
Harsson-Goyer-Lee House, Memphis
The James Lee House, also known as the Harsson-Goyer-Lee House, is a historic house at 690 Adams Avenue in Memphis, Tennessee, United States. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, together with the adjacent Woodruff-Fontaine House. The two houses are included in the Victorian Village historic district.
The 8,100-square-foot home was constructed by William Harsson in 1848. Harsson's daughter, Laura, married Charles Wesley Goyer, who bought the house in 1852. Goyer had it expanded by the architecture firm of Edward Culliatt Jones and Matthias H. Baldwin in 1871, after seeing their work in designing the neighboring Woodruff-Fontaine House.
James Lee, a riverboat captain who had been educated at Princeton University, bought the house in 1890. In 1925 it became the James Lee Memorial Art Academy, a predecessor of the Memphis College of Art (formerly the Memphis Academy of Art). The city of Memphis took ownership in 1929. After the art school moved to a new location in 1959, the house was vacant for many years. It was used by Canadian indie rock group Tokyo Police Club in a music video for their 2008 song "In a Cave."
In 2012 the empty house was purchased by new private owners. The following year, a $2 million construction and renovation project began, converting the house into a luxury bed and breakfast. The city of Memphis provided a property tax abatement to encourage its renovation. The bed and breakfast opened for business in April 2014. Today visitors to Memphis may enjoy the amenity of the house by staying at The James Les House as a guest.
The 8,100-square-foot home was constructed by William Harsson in 1848. Harsson's daughter, Laura, married Charles Wesley Goyer, who bought the house in 1852. Goyer had it expanded by the architecture firm of Edward Culliatt Jones and Matthias H. Baldwin in 1871, after seeing their work in designing the neighboring Woodruff-Fontaine House.
James Lee, a riverboat captain who had been educated at Princeton University, bought the house in 1890. In 1925 it became the James Lee Memorial Art Academy, a predecessor of the Memphis College of Art (formerly the Memphis Academy of Art). The city of Memphis took ownership in 1929. After the art school moved to a new location in 1959, the house was vacant for many years. It was used by Canadian indie rock group Tokyo Police Club in a music video for their 2008 song "In a Cave."
In 2012 the empty house was purchased by new private owners. The following year, a $2 million construction and renovation project began, converting the house into a luxury bed and breakfast. The city of Memphis provided a property tax abatement to encourage its renovation. The bed and breakfast opened for business in April 2014. Today visitors to Memphis may enjoy the amenity of the house by staying at The James Les House as a guest.
Sight description based on Wikipedia.
Want to visit this sight? Check out these Self-Guided Walking Tours in Memphis. Alternatively, you can download the mobile app "GPSmyCity: Walks in 1K+ Cities" from iTunes App Store or Google Play Store. The app turns your mobile device to a personal tour guide and it works offline, so no data plan is needed when traveling abroad.
Harsson-Goyer-Lee House on Map
Sight Name: Harsson-Goyer-Lee House
Sight Location: Memphis, USA (See walking tours in Memphis)
Sight Type: Attraction/Landmark
Guide(s) Containing This Sight:
Sight Location: Memphis, USA (See walking tours in Memphis)
Sight Type: Attraction/Landmark
Guide(s) Containing This Sight:
Walking Tours in Memphis, Tennessee
Create Your Own Walk in Memphis
Creating your own self-guided walk in Memphis is easy and fun. Choose the city attractions that you want to see and a walk route map will be created just for you. You can even set your hotel as the start point of the walk.
Historical Buildings Walking Tour
Taking this self-guided tour, you will become familiar not only with Memphis's most beautiful historical buildings, such as the Magevney House and the Mallory-Neely House, but you will also learn how to find your way around the asphalt jungle of downtown Memphis. 100 North Main and the Sterick and Dermon Buildings, the tallest buildings in Memphis, will become your guides as you navigate the... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 3.1 Km or 1.9 Miles
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 3.1 Km or 1.9 Miles
Memphis Introduction Walking Tour
One of the most iconic destinations in the United States, the city of Memphis has gone down in history for many different reasons. Set on a bluff over the Mississippi River, the site of today's Memphis has been settled for over a thousand years by various cultures, including the Indian tribe of Chickasaw. The latter encountered European explorers in the 16th century. In the 18th century,... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.4 Km or 1.5 Miles
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.4 Km or 1.5 Miles
Memphis Downtown Walking Tour
Downtown Memphis is the oldest part of the “blues city” located on the Mississippi River. To acquaint yourself fully with this neighborhood and in the shortest possible time, take this self-guided tour starting at the Fire Museum of Memphis, then head to the Peabody Hotel to see the "Peabody Ducks", visit an iconic movie palace, and then make way to other prominent highlights of... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 3.1 Km or 1.9 Miles
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 3.1 Km or 1.9 Miles
Elvis Presley Walking Tour
Memphis is the city of Elvis Aaron Presley, known to most simply as Elvis, and it serves as a shrine of sorts to the King of Rock and Roll. Even though Presley died in 1977, his fans continue to flock to Memphis to pay their respects to the man and his music. Take this self-guided walk in the footsteps of Elvis Presley to view the house he lived in, visit the legendary Sun Studio where he... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 3.5 Km or 2.2 Miles
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 3.5 Km or 2.2 Miles
Memphis Blues Walking Tour
If you're a music fan, visiting Beale Street, the cradle of Memphis blues, is a must! Running across Downtown from the Mississippi River to East Street for approximately 2 miles (3 km), the street is lined with a number of locations which left indelible imprint in the history of the city and that of blues music in particular. Take this self-guided tour and empathize with record producer Sam... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 1.8 Km or 1.1 Miles
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 1.8 Km or 1.1 Miles