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Historic
Woodruff-Fontaine House |
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famous old Memphis Home |
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"Rising
from ancient magnolia trees, the Woodruff-Fontaine House stands as a
reminder of an era long gone. This beautiful French-Victorian
mansion was built in 1870 along "Millionaires Row." in Memphis.
The mansion, home to two prominent Memphis families, was deeded to
the city in 1936 and stood vacant for several years. The
Association for the Preservation of Tennessee Antiquities rescued
the house in 1962 and restored it to its former splendor."
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From the Woodruff-Fontaine House website
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This is
the story of the grand Woodruff-Fontaine house located at 680 Adams
Avenue in Memphis |
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The
Woodruff Family... |
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Amos Woodruff and his brother came to Memphis from Rahway,
New Jersey in 1845 to expand their carriage-making business.
His brother returned home, but Amos remained and became a
very successful entrepreneur. In addition to his
carriage-making business, he was involved in two banks,
a railroad, an insurance company, a hotel, a cotton compress
firm and a lumber company. In 1870, Woodruff purchased
land adjoining the Goyer House for $12,000 and began construction on a
5-story French-Victorian mansion located in "Millionaire's
Row", on the outskirts of Memphis. Amos Woodruff, his wife
Phoebe and four children occupied the mansion from 1871 until
1883.
Old Tax
Records have determined that this "grand house" cost him $40,000
to build in 1870. Amos and Phoebe raised their four children in the home - Sallie,
Mollie, Frank and Cora. After 1883, the Woodruffs
moved into the Fontaine's old house at 103 Madison
Avenue. |
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Amos
Woodruff |
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Phoebe High
Woodruff |
Sarah "Sallie" |
Mary Louise "Mollie" |
Cora Belle |
Frank Leath |
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The
Rose Room was Mollie's bedroom and also the room where she lost a
young child shortly after childbirth. Three months after
the death of the child, Mollie's husband Egbert
Wooldridge also died in the Rose Room, possibly of pneumonia,
but more
probably from a staph infection with pneumonia-like symptoms. Mollie
was
devastated but eventually remarried in 1883 (James
Henning) and moved to a home on
Poplar Ave. where she lost a second child.
Legend says that Mollie's ghost
returned to her father's home and still roams the halls. Reports
of haunting activity such as, a smoke formed apparition of Mollie
have been reported by staff when they have tried to update or
move furniture in the mansion. Mollie apparently becomes upset
making her dislike of the re-decorations known by slamming doors
and breaking things. Mollie has also been reportedly seen, sitting on
the bed of the second story Rose Room. |
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The Rose Room
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The
Fontaine Family ... |
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Amos Woodruff sold his house to Noland Fontaine in 1892.
Noland had come to Memphis from Louisville, Kentucky when
he was in his early 20s. In 1864 he married Virginia Eanes from nearby Raleigh. They
had 10 children - Mollie, Williamson, Emma, Virginia, Noland,
Edward, Martha, Seward and Elliott. Noland's business,
Hill-Fontaine & Company, became the 3rd largest cotton
supply in Memphis. The Fontaine's became famous for their
lavish parties held at their home. One political
fundraiser with over 2,000 guests was in honor of Adlai
Stevenson, VP Candidate for Grover Cleveland. Red Japanese
lanterns lit the lawns and John Philip Sousa's band performed.
Tennessee
governors, visiting governors, and President Grover Cleveland, attended parties here. |
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Noland
Fontaine |
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Virginia
Fontaine |
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Mollie Fontaine |
Williamson Fontaine |
Emma Fontaine |
Virginia Fontaine |
Noland
Fontaine II |
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Edward Fontaine |
Elliott Fontaine |
Martha Fontaine |
Seward Fontaine |
3 Nolands |
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In 1886 Mollie married Dr. William W. Taylor in a grand wedding
on Valentine's day at St. Mary's Episcopal Church, followed by a home reception
inside the Fontaine ballroom. Noland Fontaine presented the newlyweds with a "Victorian
Valentine" house he built directly across the street.
It took 4 years to build it, during which time Mollie and Dr.
