About The Shoeless Joe Jackson Museum and Baseball Library
Our Mission
The Shoeless Joe Jackson Museum and Baseball Library is an independent, non-profit organization dedicated to honoring the life and preserving the legacy of the greatest natural hitter to ever play the game. Through the research, collection, and display of many original artifacts, photos, and countless books in our on-site research library, we provide comprehensive context for Joe’s place in baseball history.
In addition to dispelling myths and educating the public about the truth of Joe’s life and career, our mission is to be an active, contributing member within our local communities, continuing to grow the game of baseball for generations to come.
The Jackson Home
The Shoeless Joe Jackson Museum is located in the house which Joe and Katie built in 1940. The couple lived there starting in 1941, and remained there until they each passed - Joe in December of 1951, Katie in April of 1959. The house was originally located at 119 E. Wilburn Street in Greenville.
In this photo, which was taken in 1949, Joe is sitting in the front yard of the home, playing with his dog.
The House Gets Relocated
In 2006, thanks to the efforts of Richard Davis and the City of Greenville, the house was lifted off its foundation on Wilburn Avenue, cut in half, and driven 2.1 miles down the road to its new location.
Its address is now 356 Field Street, and it is located directly across the street from Fluor Field, home of the Greenville Drive. The street address of 356 was chosen as a way to honor Joe’s .356 career batting average, the third highest in baseball history.
Photo by Ken Osburn/Greenville News archives. Click the image to see a photo gallery of the process.
Grand Opening
On June 21, 2008, after more than a year of substantial renovations - most of which were contributed by local companies - Joe and Katie’s former home officially opened as The Shoeless Joe Jackson Museum and Baseball Library.
The ceremony drew fans and press from all over. Here, Greenville Mayor Knox White, who was also instrumental in the museum’s genesis, gets ready to cut the ribbon and open the building to the public.
(Left to right) Bob Bolin, Mayor Knox White, Shoeless Joe Jackson, Don Buddin, Billy O’Dell. Click the image to see a photo gallery from that day.
The House Gets Moved… Again
In late 2018/early 2019, the museum was approached by Woodfield Development out of Charlotte, asking us if we would be willing to move our building again. They offered to move us to the corner of South Markley and Field streets, a distance of about 100 yards.
To thank us for accommodating them, they paid for the move (which took place July 31, 2020), a new roof for the museum, a new HVAC system, and built us an addition which essentially doubled our size.
Photo by Museum Staff. Click the image to see photos and videos of the process.
.408 Jackson
The reason for this move is because Woodfield Development is building a 237-unit luxury apartment complex that will also include four retail spaces.
The name of the complex - .408 Jackson - is an homage to Shoeless Joe’s batting average during his 1911 season. That set the all-time record for highest batting average ever by a rookie, a record that still stands to this day.
Rendering by Seamon, Whiteside & Associates
A Bright Future
The addition we built on to the museum largely serves as our gift shop, but also allows us to have more room for memorabilia and artifacts, both within the museum itself, and in the addition.
Rendering by Seamon, Whiteside & Associates