SHELBY FARMS

'Shelby Farms' is one of the largest urban parks in the United States, located in Memphis, Shelby County, Tennessee.
Lakes, natural forests, and wetlands provide natural habitats for many smaller species close to an urban metropolitan area. Wildlife can be observed from the many trails in the park.

Contents

Geography

Wildlife

History

Late 19th century

Until the 1960s

Since the 1970s

Conservation efforts

Recreation

References

External links

Geography

Encompassing about 4,500 acres (18 km²) of land, Shelby Farms is one of the largest urban parks in the United States.http://www.shelbycountytn.gov Shelby County Internet Portal Several lakes, natural forests, and the wetlands of the Wolf River are situated in hilly surroundings.

Wildlife

Wildlife like beavers, deer, turtles, tortoises and different species of birds can be observed in their natural environment. Although the park is surrounded by routes used by commuter traffic, smaller species can still find habitats large enough to survive.
Shelby Farms park is home to a bison herd and to a few Texas longhorn (cattle).

History

Late 19th century

At the eastern end of Shelby Farms park remains of a settlement from the late 19th century can be found. In 2005, the family burial site of the Mann family exists with just one grave marker remaining. The last two documented deaths, as indicated on that remaining gravestone, date back to November 1891 for Robert W Mann and December 1891 for Mary S Mann. Five or more graves are marked only by their base stones.^[1]
How and when this formerly private property was incorporated into what is now Shelby Farms park is unknown.

Until the 1960s

Until the 1960s Shelby Farms was used as a penal farm, in which the prisoners of the Shelby County Jail were involved in agricultural labor to provide food for inmates and staff, or to sell overproduction for profit on behalf of the state of Tennessee.

Since the 1970s

In the 1970s the Shelby County Commission opened the area for recreational purposes.

Conservation efforts

In December 2006 the Shelby Farms Park Alliance (SFPA) was granted a conservation easement by the Shelby County Commission. The easement restricts commercial and residential development in the park area for 50 years.^[2][3]
In 2007 an agreement was signed between the Shelby County Mayor A.C. Wharton and the SFPA, forming the Shelby Farms Park Conservancy (SFPC), a public and private non-profit partnership established by Shelby County government to help provide day-to-day operations of the park and to develop a planning process for the future of Shelby Farms park.^[4][5]

Recreation

Hiking and biking trails meandering through the park allow visitors to observe wildlife and nature. Catch'em Lake is a designated artificial fishing lake, and on two other lakes rowing boats are allowed. On one of latter two lakes, Patriot Lake, pedal boats can be rented. There is a 1.67 mile (2.7 km) paved trail around Patriot Lake.
Horseback riding is allowed in parts of the park and on a few trails, horses can be rented as well. A designated runway to start and land miniature radio control aircraft is present in the park for public use.
An 18 hole disk golf course is located near the welcome center of the park.^[6]
Shelby Farms also has the Agricenter Showplace Arena and a Farmers' Market.

References

1. http://ftp.rootsweb.com/pub/usgenweb/tn/shelby/cemeteries/mann.txt - RootsWeb
2. http://www.sfparkalliance.org/the-history-of-shelby-farms-park/ Shelby Farms Park Alliance (SFPA) conservation effort
3. http://www.memphisbioworks.org/newsroom_article_2007_0110_CA.php MemphisBioworks.org Article
4. http://www.sfparkalliance.org/2007/07/ Management agreement between SFPA and Shelby County
5. http://www.shelbyfarmspark.org/ Shelby Farms Park Conservancy (SFPC)
6. http://www.memphisdiscgolf.com/cms/index.php?option=content&task=view&id=2&Itemid=28 Disk golf in Shelby Farms Park

External links

★ Shelby Farms Park Allliance (SFPA), citizen organization working to help Shelby Farms Park realize its full potential for the residents of Memphis and Shelby County.

★ Maps of trails in Shelby Farms park

★ Wolf River Conservancy