Jackson in Madison County, Tennessee — The American South (East South Central)
Historic Bemis
Photographed by Don Morfe, April 21, 2014
1. Historic Bemis Marker-Side 1
Founded in 1900 by Judson Moss Bemis, president of Bemis Brothers Bag Company. Bemis was a cotton mill town, planned by Albert Farwell Bemis and renowned architects Andrew Hepburn and Arthur Shurcliff. A self-contained town, Bemis consisted of a four-story mill, worker housing, church, auditorium-theater, schools, company store, YMCA, public bath house, park, post office, and other commercial facilities.
In the 1940s, Bemis' population was approximately 4,000. In June 1968, the company began selling houses. The City of Jackson annexed Bemis on December 29, 1977. Three years later the Bemis Company sold the mill. Bemis ceased being a cotton mill town when the mill closed on August 1, 1991. On December 16, 1991, Bemis was listed in the National Register of Historic Places.
Erected by Tennessee Historical Commission. (Marker Number 4D 55.)
Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Industry & Commerce • Settlements & Settlers. In addition, it is included in the Tennessee Historical Commission series list. A significant historical month for this entry is June 1968.
Location. 35° 34.5′ N, 88° 48.9′ W. Marker is in Jackson, Tennessee, in Madison County. It is at the intersection of Bemis Lane and South
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Regionally, this marker is in West Tennessee. It is also in the American South, specifically in the Deep South, and specifically in the Upper South. Globally, it is in North America, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once the territory of the Mississippian Culture, one of the Confederate States of America, and the Antebellum South.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 3 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies: Bemis United Methodist Church (approx. half a mile away); Bemis United Methodist Parsonage (approx. 0.6 miles away); Austin Raymond Merry (approx. 1.9 miles away); John Lee "Sonny Boy" Williamson (approx. 2 miles away); The Electro Chalybeate Well (approx. 2.1 miles away); Jackson Spoke Here (approx. 2.1 miles away); Christine Chatman (approx. 2.1 miles away); Mabel Louise "Big Maybelle" Smith (approx. 2.3 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Jackson.
Photographed by Don Morfe, April 21, 2014
2. Historic Bemis Marker-Side 2
Photographed by Don Morfe, April 21, 2014
3. Historic Bemis-distant shot
Credits. This page was last revised on January 12, 2025. It was originally submitted on June 27, 2014, by Don Morfe of Baltimore, Maryland. This page has been viewed 1,209 times since then and 81 times this year. Last updated on April 8, 2015, by J. Makali Bruton of Washington, District of Columbia. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on June 27, 2014, by Don Morfe of Baltimore, Maryland. • Bill Pfingsten was the editor who published this page.
