Living and Working Guide to Memphis, Tennessee

Deep in the “Land of Cotton” and heart of Tennessee is Memphis – the claimed birthplace of blues music and ever-famous home of Elvis Presley, the King of Rock & Roll. It is also considered the center of southern hospitality and fine southern cooking (barbecue capital of the world!), and is strategically located along the banks of the magnificent Mississippi River where, like its neighbor to the south – New Orleans – a mixed culture of ethnicity, festive events and dynamic business interests harmoniously thrive and coexist.

About 313 square miles in area and with 1,093,427 residents (826,330 in Shelby County), metropolitan Memphis in population is 18th largest among U. S. cities, with blacks numbering 47.8% and Whites and others balancing out the city’s demographics.

Both the Memphis Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) and the United States experienced the same population gain of 8.55% in the 1990’s. Due largely to new housing, expansion in business and industry and an increase in tourism and improved government services, this growth in people and quality living was the same for year 2000.

At least for the immediate future this upward growth is expected to continue, while at the same time the City of Memphis plans on becoming even a better place in which to live and work.

A little history

Memphis, like much of the Tennessee region, was occupied by native Americans before Spanish explorers came in 1541 to settle the region. Spain controlled the area until the French came in 1739 and built Fort Assumption on the Memphis site.

Both nations haggled over the territory until 1797 when it was seized by the United States. In 1818 the Chickasaw Nation signed a treaty ceding all of West Tennessee to the U.S. and in 1819 John Overton, James Winchester, and Andrew Jackson found the city of Memphis on May 22 and formed Shelby County

The city was incorporated on December 19, 1826 and a year later the county seat was moved from Memphis to Raleigh. In 1850 Memphis and the City of South Memphis merged and by 1857 The Memphis & Charleston Railroad was completed, linking the Atlantic Ocean and the Mississippi River.

The city was heavily involved in the American Civil War and on June 6, 1862 an Union fleet defeated Confederate naval forces in the Battle of Memphis. Federal troops immediately occupied the city and in 1863 General Grant made Memphis a hospital and supply base for the remainder of the war.

After war’s end The Memphis Freedmen’s Bureau was established to provide services such as banking and education, and in 1867 Memphis regained the county seat.

Two devastating events hit the city during the 1870’s: a yellow fever epidemic that claimed 5,000 lives; and in 1879 when Memphis declared bankruptcy then lost its charter and became a taxing district of the state.

During the 1890’s Memphis became a solvent and bustling metropolis with the opening of the Great Bridge in 1892 (now Frisco Bridge), the first public library in 1893, the first skyscraper in 1895 (Porter Building), and the Church’s Park & Auditorium in 1899, the city’s first park and entertainment center for African Americans.

By 1916 Memphis regained its city charter, had a zoo and a commission form of government, the presence of a major university, and had opened its first Piggly Wiggly store. A local artist, W. C. Handy, also wrote the famous song “Memphis Blues.”

Over the next thirty years new business and people moved to Memphis and by 1943, during the Second World War, The Naval Air Station at Millington, The Army (now Defense) Depot and the Mallory Air Force Depot were built.

In 1948 Memphis Harbor construction project began and in the 1950s the city was named the country’s quietest, cleanest and safest city on several occasions. During this time the city’s first Holiday Inn opened, Elvis Presley gave his first concert, and Stax Records, creator of the “Memphis Sound,” was created.

By the end of the 1960s the decade saw Federal court decisions ending segregation in the city’s public schools, libraries and recreation facilities; and the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. on Apiri 4, 1968.

The 1970’s saw three significant events: the city’s largest company, Federal Express Corporation, opened for business; to achieve complete racial integration, school busing began; and Memphis’ most famous citizen, Elvis Presley, died at his Graceland home on August 16, 1977.

A lot has happened to Memphis since the King’s passing. His home is now a shrine and museum and receives tens of thousands of visitors each year. In 1991 the National Civil Rights Museum was opened and Dr. W. W. Herenton became the city’s first black mayor.

In 1993 the downtown trolley began operating. With it new money and business came to town and government officials and private entrepreneurs continued the process of renovating and redeveloping Memphis into a city to be reckoned with.

As thousands of new jobs and new people arrived, they and the byproducts of their optimistic and opportunistic presence became and still remain integral to the economic success and positive growth Memphis has experienced and should throughout the new millennium.

Climate

With an average relative humidity of 69%, Memphis and the State of Tennessee is not unlike most of the American South when it comes to humid summer days and an occasional tropical storm.

