Get to Know Your City
bike-friendly
Memphis has always been friendly, but now it’s bike-friendly, with over 200 miles of bike lanes, and more in the works.
Bass Pro Shop
Tallest free-standing elevator in the United States? It’s at our Bass Pro Shops in the Pyramid.
Holiday Inn
Holiday Inn was founded in Memphis by Kemmons Wilson, and the first-ever location was on Summer Ave.
Undefeated
The documentary Undefeated, which won the Oscar in 2012 for best documentary, is about the Manassas High football team.
Breweries
Local breweries are bubbling up all over. Wiseacre, Memphis Made, Ghost River, High Cotton... the list goes on.
Fortune 100
Fortune 100 companies that call Memphis home include FedEx, International Paper, AutoZone, ServiceMaster, Mueller Industries.
water
Memphis tap-water is so delectable because of a unique geological feature: the Memphis sands aquifer.
FedEx
Invented in Memphis: overnight shipping. (Yep, FedEx.)
Piggly Wiggly
Invented in Memphis: the first self-serve grocery store. (The Pig! aka Piggly Wiggly.)
Rock n Roll
Invented in Memphis: rock ‘n roll. Jookin’. Blues. Soul.
Invented in Memphis: rock ‘n roll. Jookin’. Blues. Soul.
Memphis regularly ranks among the top most affordable cities to live in the U.S.
Sanitation Workers’ Strike
Memphis has changed the world: the Sanitation Workers’ Strike changed the course of the Civil Rights Movement.
Music
Memphis has changed the music world: ever heard of a cat called Elvis? Not to mention Stax, Sun, and so much more.
WHER
First all-female radio station? WHER, right here in Memphis
WDIA
WDIA
Shelby Farms Park
How does Shelby Farms Park compare to Central Park? Well, for starters, ours is bigger: five times bigger, encompassing 4,500 acres!
Brooks Museum of Art
Memphis is home to the state’s largest art museum: the Brooks Museum of Art.
longest pedestrian bridge
Big River Crossing – the former Harahan Bridge – is one of the longest pedestrian bridges in the U.S.
Overton Park Shell
Not only does the Overton Park Shell host free concerts each year, it was also the spot of Elvis’ first public performance.
Music
Memphis is mentioned more than any other city in song lyrics and song titles – 1000+.
Cotton
In the peak era of the cotton industry, half of all U.S. cotton traveled through Memphis.
City Charter
In the 1870s, Memphis was struck by a yellow fever epidemic, and even lost its city charter. Robert R. Church, the first Southern African-American millionaire, bought a bond to restore the city’s charter.
Famous Faces
Sound familiar? Kathy Bates, Cybill Shepherd, Michael Jeter, Tim McCarver, Dixie Carter, Wink Martindale, Peter Taylor, Morgan Freeman, Aretha Franklin, Pat Kerr Tigrett, Shelby Foote, Lucy Hale. Oh, and Justin Timberlake.
Outlaw: “Public Enemy No. 1”
A dubious distinction, but: the nation’s first was a Memphian: “Machine Gun Kelly.” The FBI caught him in Memphis, too.
Peabody Ducks
The original Peabody ducks were named Peabody, Gayoso, and Chisca. Nowadays, the ducks don’t have individual names. Get to work on that.
Order Up
Chez Philippe, in The Peabody, does not serve duck. In fact, you cannot find a dish with duck anywhere in The Peabody.
Metal Museum
Memphis’ Metal Museum is the only museum in the U.S dedicated to metalworking.
The Arcade
The oldest restaurant in Memphis is The Arcade, doing business since 1919.
New to town?
Welcome! Here at New Memphis, we want to help you find everything you’ll need to make yourself at home. From building your network through mentoring and leadership development to falling in love with your new city by showcasing vibrant culture and assets Memphis has, we want to connect you with opportunities to engage to make your time in Memphis the best part of your story.
Community Engagement Events
- Speak Out: New Memphis is proud to serve as a megaphone for the great things happening across our city. Through traditional and digital media, we are producing and sharing content affirming that Memphis is a city on the rise. From education reform to livable communities, we inform the public about all of the way Memphis is pushing towards progress.
- Exposure: A celebration of all things Memphis and a showcase of all the ways individuals can plug into city life, every year around 901 Day (also known as September 1).