Shelby Farms facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Shelby Farms |
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Scenic view in Shelby Farms park (2005)
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| Type | Municipal |
| Location | Memphis, Tennessee |
| Area | 4,500 acres (1,800 ha) |
| Created | 1970s |
| Operated by | Shelby Farms Park Conservancy |
| Status | Open all year from dawn to dusk |
Shelby Farms is a huge park located in Memphis, Tennessee. It's one of the biggest urban parks in the United States, covering about 4,500 acres. That's more than five times the size of Central Park in New York City!
This amazing park has lakes, natural forests, and wetlands. These areas are perfect homes for many different animals, even though the park is close to a big city. You can see lots of wildlife from the many trails in the park. Shelby Farms is also famous for its bison herd!
The land for Shelby Farms used to be private property. In 1825, a reformer named Frances Wright started a special community here called the Nashoba Commune. Its goal was to help slaves gain their freedom by teaching them useful skills. Later, from 1929 to 1964, the land was used as a penal farm by the local government.
Shelby Farms officially opened for fun activities in the 1970s. Since 2007, a special group called the Shelby Farms Park Conservancy has helped run the park and plan for its future. In 2008, a big plan was made to redesign the park, adding more trails and making Patriot Lake much bigger for boating.
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Exploring Shelby Farms Park
Shelby Farms is one of the largest city parks in the United States, covering about 4,500 acres. It's located in the East Memphis area.
The park features several lakes, natural forests, and wetlands that are part of the Wolf River. These areas are surrounded by gentle hills, making it a beautiful place to visit.
Amazing Wildlife at Shelby Farms
You can see lots of different wildlife at Shelby Farms. This includes beavers, deer, turtles, and many kinds of birds. Even though the park is near busy roads, smaller animals can still find big enough habitats to live safely.
Shelby Farms is home to a special bison herd. These large animals live on 56 acres of pasture land within the park. The idea to bring bison to the park came from former Shelby County Mayor Bill Morris and park superintendent Tom Hill. Today, there are about 45 bison living in the park.
A Look Back: History of Shelby Farms
Early Days: The 1800s
In 1825, Frances Wright started her Nashoba Experiment on 670 acres of what is now Shelby Farms park. Wright was against slavery. She created a community for slaves, free black people, and white people. Her goal was to prepare slaves for freedom by teaching them practical and cultural skills.
You can still find signs of an old settlement from the late 1800s at the eastern edge of the park. These include old building ruins, a broken-down barn, old car wrecks, fences, and a family burial site.
In 2005, only one grave marker remained at the Mann family burial site. It showed that Robert W. Mann died on November 25, 1891, and Mary S. Mann died on December 5, 1891. Other graves are only marked by their base stones.
Shelby County bought 1,600 acres of land in 1928 to use as a penal farm. By December 1940, more land was added, bringing the total to about 4,450 acres.
The Penal Farm Years
From 1929 to 1964, Shelby Farms was used as a penal farm. This meant that prisoners from the Shelby County Corrections Center worked on the farm. They grew food for themselves and staff, and sometimes sold extra crops to make money for the state of Tennessee.
Shelby Farms Today: Since the 1970s
In the 1970s, the Shelby County Commission decided to open the area for recreational activities. This meant people could come to the park for fun!
In 2006, a group called the Shelby Farms Park Alliance (SFPA) helped make sure the park would stay natural. They got an agreement that stops commercial buildings and homes from being built in the park for 50 years.
In 2007, an agreement was made to create the Shelby Farms Park Conservancy (SFPC). This is a special group that helps run the park every day and plans for its future.
A big plan was put in place in 2008 to redesign the park. This plan came true in 2016 when Shelby Farms opened a $52 million expansion. This included making Patriot Lake much bigger (now called Hyde Lake), adding new walking and biking trails, building a new visitors center, and planting over a million new trees! After these improvements, the number of visitors to Shelby Farms more than doubled.
Fun Activities at Shelby Farms
There are many ways to have fun at Shelby Farms! You can go hiking and biking on trails that wind through the park. This is a great way to see wildlife and enjoy nature.
You can also go boating on two of the lakes. On Patriot Lake, you can even rent pedal boats. There's a 1.67-mile paved trail around Patriot Lake, perfect for a walk or run. Another paved trail, the Chickasaw Trail, is 2.75 miles long. If you like unpaved trails, the Tour de Wolf takes hikers and bikers through the woods for 6.08 miles. The paved trails are great for walking, running, biking, and roller-blading. The Tour de Wolf is good for walking, running, and mountain-biking.
If you have a dog, there's a special 120-acre area where dogs can run off-leash. It has meadows, lakes, and hiking trails just for them!
The Shelby Farms Greenline is a 10.65-mile long multi-use path. It runs from Shelby Farms all the way to Tillman Street in Memphis. This trail was built on an old railway line. The Greenline opened in October 2010 and is the longest continuous urban trail in the Memphis area. It's also the first trail in Tennessee to use a special light system called a pedestrian hybrid beacon at two major crossings.
You can also go horseback riding in some parts of the park and on certain trails. You can even rent horses! For those who like remote-controlled planes, there's a special runway where you can fly miniature radio-controlled aircraft.
If you enjoy disc golf, there's an 18-hole course near the park's welcome center. There's also a BMX race track for bike enthusiasts.
Images for kids
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Scenic view in Shelby Farms Park (2005)
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The Go Ape Zipline and Adventure
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The First Horizon Foundation Visitor Center
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The FedEx Event Center
