The park is named in honor of Dr. Thomas O. Fuller, who spent his life empowering and educating African Americans.

[1] The park facilities were originally built for the use of African Americans in the Great Depression by the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC).

Fuller State Park in 1938, the CCC discovered Native American artifacts on the site, now known as Chucalissa.

The University of Tennessee initiated archaeological excavations of this Mississippian mound complex in 1940, but this work was interrupted by World War II.

The facility is currently operated by the University of Memphis and serves as a gateway for understanding archaeology and the interpretation of Native American history.