaining historic homes.[3]
Several homes on the 100 and 200 blocks of Adams Avenue are in the Adams Avenue Historic District. The Victorian Village historic district includes portions of higher-numbered blocks of Adams Avenue.