Taylor lived on the second floor suite inside her father's home. Mollie
lived in her house until her death in 1936. Today the home
is the "Mollie Fontaine Lounge". Another Fontaine
daughter, Virginia had a home wedding. |
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Mollie's House |
Noland's Obit |
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The Woodruff-Fontaine House ... |
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Built in 1870, the "princely Woodruff mansion" is a
five story
French-Victorian with colorful mansard rood and elevated basement.
High windows were topped outside with terra cotta lintels and inside,
folding shutters recessed into deep niches. A central tower
extended well above its three full floors. There were eighteen
large rooms, besides three great halls, and two tower lookouts on
fourth and fifth floor levels. The floor plan followed
the traditional Southern pattern of a broad center hall on each floor,
reaching from front to back, with spacious rooms on each side
opening into the halls. Ceilings on the first floor are
sixteen feet high; fourteen feet on the second floor, and thirteen
feet on the third. Solid cypress millwork with many varied
scroll carvings and rope motifs, decorate the molding on doors
and framing. Arabesques adorn many ceilings. The
stairwell ceiling at top of the third floor is of hand-hammered tin
in classical designs of wreaths, garlands, and winged cherubs.
It was - and is, a grand house.
The group of photos in this section, are from William
Bearden's outstanding "Legacy Project" at the Memphis Public
Library. |
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Foyer
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Fireplace |
Parlor |
Stair |
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Dining Room
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Stair |
Parlor |
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The Architect ... |
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Edward Culliatt Jones was the Master Architect of the Woodruff
House. He had become noted in his native Charleston,
South Carolina for designing residences, public and commercial
buildings. He moved to Memphis in 1866, and during his
time here, he designed the Central Baptist Church, 1st Beale
Street Church, 1st Presbyterian Church, and 2nd Presbyterian
Church. He and another architect, Mathias Baldwin, later
designed the final enlargement in 1871 of the Goyer-Lee
Residence with a third floor, ornate tower, and elaborate
tinwork around windows and cornices. In addition, Jones
designed the first skyscraper in Memphis - now known as the D.
T. Porter Building. |
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Central
Baptist |
1st Beale Baptist |
1st Presbyterian |
2nd Presbyterian-Clayborne |
Goyer-Lee Additions |
Porter Bldg |
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The Woodruff-Fontaine has been
identified by the Library of Congress as one of this nation's
historic treasures |
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The James Lee Memorial ... |
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Rosa
Lee |
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Rosa Lee was a patron of the fine arts and a close friend of Goyer's
granddaughter Florence McIntyre, who lived across the street from
the James Lee House.
In 1925 Rosa established the James Lee Memorial
Academy of Art, and Florence was made Director of the Memphis Art
Association, which administered this. In 1929, Rosa donated to the City of Memphis
the Lee Residence and its carriage house to be titled in perpetuity
the "James Lee Memorial." In 1930, Rosa purchased the
next-door Woodruff-Fontaine home and immediately donated that to the city, for future free art school expansion. The
Carriage House became the first home of the Memphis Little Theatre.
In 1942 the Memphis Art Association moved across the street to the
McIntyre home, and the Memphis Academy of Art continued operations
at the Lee House until 1959. |
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The Renovation ...
In 1960 the Memphis Chapter of the Association for the Preservation
of Tennessee Antiquities began public efforts to save the Lee and
Woodruff-Fontaine buildings from demolition. With their
initial fund drive of $50,000.00, restoration of the Fontaine House
began in 1961. Modern plumbing, wiring, heating and air
conditioning were concealed wherever possible to maintain the "old"
look. Missing shutters, stairway balusters, flooring,
wainscoting and plaster were repaired. Sometimes entire
replacements were required. A beautiful fresco painting on the
ceiling of the west ballroom was discovered and restored.
Labor, materials, services, public and private funds flowed in.
After only two years, the Woodruff-Fontaine home opened in 1964.
It was still unfinished, but was glorious in its restored splendor.
There was also a planned restoration for the next door Lee House in 1972.
After the beginning, it fell apart and the house was abandoned
until 2012 when the City Council unanimously approved the transfer
of the James Lee House to Jose Velazquez, who renovated the grand
old house to become an upscale Bed and Breakfast. |
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The Woodruff-Fontaine Museum
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In 1964
the restored Woodruff-Fontaine mansion opened to the public as a museum -
unfurnished. Generous Mid-Southerners donated gifts of furniture and
furnishings. A.P.T.A. members, who were all volunteers, served as
hostesses in order that guests could enjoy the gracious
atmosphere of the late 1800's which pervades this home.
