Perfect Night for Documentary Premiere

The film premiere of The View from Adams Avenue: 19th Century Memphis took place on Saturday, May 31. Over 300 people attended the screening held on the lawn of Mallory-Neely House Museum and Memphis City Beautiful. The weather was perfect for the picnic diners that filled the lawn in front of a 30-foot inflatable screen. Hank Sable and Nora Tucker serenaded the attendees from the porch of Mallory-Neely House.

The evening was also a celebration of the Preserve America designation for Victorian Village. Being a Preserve America Neighborhood allows VVI to apply for Federal grants supporting heritage tourism efforts. Yvonne Leander, Field Director for Housing and Urban Development, presented Scott Blake with a framed letter from First Lady Laura Bush announcing this award. Learn more about the Preserve America Communities program at www.preserveamerica.gov.

Scott Blake, chairman of Victorian Village Inc., welcomed everyone and introduced Willy Bearden, filmmaker. Willy said that beginning his Memphis Legacy Project in Victorian Village was a perfect primer for researching the documentary. He acknowledged the youth that had participated in the film dressed in 1860s era clothing who attended the premiere in costume.

The hour-long chronicle of the families who lived and worked in this neighborhood during the 19th century held the entire crowd’s attention. The story is told through historic photographs and illustrations, interviews with historians and family members, and modern images.

photos courtesy of Linley Schmidt and Gary Cook