Funding will help restore the home of one of Memphis’ greatest heroes
The legacy of Memphis hero Tom Lee just got a major boost. The Tom Lee House, once the home of the man who saved 32 people from the Mississippi River in 1925, has been awarded grant funding from the National Trust for Historic Preservation’s African American Cultural Heritage Action Fund. This national program awarded $3 million to 24 historic Black heritage sites across the country in 2025, and Memphis made the list.
Honoring a Story of Courage
In the Klondike Smokey City neighborhood, Tom Lee’s story is a cornerstone of local pride. A non-swimmer, Lee courageously rescued passengers after a U.S. Army Corps of Engineers steamboat capsized, an act that earned him the gratitude of the city and a modest brick house where he lived until his death in 1952.
The Klondike Smokey City Community Development Corporation is leading efforts to restore the home, which will become the Tom Lee House: Klondike Cultural Center, a space dedicated to telling his story and celebrating the neighborhood’s history.
What the Grant Means for Memphis
The funding will support both a preservation plan for the physical restoration of the home and a financial sustainability plan to ensure its long-term future. It’s a win not just for historic preservation, but for community storytelling, tourism, and cultural pride.
The African American Cultural Heritage Action Fund, backed by the Mellon Foundation, Ford Foundation, and others, aims to preserve sites that embody Black American joy, resilience, innovation, and activism. Being chosen means Memphis’ local history will be shared alongside other nationally significant stories.
Keeping the Spirit Alive
For Memphians, this project will keep the memory of Tom Lee alive for future generations and making sure the Klondike Smokey City neighborhood remains a vital part of the city’s cultural fabric.
In the words of the Action Fund’s executive director Brent Leggs, “We believe everyone can be a preservationist.” With this grant, Memphis is proving just that — honoring the past while building a future rooted in community pride.
