“Idlewild Avenue”. Memphis Streetscapes Collection, DIG Memphis. (Digital ID Street0527)
The above image is another photograph that is part of the series showing old homes from around the turn of the 20th century. This on depicts a scene on an unpaved Idlewild Avenue. Are you able to recognize any of the old homes seen here?
SOLVED!!
This mystery was solved by Phoebe Moore, who consulted the 1907 Sanborn Map for the answer. From the map, she noticed, “[it] shows a house that appears to have the same shape as this one – with the split porches that wrap around the sides, on a large lot – there is also a greenhouse in the back yard, which would have likely been necessary for those palms.” The house on the map is located on the southwest corner of Madison Avenue and Idlewild, with the address 9 S. Idlewild. In 1900 it belonged to Henry Luerhmann; it appears he purchased the lot in 1896.
If the address 9 S. Idlewild is correct, then the house in the background would be 15 S. Idlewild, and is still standing! You can see some of the same details in the Google Street View of the image. That would place the photographer near 35.137684, -90.001109.