Memphis and its surrounding metropolitan area is home to over one million people, the 40th largest metropolitan area in the U.S. Located on the Mississippi River just east of Arkansas and north of Mississippi, Memphis is in the southwest corner of Tennessee. The areas that make up the Memphis MSA (Metropolitan Statistical Area) are the counties of Crittenden, Desoto, Fayette, Shelby and Tipton.
Memphis is a dynamic city with lots to see and do. The FedEx Forum Arena which opened in 2004 added to the resurgence of Downtown Memphis. Shops and eateries are thriving as the Forum plays host to tremendous crowds as home to the Memphis Grizzlies NBA basketball team as well as the national powerhouseUniversity of Memphis Tigers basketball team. Other events include major concerts like The Rolling Stones, Elton John, and Destiny's Child, along with major boxing events, ice shows, the circus and more.
Turn-of-the-century trolley cars, restored to their former elegance, have returned to Main Street. They follow the same paths of their post-Civil War, mule-drawn predecessors, providing down town workers and visitors with convenient transportation and an exciting way to see the sights.
Down on Beale Street, music lovers from around the world come to sample the blues, jazz and rock 'n' roll, and if they're lucky, catch legendary B. B. King and his guitar "Lucille" entertaining at his Beale Street club. Likenesses of W C. Handy and Elvis look on as both young and old watch the streets where Handy, Memphis Minnie and Howling Wolf made their mark.
Beale Street is a favorite of both local and national blues artists who play in the many nightclubs or in HandyPark The city's musical past is chronicled at the Memphis Music and BluesMuseum where you'll hear rare recordings and see vintage memorabilia from Sun Studios and Stax Records.
The MemphisCookConvention Center features the new, state-of-the-art 2,100 seat CannonCenter for the Performing Arts, home of the Memphis Symphony Orchestra. The center also features over 300,000 square feet of meeting and exhibit space.
In Midtown, people are restoring homes to their original splendor in the historic Cooper-Young neighborhood, which is near the Overton Square entertainment district and and local colleges and universities. New businesses, restaurants, nightspots and galleries have opened. The vintage clothing stores, coffee houses and art galleries featuring local work give the area a distinctive bohemian feel. Every year, residents open their homes for tours and stage a popular street festival.
In the eastern part of the city, Germantown and more recently Collierville are experiencing unprecedented growth as new neighborhoods seem to spring up overnight, along with schools, restaurants, and shopping centers including the new regional Avenue of Carriage Crossing 786,000 square foot open air center. Southwind, located just south of Germantown, is an upscale community that is home to both families and businesses as well as the PGA Tournament Players Course.
With an average temperature of 62 degrees, Memphis has year-round easy living. The moderate climate allows golf and other outdoor activities to be played during all seasons. Sixty-four percent of daylight hours are sunny (more than Miami). Almost all precipitation is rain, with a few snowflakes in the winter months.
Visitors are quick to notice how the city is blanketed with trees, which makes the spring and fall seasons especially breathtaking. Memphis' geography is ideal for trees, shrubs and plants. The soil, a mixture of deep silt and clay, holds enough moisture to sustain the most majestic of trees.
You can still see the village Germantown once was in its rolling horse pastures and narrow, tree-lined streets. As late as 1950 the city had only 400 residents. But today, it has grown into the tenth largest city in Tennessee with a population of 37,000.
Located just east of the Memphis city limits Germantown has successfully managed the challenges of its growth through efficient city government and carefully monitored development. Only four percent of the city is zoned commercial. Germantown is well-known for its tough signage codes and zoning ordinances that ban industry, allowing residents to enjoy living in a city with no billboards, tall buildings or neon signs.
One of the city's strong points is its parks system, with 12 neighborhood parks. The city likes to point out that there is a park located within one-half mile of every residence. The Germantown Performing Arts Centre and the Civic Centre are new additions to the city.
The Germantown Charity Horse Show is the city's oldest and best known event. At one time, horses outnumbered people in Germantown and a love for horses is still a community tradition. The show, which is one of the largest all-breed shows in the U.S., draws 10,000 spectators annually. Another special event is the Federal Express/St. Jude Classic, a PGA tournament held each year at Southwind.
Just east of Germantown, Collierville is another suburb that is growing in popularity. It has retained a small-town feel. evident in its historic town square the only real town square in the county. It has been a centerpiece for the town's activities since the 1970s.
Collierville is also experiencing a boom in new home development. The city's new homes are showcased annually in the Festival of Homes, sponsored by the Chamber of Commerce.
The city's planners are working hard to strike a balance between residential and commercial development. One of their goals has been to make Collierville a good place to live and work. Light industry has settled in the city, but is confined to an industrial area. And retail and commercial centers are convenient to neighborhoods.
People are drawn to the city's well-maintained parks and fields. It has its own theatre, the Harrell Performing Arts Theatre, that offers a busy schedule of performances. The Collierville community is enriched with events like the annual Fall Festival on the square and the Christmas tree lighting and parade.
Collierville residents are happy to live in a city that has kept its small-town charm.
Collierville is also experiencing a boom in new home development. The city's new homes are showcased annually in the Festival of Homes, sponsored by the Chamber of Commerce.
The city's planners are working hard to strike a balance between residential and commercial development. One of their goals has been to make Collierville a good place to live and work. Light industry has settled in the city, but is confined to an industrial area. And retail and commercial centers are convenient to neighborhoods.
People are drawn to the city's well-maintained parks and fields. It has its own theatre, the Harrell Performing Arts Theatre, that offers a busy schedule of performances. The Collierville community is enriched with events like the annual Fall Festival on the square and the Christmas tree lighting and parade.
Collierville residents are happy to live in a city that has kept its small-town charm.
Because of the city's growth eastward, it's sometimes hard to pinpoint exactly where "East Memphis" is. But generally, East Memphis is considered to be the area east of Midtown and just inside the I-240 loop to the north and south, and just west of Germantown to the east.
Some of the city's most convenient residential neighborhoods are located on winding lanes just off Poplar Avenue. Large colonial and ranch-style homes are the norm, many on beautifully landscaped lots. Because there aren't many large parcels of land, most new development is upscale zero-lots and condominiums. Many people live in East Memphis for the central location and the lovely neighborhoods.
Poplar Avenue is the main thoroughfare and is also the commercial hub of the area. Several corporate headquarters have located here including International Paper and Union Planters National Bank. The shopping opportunities arc numerous including OakCourtMall, the Laurelwood Collection and the Regalia.
Some of the city's most convenient residential neighborhoods are located on winding lanes just off Poplar Avenue. Large colonial and ranch-style homes are the norm, many on beautifully landscaped lots. Because there aren't many large parcels of land, most new development is upscale zero-lots and condominiums. Many people live in East Memphis for the central location and the lovely neighborhoods.
Poplar Avenue is the main thoroughfare and is also the commercial hub of the area. Several corporate headquarters have located here including International Paper and Union Planters National Bank. The shopping opportunities arc numerous including OakCourtMall, the Laurelwood Collection and the Regalia.
