1585 Central Ave. and Roland Memphis, TN
Circa 1912. 3-story Spanish Revival style
At the time, it was the edge of Memphis and sat on three acres.
The home was constructed by Jesse Chambless Norfleet (?-1927) and Willie Thompson Norfleet (?-1918). His family was huge in the cotton business. His brother was Frank Norfleet. In 1911, Central still had residences with large estates. Their daughter Ada Norfleet Fuller (1893-1979) married in 1920 and moved to Chicago. It was a short marriage, and she and a son William “Bill” Fuller returned in 1924. Ada insisted on referring to herself as a “widow.” She was a founder of Memphis’ Crippled Children’s Hospital and later was president and a director of the Memphis Symphony Society.
From Central Gardens Improvement Plan site
Bill had a Navy career. Ada resided in the mansion until her death. After Bill retired from the Navy, he returned to Memphis but another home in East Memphis on Heatherwood Lane. He was married to Mary Claire Dortch Fuller. He had a cotton plantation in eastern Arkansas. His daughter, Mimi was the 1978 Queen of the Cotton Carnival. Unfortunately, the upkeep maintenance was too much, and a change of zoning for use as a bed and breakfast business was refused.
In 1982, the Brooks Art Gallery League was able to use the mansion as their Show House project. The mansion was demolished in 1990, and ten new homes built on the property footprint. NR 1981/ delisted 1990 See Frank M. Norfleet Home
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