The Annesdale Mansion
Beauty Beholden
Just across Lamar Avenue from the Memphis University Club, in the most unsuspecting tree lined property, sets what’s been described as a “crown jewel” of historic Memphis architecture. Just when you think you have the city figured out…where the historic neighborhoods all are or where the impressive sights of the city are collected and preserved, Memphis reveals something blissfully old and breathtakingly beautiful on 7 untouched acres in the city center. The 19th century Italianate Villa is a testament to Memphis’ past, providing a glimpse into the prosperity of the city’s founders and maintaining a vision for the cultural advances of the city’s future.
Annesdale As It Was
The story of how Annesdale came to be is a story riddled with names every Memphian knows. The estate was built in 1850 by Dr. Samuel Mansfield, a successful local druggist, used as a Civil War hospital at some point during the war, and then purchased by Robert Brinkley, founder of the Peabody Hotel, as a wedding gift to his daughter Annie Overton Brinkley (hence the name “Annesdale”) when she married Colonel Robert Snowden in 1868. Annie herself was granddaughter to Judge John Overton, Andrew Jackson’s legal advisor and one of the original founders of the city of Memphis.
The glories of the mansion…its 14 foot ceilings, carved walnut paneling, stained glass, needlework fabric panels over the windows, and 11 fireplaces have all been maintained or restored and testify to a time when the wealthy of the city had only the best, entertained the most prominent, and kept their legacies close.
In fact, the Snowden family kept the residence in the family for 160 years, only just in 2010 selling it to a local developer who used it as a personal residence and began renting the home and gardens out as a wedding venue. Though events and parties were what the home was literally built for, the success of the space as a venue was short-lived. When the venue owner decided to close the event-hosting business and sell the property there were concerns that the mansion would be demolished to make way for more modern and lucrative housing options. However, in 2023, the property was ultimately sold to Bill Townsend who is known for buying and restoring historic properties in Memphis to prevent their demolition.
Annesdale As It Will Be
As the Annesdale Mansion is one of the oldest homes in the city, midtown neighbors as well as the Historical Society of Memphis breathed a sigh of relief when Mr. Townsend purchased the property, adding it to his list of four other historical sites in the region. With his sights set on using the home as a hub of cultural impact, the future of Annesdale is bright. In fact, local filmmaker Justin Gullett is currently shooting a thriller in the house, shifting the spotlight back to the architectural jewel of the Mid-South in the best possible way. The history, beauty, and cultural importance of the estate lives on.