Otherwise the city enjoys a fairly temperate climate, with average summer temperatures at 81 degrees Fahrenheit and a 41-degree average during winter. Overall, the annual temperature is 62 degrees, with an average rainfall of 49 inches, and snowfall of 5.3 inches.

The elevation in Memphis is 331 feet.

Opportunities

With an unemployment rate of 3.7%, below Tennessee’s 4.2% and the nation’s 4.5% rates, evidently Memphis is a great place to work and earn a living.

Its largest employer, Federal Express, currently employs over 29,500 workers. The U.S. Government and Memphis Board of Education follow with approximately 14,860 and 14,000 employees each, respectively.

In order, other major employers in Memphis are Methodist Health Systems, Shelby County Government, Memphis City Government, Baptist Memorial Hospitals, AutoZone, Kroger Company, University of Tennessee at Memphis, Shelby County Board of Education, the Tennessee State Government, and Wal-mart.

In addition to the city’s occupational diversity, Memphis jobs also pay pretty darn well. The current adjusted per capita income for resident workers is approximately $22,674; and $26,277 for the County of Shelby. And in 1998, 7,300 new jobs were established in Memphis and in Shelby County.

Major industries or job markets in Memphis are trade (25.0%), services (29.0%), government jobs (14.0%), transportation, communication and public utilities (12.0%), and manufacturing and construction jobs with 11.0% of the workforce.

And, with over 190 hospitals, healthcare and treatment centers and organizations, Memphis employs approximately 2,643 physicians, 9,734 registered nurses, 641 dentists and thousands more in the medical and healthcare industries.

When the 28,100-plus workforce employed in finance, insurance and real estate is added to this figure, it becomes clear that Memphis has become one of the best cities in the Southern U.S. to find a good paying job, start a career or advance up the promotion ladder.

One other source worth mentioning and which is adding to Memphis’ prospering economy is the Memphis Shelby County Airport. Since 1992 it has provided the number one air cargo service in the world and is planning to expand its operations and facilities for both commercial flights and air cargo within the next few years.

Setting down roots

Memphis neighborhoods help make urban and suburban living a friendly pastime, and is where southern hospitality exists hand-in-hand with big-city amenities, cultural events, and attractive real estate.

From many corners of the city its friendly neighborhoods and parks provide comfortable views of the Mississippi River. This includes even the central business district where nice homes sit next to canopies of trees and not far from the sprawling stretches of farmland and mingling forest that cover the opposite bank.

Whether on a budget or not, one should be able to find affordable housing in Memphis most anytime of the year. Without considering size, the average price for homes in Memphis’ six main districts are: $99,484 in East Memphis, $86,025 in Midtown, $213,162 in Germantown, $182,863 in Collierville and $141,494 in medium-priced Cordova.

Some current listings of decent, lower-priced homes can be found online and in local publications. A sampling of these are a 1000 square-foot, two-bedroom, one-bath house in Harbortown (near downtown Memphis) selling for $14,900; a two-bedroom, one bath home for $9,900 on the Northside; and a two-bedroom, one and a half bath single-story house for $17,900 in the Douglass Park/Warford district.

One of Memphis’ nicest neighborhoods is the Millington area. Another is Germantown, where many upscale shopping centers are located and business and industrial concerns are only a few minutes away. Most homes in these neighborhoods can be spendy, with prices usually starting at $180,000 for a two- or three-bedroom house.

The rental market in Memphis is presently doing quite well, and a good number of rental apartments, condos and single and family dwelling homes can be found at affordable prices. After two consecutive years of decline apartment development in the Memphis area increased and should continue in 2001 where 3,400 new units are projected to be built.

The average street rent for Memphis area apartments at the end of 1999 was $583 per month, up 1.3 percent from a year earlier. This is expected to also continue rising in 2001, but only marginally, and depending on how much interest rates increase nationally.

In the last three years the overall crime rate has dropped 17% and, with 52 fire stations and over 1,800 uniformed police covering several major precincts, government services in Memphis are quite good, and also include an excellent public school system.

The Memphis school system consists of over 50 public schools, of grades K through 12, and many more schools throughout Shelby County. The curriculum is considered one of the best in the nation and students must undergo standardized testing before graduation.

There are also a good number of colleges within the Memphis area providing graduate and post-graduate degrees in many disciplines and occupations. Some of its preeminent universities are Bethel College, Christian Brothers University, Memphis College of Art, Southwest Tennessee Community College, Rhodes College, Mid-America Baptist Theological Seminary, Baptist College of Health Sciences and the University of Memphis.

The University of Memphis awards 15 bachelor degrees in at least 50 majors, and master’s and doctoral degrees in numerous subjects and disciplines. With over 20,000 students enrolled, Memphis University is one of the largest in the region, with nearly 200 buildings occupying 1,160 acres at four sites.

