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

Owen College

1954-1968

By Steve Masler, August 25, 2017

1. Owen College Marker

Inscription. In 1946, the Tennessee Baptist Missionary and Educational Convention, a negro religious group, purchased twelve acres of ground and buildings at Vance Avenue and Orleans Street for $375,000 to begin a school. In 1954, Owen College, a two year institution named in honor of Samuel Augustus Owen, Sr. opened with Dr. Levi Watkins as president. The college served 2,326 students at this site before it merged in 1968 with LeMoyne College to become LeMoyne-Owen College. In 1970 the property was sold by LeMoyne-Owen College to Memphis City Schools for a public school site.

Erected 2012.

Location. 35° 8.046′ N, 90° 2.369′ W. Marker is in Memphis, Tennessee, in Shelby County. Marker is at the intersection of Vance Avenue and Orleans, on the right when traveling east on Vance Avenue. Touch for map. Located on the grounds of Vance Middle School. Marker is at or near this postal address: 673 Vance Avenue, Memphis TN 38126, United States of America.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. The Mount Nebo Baptist Church (approx. ¼ mile away); First Baptist Church / Mt. Olive CME Church (approx. 0.3 miles away); Benjamin Franklin Booth (approx. 0.3 miles away);

Owen College Marker dedication image. Click for full size.

By Http://historic-memphis.com

2. Owen College Marker dedication

Elvis Presley and Sun Records / Sun Records (approx. 0.4 miles away); The Commercial Appeal / Publishing Locations (approx. 0.4 miles away); The First Railroad in West Tennessee (approx. 0.4 miles away); The Hunt-Phelan Home (approx. 0.4 miles away); N. B. Forrest Camp 215 Sons of Confederate Veterans (approx. 0.4 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Memphis.

Also see . . .
1. Historic Memphis: LeMoyne Owen College. (Submitted on August 25, 2017, by Steve Masler of Memphis, Tennessee.)
2. LeMoyne Owen College. (Submitted on August 25, 2017, by Steve Masler of Memphis, Tennessee.)
3. LeMoyne Owen College Site, History. (Submitted on August 25, 2017, by Steve Masler of Memphis, Tennessee.)

Categories. • African Americans • Arts, Letters, Music • Civil Rights • Education •

By Steve Masler, August 25, 2017

3. Owen College Marker

Owen College Administrative Building image. Click for full size.

Historic Memphis.com

4. Owen College Administrative Building

Credits. This page was last revised on August 28, 2017. This page originally submitted on August 25, 2017, by Steve Masler of Memphis, Tennessee. This page has been viewed 97 times since then and 43 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4. submitted on August 25, 2017, by Steve Masler of Memphis, Tennessee. • Bill Pfingsten was the editor who published this page.