100 years ago today, on August 24, 1920, Tennessee Governor Albert H. Roberts certified the state’s ratification of the 19th Amendment, sending it on to Washington, D.C. to be officially enshrined in the U.S. Constitution. So, for today’s mystery we’re highlighting one of the images from our Votes for Women online exhibit.
The description on the photograph states, “Women on a float bearing sign, ‘Tennessee Equal Suffrage Association, Inc.’ in front of Memphis Photo Supply on S. Main Street.” What building is this? Where was Memphis Photo Supply Company?
SOLVED!!
Phoebe Moore was the first person to solve this mystery. She noted that Memphis Photo Supply Company had multiple address over the years, including 151 Union Ave. and 126 Monroe Ave. In 1915, this business was located at 60 S. Main. Today that building is known as The Washburn, and when comparing the stone work and dentil detail it looks like a match!
Caroline Carrico further confirmed this location by pointing to an ad found in the Commercial Appeal on September 30, 1920 (page 8), which also lists the address as 60 S. Main Street. That would place our photographer around the coordinates: 35.143530, -90.053477.