It has also been known as the Porter Leath Children's Center, which was originally chartered in 1850 as the Protestant Widows' and Orphans' Asylum.

It was named after Dr David Tinsley Porter after he made a donation to the asylum in 1904.

[2] Portions of the house were built in 1856, 1875, 1912, 1927 and 1929.

[2] It has been listed on the National Register of Historic Places since May 8, 1979.

This article about a property in Shelby County, Tennessee on the National Register of Historic Places is a stub.