Memphis Neighborhoods, Locations and Districts

(Memphis, Tennessee - TN, USA)

Perched above the mighty Mississippi River, Memphis is a city of legendary musical proportions, full of appealing districts. The birthplace of blues music and home to Elvis Presley, Memphis has an incredibly rich musical heritage and a host of accompanying music landmarks and museums including the holy grail of Elvis fans, Graceland, and Memphis' world-famous Beale Street.

It was also here that the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was infamously assassinated in 1968. Music and history aside, visitors flock to the city of Memphis for its celebrated nightlife, trendy arts and shopping scene in Midtown's compact Cooper-Young district and the many family attractions including Tennessee's largest zoo.

Beale Street District

Stretching for three blocks in downtown Memphis, this district is centered on one of America's most famous streets and is steeped in music history, being the place where W.C. Handy penned the first blues song. Memphis is also famed for the A. Schwabs Dry Goods Store, the oldest remaining original business on the street where visitors can step back to bygone days and browse through an eclectic mix of products, ranging from hats and overalls to voodoo powders and clerical collars. Memphis' Beale Street district is a particularly lively district is jam packed with nightclubs, bars, museums and galleries, and has undergone massive regeneration in recent years. The Memphis Beale Street district a must-visit attraction in itself, with regular festivals and open-air concerts.

Downtown District

The oldest part of the city, downtown Memphis has a fascinating history. Memphis has been many things in its time, including home to the early Chickasaw people, an important cotton-trading port, birthplace of blues music, a focal point in America's civil rights movement and the original location for Sun, Stax and Hi-Records recording studios. This district of Memphis has had a turbulent past, bearing witness to the Civil War and at times racial discord - most notably the riots that took place here after the assassination of the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Today downtown Memphis is a key entertainment district, with an abundance of restaurants, bars, clubs and cultural attractions dotted around Beale Street and Peabody Place.

Cooper-Young District

Situated in the center of the Midtown district, this tiny neighborhood is one of the most multi-cultural and trendy locations in Memphis. Cooper-Young is crammed with hip boutiques where shoppers can pick up vintage clothing, antiques and retro odds and ends. Known as one of the more artistic neighborhoods and districts in Memphis, poetry readings are not unusual and there are some small galleries and plenty of eateries, bars and coffee houses. The Cooper-Young district of Memphis also holds an annual festival featuring live music and craft stalls selling jewelry and handmade knick-knacks.

Midtown / Central Memphis District

Midtown or Central Memphis is sometimes defined as being situated 'within the Parkways', encompassing what lies between the North, East and South Parkway, with I-240 at its western periphery. These parks and the surrounding areas are peppered with many fine stately homes, particularly around the wooded Overton Park, which also hosts impressive attractions including Memphis Zoo, the Memphis College of Art and the Memphis Brooks Museum. The Midtown district of Memphis is not short on entertainment options either, with the Overton Square area playing host to some good restaurants and the small but hip Cooper-Young neighborhood offering visitors lively galleries, trendy boutiques and some decent coffee shops and bars.

East Memphis District

Heading east from downtown you reach East Memphis, the commercial and business district that's characterized by office complexes, modern hotels and shopping centers. The shopping malls in the East Memphis district make for some of the best boutique shopping in the city and there's an array of eateries to suit most tastes and budgets. This area of Memphis is also known for its movie theaters, gardens and galleries. In terms of orientation, the main north-south roads are Perkins, Mendenhall, Hickory Hill and Germantown roads, while Poplar Avenue and Winchester Road run east-west.