Goodwyn Home built on Buntyn Plantation, Park Ave. & Cherry Rd. The home was demolished in 1947 and the land incorporated into Audubon Park & Golf Course, Memphis TN - Circa 1947
On May 22, 1819, John Overton, James Winchester, and Andrew Jackson founded the City of Memphis and formed Shelby County on land secured through land speculation and post-war land grants. That same year, North Carolinian Geraldus Oscar Buntyn was granted, as payment for his services in the War of 1812, a parcel of land approximately 10 miles east of the city. Buntyn erected a house on the current location of Memphis Country Club and there, with his wife, Eliza, reared eight children and became a very successful corn and cotton planter. Mr. Buntyn prospered, bought additional land, and at the time of his death in 1865 owned 40,000 acres.
In 1838, the Memphis-LaGrange Railroad cut through the middle of his property. The first stop was almost at Mr. Buntyn’s front door and was called Buntyn Station. A small community developed around the station as part of his successful plantation. In 1854, Buntyn built a house as a wedding present for his daughter Sally Ann and her husband Robert D. Goodwyn. A dirt east-west mule trail that would eventually become Southern Avenue connected Sally Ann’s house with that of her parents. Another dirt road running north-south through the property would later become Goodwyn Road. The Goodwyns had seven children, one of whom, Fannie Luzzie, married James Robert Heard. When Sally Ann Goodwyn died in 1871, Robert and Fannie Luzzie inherited a section of the original Buntyn Plantation that included the Goodwyn house. Another daughter had married Charles Perkins, and the road through their inherited land became Perkins Road.
In 1947, Mr. Edward Crump decided the City needed a park outside city limits that would complement Overton Park. He influenced Mayor Sylvanus Polk (Mayor 1946-1947) and Park Commission head John Vesey to purchase the old Goodwyn House and 186.5 acres for $205,000 from Robert G. Heard, great grandson of Sally Ann and Robert Goodwyn. The county also purchased an adjacent 169 acres from the Snowden estate for $195,000. The Goodwyn house was razed and the land around it developed into a golf course and lake on part of the newly acquired 355.5 acres. Mr. Crump wanted the new area to be named Bluebird Park, but the commissioners decided that it should be named after noted naturalist John James Audubon. There was already a smaller park inside the city named Audubon and a decision was made to call the new park Audubon and the smaller park Bluebird. Later, Bluebird Park became Tobey Park to honor Mayor Frank Tobey.
In 1953, 2,500 iris rhizomes from the gardens of Mrs. Morgan Ketchum were given to the park and the Ketchum Memorial Iris Garden was created. This gift marked the beginning of planned beds and displays for the Gardens of Audubon Park. This garden, with its well-tended areas and fountain, remains a focal point for Garden visitors.
An arboretum was established in 1957 to honor W.C. Paul, who died in 1951 and was an active member of the Memphis Men’s Garden Club. Mr. Paul had long dreamed of an arboretum for Memphis, prompting landscape architect George Madlinger and the Lumberman’s Club of Memphis to continue this dream with the creation of The W.C. Paul Arboretum in the Gardens of Audubon Park. The Arboretum and the Iris Garden were the two projects that served as catalysts for a section of the park to be recognized and developed as a botanical garden.
The following year, 1958, the Michie Magnolia Garden was donated by Mrs. Winston Michie, in honor of her late husband. This area presently contains 80 different varieties of magnolias.
Also in 1958, the Rose Garden in Overton Park was moved to Audubon Park. 11 years later, Mrs. Vance Norfleet donated the fountain that is currently the centerpiece for the 75 varieties of roses located in this garden.
Goodwyn Home built on Buntyn Plantation, Park Ave. & Cherry Rd. The home was demolished in 1947 and the land incorporated into Audubon Park & Golf Course, Memphis TN - Circa 1947
On May 22, 1819, John Overton, James Winchester, and Andrew Jackson founded the City of Memphis and formed Shelby County on land secured through land speculation and post-war land grants. That same year, North Carolinian Geraldus Oscar Buntyn was granted, as payment for his services in the War of 1812, a parcel of land approximately 10 miles east of the city. Buntyn erected a house on the current location of Memphis Country Club and there, with his wife, Eliza, reared eight children and became a very successful corn and cotton planter. Mr. Buntyn prospered, bought additional land, and at the time of his death in 1865 owned 40,000 acres.
In 1838, the Memphis-LaGrange Railroad cut through the middle of his property. The first stop was almost at Mr. Buntyn’s front door and was called Buntyn Station. A small community developed around the station as part of his successful plantation. In 1854, Buntyn built a house as a wedding present for his daughter Sally Ann and her husband Robert D. Goodwyn. A dirt east-west mule trail that would eventually become Southern Avenue connected Sally Ann’s house with that of her parents. Another dirt road running north-south through the property would later become Goodwyn Road. The Goodwyns had seven children, one of whom, Fannie Luzzie, married James Robert Heard. When Sally Ann Goodwyn died in 1871, Robert and Fannie Luzzie inherited a section of the original Buntyn Plantation that included the Goodwyn house. Another daughter had married Charles Perkins, and the road through their inherited land became Perkins Road.
In 1947, Mr. Edward Crump decided the City needed a park outside city limits that would complement Overton Park. He influenced Mayor Sylvanus Polk (Mayor 1946-1947) and Park Commission head John Vesey to purchase the old Goodwyn House and 186.5 acres for $205,000 from Robert G. Heard, great grandson of Sally Ann and Robert Goodwyn. The county also purchased an adjacent 169 acres from the Snowden estate for $195,000. The Goodwyn house was razed and the land around it developed into a golf course and lake on part of the newly acquired 355.5 acres. Mr. Crump wanted the new area to be named Bluebird Park, but the commissioners decided that it should be named after noted naturalist John James Audubon. There was already a smaller park inside the city named Audubon and a decision was made to call the new park Audubon and the smaller park Bluebird. Later, Bluebird Park became Tobey Park to honor Mayor Frank Tobey.
In 1953, 2,500 iris rhizomes from the gardens of Mrs. Morgan Ketchum were given to the park and the Ketchum Memorial Iris Garden was created. This gift marked the beginning of planned beds and displays for the Gardens of Audubon Park. This garden, with its well-tended areas and fountain, remains a focal point for Garden visitors.
An arboretum was established in 1957 to honor W.C. Paul, who died in 1951 and was an active member of the Memphis Men’s Garden Club. Mr. Paul had long dreamed of an arboretum for Memphis, prompting landscape architect George Madlinger and the Lumberman’s Club of Memphis to continue this dream with the creation of The W.C. Paul Arboretum in the Gardens of Audubon Park. The Arboretum and the Iris Garden were the two projects that served as catalysts for a section of the park to be recognized and developed as a botanical garden.
The following year, 1958, the Michie Magnolia Garden was donated by Mrs. Winston Michie, in honor of her late husband. This area presently contains 80 different varieties of magnolias.
Also in 1958, the Rose Garden in Overton Park was moved to Audubon Park. 11 years later, Mrs. Vance Norfleet donated the fountain that is currently the centerpiece for the 75 varieties of roses located in this garden.