History of Bemis Auditorium taught at library

JACKSON, Tenn. — Community members came together to learn more about local history.

The Mid-West Tennessee Genealogical Society met at the Jackson-Madison County Library to learn about the Bemis Auditorium.

Bemis Historical Society Chairman Joel Jackson says the auditorium was the biggest between Memphis and Nashville at the time.

It opened in 1922 and was the cultural center for plays, special speakers and more. It even had a theater, where they would play silent films. They then transitioned to talkies in 1929.

Jackson says it feels great to talk about its history with multiple generations.

“People who moved into Bemis to live there and work there and went to the theater there. They were notorious for being 20 to 50 year employees, and therefore, they had a lot of descendants who lived in the City of Jackson and all around. And it kind of mushroomed out,” Jackson said.

If you missed Tuesday’s presentation, don’t worry. Jackson says they will hold the same program on Saturday, May 21 at the Bemis Museum at 1 p.m.

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