The society is also involved in the preservation of historic landmark structures in the West Tennessee area and in maintaining an archive of West Tennessee history-related historical documents and books at the University of Memphis.
The Memphis Historical Society succeeded Camp 28 in 1900, which expanded its scope from the history of the city of Memphis to the history of the entirety of West Tennessee in 1935, with Dr. Marshall Wingfield becoming the first President of the West Tennessee Historical Society.
In 1974, the society's archive of historic documents and books relating to West Tennessee history was moved from the Pink Palace Museum and Planetarium to the Special Collections Department of the University of Memphis.
The society also intervened to save the Mississippi River Museum on Mud Island in 1990.
[6] The society annually hands out an award to "an individual or organization for outstanding contribution to [West Tennessee] history.