Hyde Park, Memphis

Hyde Park (also known as Pocket Town) is a neighborhood in the Hollywood community of Memphis, Tennessee.

Hyde Park is located on the north side of Memphis, Tennessee, starting around the intersection of Hyde Park St. and Chelsea Ave. Hyde Park lies near the Hollywood community and borders another North Memphis neighborhood known as Douglass.

Hyde Park is known for its long strip down Hollywood Street that is often a lively meeting place. Almost all commercial businesses in the area are located on Hollywood Street or Chelsea Avenue.

Shannon Elementary School, located at 2248 Shannon Road, is the only elementary school within the perimeters of Hyde Park. The school serves grades PK-5 in the Memphis City/ Shelby County school district.

Cypress Middle School, located at 2109 Howell Street, was the only middle school in Hyde Park. The Memphis City/ Shelby County school served about 450 students in grades 6-8. After the 2013-14 school year, the board decided to close the school down. Now the former building is used for Kipp Academy.

There are no high schools located within Hyde Park. Students attend neighboring Douglass High School and Manassas High School. Douglass is named after the 19th Century African-American abolitionist Fredrick Douglass. The school opened in 1946, and boasts several graduating scholars, a world-renowned band and championship sports teams. The court-ordered cross-town busing of the 1970s, and low enrollment, led to the school closing in 1981. The abandoned building was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1998, but was torn down in 2006 to be replaced by a new building. The new building was started in 2006 and the new Douglass High School opened to students in fall 2008. In May 2010, the school had its first graduating class since 1981. DHS has an active alumni association with more than 500 members in seven chapters across the United States. Rev. William Young established Manassas in 1899. The original Manassas building was a two-room frame structure erected on the west side of Manassas Street, north of Belt Line. In 1909, Mrs. Cora Taylor was appointed principal. Under her leadership, Manassas purchased a tract of land located across the street. In 1921, a two-story frame building was added. A high school grade was added every year until Manassas graduated its first class of 14 members in 1924. Manassas was the first four-year accredited Negro high School in Shelby County. It had the first Negro football team in the city. The success of athletic teams of Manassas can be seen in the trophies on display in the trophy case in the hall near the Main Office. An auditorium with twelve hundred seats was completed in 1924 and a new 50-room modern structure added to the auditorium in 1938. Mr. Louis B. Hobson became the new principal after Mr. Hayes retired in 1953. Mr. Hobson fostered many outstanding educational programs during his 25 years of service with the belief that all students had the ability to obtain greatness. Manassas was further recognized for its students’ superior academic achievements in Mr. Hobson’s administration. The integration of the faculty and student body in Manassas happened around 1974. Mr. Robert S., a young enthusiastic educator, become principal of Manassas High School in 1982. Mr. White accomplished many innovations for Manassas: French was added to the curriculum; advanced courses were added in math and science; Four computer labs were established; Manassas was paired with Trezevant Vocational School in an effort to improve vocational offering. During 1996 and 2001 the staff adopted three schoolwide programs: The Instructional Reform Models, The Middle School Initiative, The Ninth Grade Academy, and High Schools That Work involved all students in a challenging curriculum designed to improve student performance. Manassas changed from a middle/high school to a full-fledged high school with grades nine through twelve during 2001-2002. A vote by the entire Memphis City School Board of Commissioners approved construction of a new school in 2004 and the official groundbreaking ceremony was held on Dec. 13, 2005. The new school officially opened on Jan.7, 2008 on Manassas Street, where it originated in 1899. An Alumni Archive and a library are located in the new school.

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