Dyer County Historical Society

02/23/2025

In 1895, the northeast block of downtown Dyersburg was destroyed by fire. The hotel was completely destroyed. In 1896, Sanborn map company shows the corner and stipulates that the drawing is from the plans for the building in construction at the time.

02/22/2025

A fire took out most of the east side of the square in 1897. This unfortunate event gives us a glimpse into the buildings that are shown on a Sanborn map from 1896. I will post that section of the map in the comments below.

Clipping found in The Commercial Appeal published in Memphis, Tennessee on 11/23/1897. 1897 East Side Fire Dyersburg

02/13/2025

Old Letters and Postcards

Jere Cooper

Dr. William Lucas

How to do historical research online

Sanborn and other old maps

The State Gazette newspaper archive

These are just a few of the topics we have covered in our monthly presentations. We have a meeting on the second Tuesday of the month and it is sometimes harder to pick a subject than it is to put together a presentation. If you have an interest in Dyer County Tennessee history, I hope you have attended some of our meetings and found them both enjoyable and informative.

Now, we want to hear from you. What do you want to see? Give me a topic related to the history of Dyer County (preferably, but maybe just historical in general) that would be of interest.

Our March 11th meeting will be on the Sultana Disaster. Attorney and author, Jerry Potter will be here to present this topic. The explosion and sinking of the Sultana on the Mississippi river was the worst maritime disaster in US history and it happened about 7 miles north of Memphis.

02/12/2025

02/12/2025

The Congressman Jere Cooper Story

02/11/2025

Tonight at the PDC (the old high school on College St).

The Dyer County Historical Society will hold a meeting for the public on Tuesday, February 11, at 5 p.m. at the Professional Development Center. The PDC is located at 305

02/03/2025

https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-commercial-appeal-georgia-opera-hous/164579981/

Clipping found in The Commercial Appeal published in Memphis, Tennessee on 6/11/1904. Georgia Opera House

01/26/2025

The Dyer County Genealogy Group will meet at 5:00 p.m. on Tuesday, January 28 at the Professional Development Center in downtown Dyersburg. The PDC is located at 305 College Street in the old Dyersburg Middle School building. The Genealogy Group is a branch of the Dyer County Historical Society and meetings are open to the public.

Tuesday’s meeting will focus on sharing ways to organize the collected genealogy information and data that researchers may have gathered. Attendees are encouraged to bring samples of their data and ways they keep up with the many details that accompany those collections. Whether they have photos, books, artifacts or on-line bookmarks that help them return to places that may not have been used in many months, we want to learn how to keep track of the variety of genealogy research that goes along with digging into a family’s past.

The Genealogy Group meets each fourth Tuesday of the month. The goal of the group is to provide a place where local citizens can go to learn more about tracing their family history.

For more information, contact: Danny Walden, president of the Dyer County Historical Society, located at 305 College Street, Dyersburg, TN 38024. Phone: 731-676-8075 (personal cell); email: [email protected]

01/24/2025

We are growing!

As many of you know, we are an all volunteer organization except for one part time employee. If you are interested in volunteering at our museum, let me know. You can PM here or you can send me an email.

[email protected]

01/10/2025

Did you know that, in 1951, you could fly commercially from Dyersburg to Jackson, round trip, for $3.90? This is from the Jackson Sun, December 31, 1950.

12/25/2024

December 3, 1990. Do you remember what was special about that day? Dr. Iben Browning predicted that was the day we would have the great New Madrid earthquake.

https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/tgounley/the-day-the-earth-stood-still

https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-jackson-sun-earthquake-day/161523113/

On Dec. 3, 1990, an earthquake was supposed to level the small town of New Madrid, Missouri and become one of the biggest natural disasters the country had ever experienced. The ensuing mayhem — and quiet — instead brought fleeting attention to a high-risk seismic zone in the heart of America th...

12/17/2024

First, this is not from Dyer County, but it could have been. This is from Prairie Farms, Alabama. This is March, 1939. Notice the cured meat hanging from the ceiling, the wall full of home canned vegetables, even the flour sack hanging next to the meat. This is how our grandparents and great grandparents lived.

12/13/2024

Come on out to Sorghum Valley tonight. I will be there in the booth for the museum from 5:30 until 8:30. Stop by and say, "Hello!" I will be across the way from the free hot chocolate.

12/12/2024

We will have a booth set up across from the hot chocolate station tonight, Friday and Saturday nights, 5:30 to 8:30 at the Sorghum Valley Christmas. Stop by and say hello.

12/12/2024

As the year draws to a close, we want to thank all our members for their support. Your donations allow us to preserve our County's history for future generations.

Thanks to everyone that helps with your financial support, but a special thank you goes to our corporate level sponsors:

Danny and Susan Walden Bronze Level Sponsor
White and Associates Insurance Bronze Level Sponsor
Carol McDowell Bronze Level Sponsor
Dave Cook Bronze Level Sponsor
Security Bank Bronze Level Sponsor
Terry McCreight/McCreight Funeral Home Bronze Level Sponsor
Helen Enochs Silver Level Sponsor
First Citizens National Bank Silver Level Sponsor
John Lannom Gold Sponsor