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Alex Haley Museum and Interpretive Center

4.8 (5 reviews)
Closed • Closed

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Sultana Disaster Museum

Sultana Disaster Museum

5.0(3 reviews)
47.1 mi

The Sultana: The Greatest Maritime Disaster in US History. Yes,... even worse than The Titanic…read more This disaster received little public attention, as it took place at the end of the Civil War, after the assassination of President Abraham Lincoln, and the day after John Wilkes Booth was killed. Robert E. Lee surrendered to Ulysses S. Grant at Appomattox Courthouse on April 9, 1865. Under the terms of the surrender agreement, POWs were to be freed and sent home as soon as possible. Union prisoners from Andersonville, GA and Cahaba, AL were sent to Vicksburg, MS to ship home up the MS River. The government offered to pay boat owners $5 per enlisted man and $10 per officer transported. The Sultana left Vicksburg on April 24th with more than 2,300 prisoners of war (plus an additional number of crew and passengers and a large shipment of sugar bound for Memphis). It's legal carrying capacity was only 376 passengers. The Sultana had pulled into Vicksburg at about the same time as two other boats (the Pauline Caroll and the Lady Gay); however, those 2 boats left with 0 soldiers. To make matters worse, a boiler had to be patched while in port at Vicksburg. The mechanic warned it would need to be properly fixed once up north. At about 2am on April 27th 1865, the steamboat's boilers exploded. Over 1,800 of the Sultana's +2,300 passengers were killed just north of Marion, Arkansas. The 1,800 people were burned to death, drowned or died of hypothermia. After the disaster, people wanted to determine the cause of the Sultana explosion as well as why it was so overcrowded. Many concluded that Mason, the captain and part owner of the Sultana, bribed Union officers into letting him transport as many freed prisoners as possible so that he would make lots of money; however, Mason was killed in the accident. Captain Frederick Speed, a Union army officer, was found guilty of overcrowding the Sultana. But his verdict was overturned by the army. So in the end, the U.S. Army never punished anyone for the disaster.

This is a terrific museum dedicated to a disaster that has largely been forgotten, lost in the…read moreaftermath of the Civil War. There is a great introductory film, and then several rooms of artifacts and interpretive material about this event, the largest maritime loss of life in American history. The passionate and deeply knowledgeable guide made our visit very special. Highly recommended.

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Sultana Disaster Museum
Sultana Disaster Museum
Sultana Disaster Museum

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Woodruff-Fontaine House Museum

Woodruff-Fontaine House Museum

4.4(33 reviews)
44.8 mi•Downtown

Woodruff-Fontaine House 680 Adams Ave, Memphis, TN 38105…read more This area became known as the Victorian Village, and the main street through the neighborhood was nicknamed "Millionaires Row." Amos Woodruff and his brother came to Memphis from Rahway, New Jersey in 1845 to expand their carriage-making business. In 1870, Amos Woodruff purchased a plot of land for $12,000 and began construction on the mansion which would end up costing the Woodruffs $40,000 to build. Unfortunately, about 12 years later, the yellow fever epidemic forced the Woodruff family to sell the house.l Noland Fontaine purchased the house from the Woodruffs in 1883 for $40,000 and his family lived there until 1929. In 1930, the house was sold to Rosa Lee, who used the house to expand her art school, Lee Memorial Art Academy. The school moved to Overton Park in 1959, and established themselves as Memphis Art Academy, later becoming the Memphis College of Art. The Association for the Preservation of Tennessee Antiquities saved the house from demolition after 2 years of vacancy, restored the mansion, and then opened its doors as a historic house museum

We arrived on a late, rainy Sunday afternoon - myself and a couple of friends from out of town. The…read moretour guides were very knowledgeable, friendly and available to support questions and guidance. We stayed longer than we planned but they never made us feel like we overstayed our welcome. Highly recommended if you enjoy Memphis history or enjoy Victorian homes!

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Woodruff-Fontaine House Museum
Woodruff-Fontaine House Museum - Period appropriate clothing and decor in the living room.

Period appropriate clothing and decor in the living room.

Woodruff-Fontaine House Museum

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Johnny Cash Boyhood Home

Johnny Cash Boyhood Home

4.9(20 reviews)
37.9 mi

Johnny Cash's boyhood home is not far off of the highway in Dyess, Arkansas and as I was heading to…read morea business meeting in Blytheville, Arkansas, I had to stop and see where one of the most iconic singers of his time once called home (and in his heart would probably always consider home). I travel a lot in business and it is cool to come across these finds. If you ever find yourself in Dyess, Arkansas, I would recommend a visit here.

We're not ones to shy away from quirky tourist stops, and with limited options nearby, we made the…read moreone-hour trek to see Johnny Cash's boyhood home. Tucked in a rundown little town, the experience still felt worthwhile...and let's be honest, the town is definitely capitalizing on the legacy of The Man in Black. But something tells me Johnny wouldn't mind one bit. The visit starts in a modest welcome center with memorabilia and a short film. Then, in classic small-town style, you follow behind the guide in your car about two miles to the actual home. The house is small, simple, and humble, just as you'd imagine a Depression-era homestead to be. It's been lovingly restored and really does feel like a window into Johnny's early life. Afterward, you head back to town to explore another small exhibit focused on homesteading history and a bit more on Johnny himself. It was a perfectly fine way to spend the afternoon, especially if you're a Cash fan or enjoy a dose of Americana. Only disappointment? The t-shirts for sale were kind of blah. Come on, people...give us some merch worthy of an American legend.

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Johnny Cash Boyhood Home
Johnny Cash Boyhood Home
Johnny Cash Boyhood Home

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Alex Haley Museum and Interpretive Center - museums - Updated May 2026

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