Memphis can thank the Great Chicago Fire for bringing the Christian Brothers to West Tennessee. Memphis Catholics for years had wanted the Christian Brothers to open a school in the city, but it wasn’t until the famous fire destroyed some of the Brothers’ schools in Chicago that four Brothers were available for transfer to Memphis. In November of 1871, with Br. Maurelian in charge, a school operated by the Brothers opened at 612 Adams Avenue.

The first real test of the school’s survival was the series of yellow fever plagues in Memphis in the 1870s. Despite the yellow fever epidemic, Christian Brothers College, as it was then known, was able to survive, and the first Bachelor of Arts degrees were awarded in June of 1875.

Another test of Christian Brothers College’s survival came with the advent of World War I. While the high school continued to operate, college level classes were suspended because ninety percent of those students joined the military.

As the years passed, the school outgrew the facility at 612 Adams Avenue, and the Brothers relocate to East Parkway and Central Avenue. The new school was dedicated in June, 1940.

World War II made it necessary once again to suspend some classes, but the high school continued operation. In 1946 college classes resumed, and the college returned to full status as a four-year program.  Meanwhile, the high school’s enrollment was increasing. With that in mind, the decision was made to move the high school.

In September of 1965, the high school opened its doors at 5900 Walnut Grove Road and began to operate under a separate charter from the college. Br. H. Adrian Powers was named superintendent; Br. J. Stephen O’Malley was principal.

With the move from the Parkway came new spacious facilities on a campus of more than 30 acres, amidst the cotton fields. In the 40 years since the move, Memphis has grown around the school, with neighborhoods, roads,  and businesses replacing cotton fields.  The CBHS campus has grown too.  Most recently the school has expanded both classroom and athletic facilities, including the Adrian and Lavecchia Academic Wings, and Tom Nix Staduim along with the Giacosa Baseball Complex. 

CBHS continues to grow, especially in the technology arena, where state-of-the-art network infrastructure and multimedia classroom equipment enhance the teaching and learning environment for the entire CBHS community.