City parks number 183 and offer over 6000 acres of recreational areas, facilities and sporting and children play fields. These include 18 public swimming pools, 72 tennis courts, 34 walking trails, 56 baseball/softball fields, 81 basketball courts and 35 soccer and football fields that are available for visitors and family residents all year-long.

One great park to relax and enjoy the sights is Mud Island River Park. It features the Mississippi River Walk, a beach, the famous World War II Memphis Belle, a 5,000-seat amphitheater, numerous restaurants and gift shops and the Mississippi River Museum. It’s address is 125 North Front Street and is pretty hard to miss: it sits alongside a huge river called the Mississippi.

Body…

While visiting or living in Memphis it’s pretty difficult to go hungry and not find quality food and exciting shopping. Restaurants serving Italian, Southern, American, and seafood can be found most everywhere, and some where the King of Rock & Roll used to dine.

Great Southern style cooking can be found at The Cupboard, Marmalade Restaurant & Lounge, and The Little Tea Shop. For finger-licking barbecue entrÃ?©es, hungry tourists should try the Pig-N-Whistle, Neely’s Bar-B-Que and the Rendezvous restaurant.

Memphis also offers a number of fine deli and coffeehouse establishments including the Young Avenue Deli, Otherlands Exotic Coffee Bar & Gifts and CafÃ?© Expresso. For steak or seafood, there are Buckley’s Downtown Grill, The Butcher Shop and the Side Street Grill or Landry’s Seafood House and Anderton’s Steak & Seafood Restaurant.

For a broad selection of popular spirits and variety of barbecue and Cajun dishes at affordable prices the Rum Boogie Caf�© Restaurant on Beale Street is a great choice. Some of its specialties are the Cajun red beans and rice for $7.95 (half plate), fried catfish dinner for $11.95, barbecue shoulder sandwich for $6.50 and desserts like the nutty fudge brownie and pecan pie for $3.50 each. Also offered: southern hospitality, casual atmosphere and prized music memorabilia.

For the best in Cajun-style food the Bayou Bar & Grill is a great site. One or many can enjoy lunch, dinner or stay till the wee hours for drinks and entertainment. The Blackened Catfish dinner for $8.95, a Cajun classic served with sweet potatoes and spicy corn; or Cajun Shrimp Jacuzzi for $10.95, a shrimp, scallop and crab casserole baked in a rich seafood sauce are two menu specialties especially made to salivate the palate.

Looking for nightlife and something to do when evening rolls in? Well Memphis is filled to the gills with clubs playing great blues and other music. It is also overflowing with pubs, microbreweries, sports bars, disco and live entertainment spots that also include dancing, Karaoke, Latin/salsa events and sophisticated piano bar entertainment.

Some very popular evening spots in Memphis and Shelby County are: The Blue Monkey, Denim & Diamonds, Alfreds, Blues City CafÃ?©, Flying Saucer Draught Emporium, Banks Sportsman Bar & Grill, Molly’s La Casita, CafÃ?© Apocalypse, Silky O’Sullivan, and The Cockeyed Camel.

Memphis has everything to ask for in shopping – from department store chains to souvenir shops and specialty boutiques. For everyday merchandise as well as special holiday gift items, shopping in Memphis offers a multitude of opportunities. And tourists and local shoppers should know: the city’s total retail sales for 1997 alone was over $10 million.

For the best and largest shopping areas, there are Laurelwood Shopping Center, the Mall of Memphis, the Poplar Plaza Shopping Center, The Regalia, Raleigh Springs Mall, and the Belz Factory Outlet Mall. Some great bargain shopping can be found at these retail centers as well as at Whitehaven Plaza and the Southland Mall.

Memphis also offers a number of retail and specialty shops full of bargain-priced clothing and merchandise items. Some of the most popular are Carabella’s, Harbor Town Gift and Garden, Bella Notte, The Village Boutique, Memphis Music, Cook & Love Shoes, Market Central, Y-Not and Hollywood Designs.

For the athletic-minded and those needing a good workout or regimen of health-related products or treatment some places to try are the Peabody Athletic Club, Gateway Sports Bar, Cordova Athletic Club, French Riviera Spas, the Hope & Healing Center, Wimbleton Sportsplex and a number of YMCA centers.

…and soul

“Memphis is a city of churches” so the popular saying goes, and naturally the religious community has played a vital role in the city’s growth and development. Baptist, Catholic, Protestant and Jewish are major faiths, and 50 other denominations have churches in the Memphis area.

