Medical District in Memphis in Shelby County, Tennessee — The American South (East South Central)

REMOVED

SEE LOCATION SECTION

Nathan Bedford Forrest

Photographed By Ken Smith, February 3, 2009

1. Confederate General Nathan Bedford Forrest Statue

Inscription. Nathan - Bedford - Forrest
MDCCCXXI - MDCCCLXVII "Those hoof beats die not upon fame's crimson sod, But will ring through her song and her story; He fought like a Titan and struck like a god, And his dust is our ashes of glory."
Virginia Frazer Boyle

1904 Erected By His Countrymen In Honor Of The Military Genius Of Lieutenant General Nathan Bedford Forrest.Confederate States Army
1861 - 1865

Erected 1904.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: War, US Civil. A significant historical year for this entry is 1904.

Location. Marker has been permanently removed. It was located near 35° 8.351′ N, 90° 2.089′ W. Marker was in Memphis, Tennessee, in Shelby County. It was in the Medical District. Marker was on Union Avenue (U.S. 51) west of Dunlap Street, on the right when traveling west. Located in Forrest Park is between Madison & Union Ave. and cross streets of Dunlap & Manassas Street. Touch for map. Marker was at or near this postal address: 799 Madison Ave, Memphis TN 38103, United States of America.

We have been informed that this sign or monument is no longer there and will not be replaced. This page is an archival view of what was.

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Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this location. Nathan Bedford Forrest III, Airman (within shouting distance of this marker); N. B. Forrest Camp 215 Sons of Confederate Veterans (within shouting distance of this marker); Memphis City Hospital (about 500 feet away, measured in a direct line); Campbell Clinic (about 800 feet away); Elvis Presley and Sun Records / Sun Records (approx. 0.2 miles away); Lowenstein Mansion (approx. ¼ mile away); Russwood Park (approx. ¼ mile away); The First Railroad in West Tennessee (approx. 0.3 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Memphis.

Also see . . .
1. A Confederate General’s Final Stand Divides Memphis. The Memphis City Council is in the process of voting to remove the statue of Forrest from this site where it was placed by private individuals. Forrest and his wife are buried under the statue. The Council has voted to move their remains and re-inter them in their original graves which remain empty. The disposition of the statue has not yet been decided. Forrest was called a brilliant military leader but made his fortune buying and selling humans in his slave trade. Most cannot forgive this and disagree with memorializing him in a public park in a city where more than half

Photographed By Ken Smith, February 3, 2009

2. Confederate General Nathan Bedford Forrest Statue

Forrest riding "King Phillip".

of the population are descendants of the people that he bought and sold. (Submitted on July 22, 2015, by Steve Masler of Memphis, Tennessee.)

2. The Ft. Pillow Massacre. (Submitted on August 25, 2017, by Steve Masler of Memphis, Tennessee.)

Additional commentary.
1. Forrest statue removed.
After many months of legal wrangling — including passing new city ordinances to skirt Tennessee law — this General Nathan Bedford Forrest statue was removed the night of December 20th, 2017. The city of Memphis sold the popular park, where the statue was located, for $1,000 (way below market value) to a non-profit. The non-profit is headed by a local county commissioner and the statue has been removed to unknown location.

A Davidson County Chancellor barred the nonprofit from selling, giving away or moving the statue pending a lawsuit over the statues' removal.

— Submitted April 5, 2018, by Mark Hilton of Montgomery, Alabama.

Photographed By Ken Smith, February 3, 2003

3. Confederate General Nathan Bedford Forrest Statue

Forrest Gravesite

Photographed By Ken Smith, February 3, 2009

4. Confederate General Nathan Bedford Forrest Statue

Forrest's Wife, Mary A. gravesite.

Photographed By Ken Smith

5. Confederate General Nathan Bedford Forrest Statue

Front of statue over graves.

Photographed By Ken Smith, February 3, 2009

6. Confederate General Nathan Bedford Forrest Statue

The General's left side of statue.

Photographed By Ken Smith, February 3, 2009

7. Confederate General Nathan Bedford Forrest Statue

The General's Right Side of Statue.

Photographed By Ken Smith, February 3, 2009

8. Confederate General Nathan Bedford Forrest Statue

Forrest & King Phillip.

Photographed By Ken Smith, February 3, 2009

9. Confederate General Nathan Bedford Forrest Statue

Nathan Bedford Forrest statue removed, only pedestal left. image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Mark Hilton, April 8, 2018

10. Nathan Bedford Forrest statue removed, only pedestal left.

Credits. This page was last revised on February 7, 2023. It was originally submitted on January 11, 2012, by Ken Smith of Milan, Tennessee. This page has been viewed 1,358 times since then and 47 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7. submitted on January 11, 2012, by Ken Smith of Milan, Tennessee. 8, 9. submitted on January 12, 2012, by Ken Smith of Milan, Tennessee. 10. submitted on April 8, 2018, by Mark Hilton of Montgomery, Alabama. • Craig Swain was the editor who published this page.