Today the Woodruff-Fontaine museum stands as a
symbol of what a prosperous Memphian's house was like in a golden
age of lush growth. The museum is open 5 days a week, from
noon to 4 PM, Wednesday through Sunday. |
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Tea Party
House |
Carriage
House |
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Today, the
Woodruff-Fontaine house can be reserved for wedding receptions, and/or children’s
parties. The front lawn of the house is a beautiful place to say "I
Do." From spring until November the grounds are in bloom
and the scenery is enhanced by nature. Wedding
receptions can be held in the rustic Club Room or in the
Carriage House. Children's birthday parties can be held
at the Gingerbread Tea Party House.
To visit the Woodruff-Fontaine Museum
website ...
Click here |
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Landmarks of the James Lee
Memorial ...
This booklet was originally published in 1968 by the Tennessee
Historical Quarterly. It was revised in 1977 and is now in the
collection of Maureen Thoni White. |
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The future
??? |
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Old historic buildings are never safe in Memphis.
One cannot
relax and rest on their laurels - or suddenly the city may quietly label
a property "unstable" and
put it on "the list to be demolished". Apparently, all one
can do is keep a careful eye on what the city plans, and learn
to read between the lines, especially in case a developer should
become interested in a property. A Victorian Village McDonald's? Just what Memphis needs.
But then a new bronze marker can always be added to replace that demolished historic building.
Sadly, it does appear that Memphians simply accept this type of behavior
from their government? |
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Woodruff-Fontaine House Memorabilia |
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W-F
Postcard |
Fontaine Oil
painting |
Fontaine Pheasant Platter |
Amos
Woodruff |
Phoebe Woodruff |
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Noland
Fontaine II |
Elliott Fontaine |
Elliott's Obit |
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Noland-Edward-Elliott |
Mollie-Sallie W. |
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Thanks to A. J.
Northrop of the Memphis Woodruff-Fontaine House-Museum, for his
gracious help during the development of this page and to William
Bearden for his outstanding Legacy Project at the Memphis Public
Library. |
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Credits |
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The
Historic-Memphis website does not intentionally post copyrighted
photos and material without permission or credit.
On
occasion a "non-credited" photo might possibly be posted because we
were unable to find a name to give credit. Because of the nature of
our non-commercial, non-profit, educational website, we strongly
believe that these photos would be considered "Fair Use. We have
certainly made no monetary gain, although those using this website
for historic or Genealogy research have certainly profited. If by
chance,
we have posted your copyrighted photo, please contact us, and we'll
remove it immediately, or we'll add your credit if that's your
choice. In the past, we have found that many photographers
volunteer to have their works included on these pages and we'll
also do that if you contact us with a photo that fits a particular
page. |
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The "Historic-Memphis" website would like to acknowledge and thank the
following for their contributions which helped make this website
possible:
Memphis
Public Library, Memphis University Library, Memphis Law Library,
Memphis Commercial Appeal, Memphis Press Scimitar, Shelby County
Register of Deeds, Memphis City Schools, Memphis Business Men's
Club, Memphis Chamber of Commerce, Memphis City Park Commission,
Memphis Film Commission, Carnival Memphis, Memphis Historical
Railroad Page, Memphis Heritage Inc, Beale Street Historic District,
Cobblestone Historic District, Memphis Historic Districts, Vance
Lauderdale Family Archives, Tennessee State Archives, Library of
Congress, Kemmons Wilson Family, Richard S. Brashier, Lee Askew,
George Whitworth, Woody Savage and many individuals whose assistance is
acknowledged on the pages of their contributions. Special
thanks to Memphis Realtor, Joe Spake, for giving us carte blanche
access to his outstanding collection of contemporary Memphis photos.
We do not have high definition copies of the photos on these
pages. If anyone wishes to secure high definition photos,
you'll have to contact the photographer or the collector.
(To avoid any possibility of contributing to SPAM, we do not
maintain a file of email addresses for anyone who contacts us). |
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