A number of church denominations also have international headquarters in Memphis. One of these is the Church of God in Christ. Named after church founder, Bishop C. H. Mason, its Mason Temple facility is where Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. made his last inspired sermon in Memphis.

The First Baptist Beale Street Church is another religious landmark. It was the largest Black Baptist Church in 1889 where famous Ida B. Wells published the Free Speech and Headlight newspaper, out of the church’s basement and championed the era’s anti-lynching movement.

Another great sight for religious eyes is the East Trigg Baptist Church. Some of the greatest gospel singing every heard has graced its halls and often included notable white singers, one of them being Elvis Aaron Presley.

Entertainment

The whole family can experience a host of great attractions and activities in Memphis. One can golf, hike, bike, take guided tours or go for a balloon ride when they’re not visiting Elvis’ famous home, Graceland – the second most visited house in the country, behind the White House in Washington, D.C.

And there is a long list of unique sites open year-round for those who like to just look as well as participate. Alex Haley’s Home, Beale Street, and the W.C. Handy Home are great for sightseeing. There is also family fun to be had at the Memphis Zoo and the Libertyland Amusement Park.

Beale Street is perhaps the best place to listen to music in Memphis, which many consider the birthplace of both blues music and Rock & Roll. Horse-drawn tours and other transportation are available and one can take in all the scenery of historic Downtown Memphis, the Hunt-Phelan Home, Beale Street mansions, as well as of the mighty Mississippi.

There is also the Memphis Botanic Garden, one of the finest botanic gardens in the country; the Memphis Queen Line Riverboats, the only riverboat excursion company in the Memphis area; and Bogey’s Golf and Family Entertainment Center, where both children and adults can enjoy go-carts, bumper boats, batting cages, 36 holes of miniature golf, children’s rides and a video arcade.

Then there is the Lichterman Nature Center, a natural habitat that includes a 65-acre environmental educational facility and wildlife sanctuary. And lastly, the Memphis Pink Palace Museum & Planetarium that features Mid-South regional history exhibitions, a life-sized dinosaur, and a first-rate planetarium.

Memphis libraries are plentiful with 23 branches serving Memphis and Shelby County. And there are also many area bookstores offering the best selections in textbooks, educational materials, old and new books as well as special volumes and out-of-print, hard-to-find books. Tiger Book Store, Sidewalk University book store, B Dalton Bookseller, Brentanos and Inner Man Bingo are some good ones.

Memphis is famous for its landmarks and historical architecture and has a number of fine museums and art centers providing interesting exhibits and education tours for the entire family. One of these is the Brooks Museum of Art. It is the oldest and largest fine arts museum in the state of Tennessee and houses one of the most best collections of fine art dating from antiquity to the present.

Another is the National Civil Rights Museum located at the Lorraine Motel where Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was assassinated. It offers an exhibit of the world’s first and foremost overview of the civil rights movement in the United States.

Other great museums and cultural centers to visit in Memphis are the Children’s Museum of Memphis, Chucalissa Archaeological Museum, Magevney House, and the Sharpe Planetarium.

Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium, Mid-South Coliseum and Tim McCarver Stadium are three of the city’s largest sporting venues. College football’s Liberty Bowl game is played every year and features two of the league’s best championship school teams for that season.

Memphis is home to a number of semi-professional sports teams including teams for baseball, hockey and basketball.

For theater and performing arts there is an amazing blend of artistic expressions that reflect the cultural dynamics of the city’s heritage as well as the people that have added their talents and traditions to the local landscape.

Ballet Memphis is a full-scale professional company that has made Memphis where the best in dancing can be enjoyed. The troupe consists of national and international competition-winning dancers, choreographers and designers, and performs at the historic Orpheum Theatre.

The Lindenwood Concerts is celebrating its 21st anniversary season and is a professional concert series that showcases eight concerts each season, featuring a number of nationally and internationally known musicians. Some past entertainers have been the U.S. Marine Band, Vienna Choir Boys, and many other headliners.

The acclaimed Memphis Symphony Orchestra performs classical masterworks, jazz, popular music and chamber music and presents several outdoor concerts each season.

There is also Opera Memphis, which performs at The University of Memphis. It plans to offer full-scale, main-stage productions of La Traviata, Carmen and other opera favorites during its 2000-2001 opera season.

In addition to these professional organizations and venues, a good number of other media entities are instrumental in providing Memphis with top-notch entertainment and quality cultural programs for the performing arts. Some of them are the Black Arts Alliance, The Blues Foundation, Memphis Arts Council, NARAS and the Memphis & Shelby County Music Commission.