Mink Slide to be remembered with Black Business District plaque

Main Street Murfreesboro donated the funds needed for the plaque honoring the Black Business District in partnership with the efforts made by the AAHRSC.  "Part of Main Street Murfreesboro's mission is to promote the history of our downtown and those individuals in our community who worked to make it what it is today. This includes the many black-owned businesses that once were prominent around the area, now referred to as the "Mink Slide."  Mary Watkins and others on the AAHRSC have worked hard to shine a light on those individuals from our past who were often overlooked as redevelopment occurred. This plaque is a beautiful way to remember the many diverse businesses once located along Maple and Vine Streets entering the area where the City of Murfreesboro Civic Plaza now stands," stated Sarah Callender, Executive Director of Main Street Murfreesboro.

The photo shows "Fredly Spot Cafe" along the Mink Slide. The Scales Family owned the building that housed the cafe and a pool hall next door, which were located along Maple Street. The original building has been torn down.  

Main Street Murfreesboro contacted the Tennessee State Library and Archives for information on the history of the Mink Slide.  C.B. Arnette's book From Mink Slide to Main Street was recommended as a starting point. This publication mentions several black-owned businesses in or near the Mink Slide area of Murfreesboro. The Mink Slide area encompasses buildings on South Maple Street near the southwest corner of the Public Square. While some resources include The Bottoms as part of this area, most businesses were primarily located on South Maple Street. You can see some of these businesses on the Sanborn Map of Murfreesboro from 1914. When referencing the book, parallels were noticed between the author's description and the Sanborn map.

If interested in primary resources, you can look up the deeds for black-owned businesses. One such deed was for H. Preston Scales and Willie Scales, who owned a funeral home near Mink Slide. Here is the deed for the land they purchased in 1920: J.H. Reed to (Deed) Preston Scales. To find more deeds, you can use familysearch.org or visit the Tennessee State Library and Archives to access the microfilmed copies at TSLA.

Another resource to explore is the charters for these businesses. At TSLA, we have Charters of Incorporation from 1875 to 1977. 

We were unable to find more photographs after searching the Tennessee Virtual Archive from the Mink Slide area. However, two books referenced include photos: the previously mentioned From Mink Slide to Main Street and A History of Rutherford County's African American Community by Rev. Melvin E. Hughes, Sr. Additionally, the Rutherford County Archives houses the Shacklett Historic Photograph Collection, which may include photographs of the Mink Slide area. The Rutherford County Archives also has C.B. Arnette's research notes from when he wrote his book, which could contain helpful information.