History
![Picture](/uploads/1/9/1/9/19191949/7687181.jpg)
Steamboat being loaded with cotton.
In 1873, W. B. Galbreath was appointed as the first president of the newly founded Memphis Cotton Exchange. In the following year he took a trip to China to arrange trading contracts with Chinese merchants. Throughout his trip many of the Chinese merchants boarded Galbreath in their own homes. During his stay in the Chinese merchants’ homes, Galbreath became familiar with the traditional gardens, which the merchants had built behind their residences. He fell in love with the gardens’ dual function as both a quiet retreat from the business world and as a testament to the wealth these merchants had amassed through their business endeavors. The lasting images of these Chinese merchant gardens remained entrenched in Galbreath’s mind. In 1876, after his tenure as President of the Memphis Cotton Exchange came to an end, Galbreath decided to use his own wealth to build a traditional Chinese garden on Mud Island. Utilizing his Chinese contacts, Galbreath was able to have all the necessary authentic materials for the garden shipped in and was able to hire traditional Chinese workers to construct the garden. Construction began in 1877 and was completed in 1881. The garden remained in the Galbreath family until 2008 when it was acquired by the Memphis Cotton Museum. Today the garden, operated by the museum, is open to all members of the public. The garden offers an opportunity for both locals and tourists to experience a unique piece of Memphis’ history.