Memphis, Tennessee

Coordinates: 35°07′03″N 89°58′16″W / 35.11750°N 89.97111°W / 35.11750; -89.97111
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Memphis
Memphis skyline from a boat on the Mississippi River
Beale Street
FedEx Forum
Graceland
Memphis Pyramid
From top to bottom and left to right: Downtown Memphis skyline, Beale Street, FedEx Forum, Graceland, and Memphis Pyramid
Flag of Memphis
Nickname(s): 
Bluff City, Home of the Blues, Grind City
Map
Interactive map of Memphis
Memphis is located in Tennessee
Memphis
Memphis
Location in Tennessee
Memphis is located in the United States
Memphis
Memphis
Location in the United States
Coordinates: 35°07′03″N 89°58′16″W / 35.11750°N 89.97111°W / 35.11750; -89.97111
CountryUnited States
StateTennessee
CountyShelby
FoundedMay 22, 1819; 204 years ago (1819-05-22)
IncorporatedDecember 19, 1826; 197 years ago (1826-12-19)
Named forMemphis, Egypt
Government
 • MayorJim Strickland (D)
Area
 • City302.55 sq mi (783.60 km2)
 • Land294.92 sq mi (763.83 km2)
 • Water7.63 sq mi (19.77 km2)
Elevation
337 ft (103 m)
Population
 • City633,104
 • Rank68th in North America
28th in the United States
2nd in Tennessee
 • Density2,146.71/sq mi (828.85/km2)
 • Urban
1,056,190 (US: 45th)
 • Urban density2,149.9/sq mi (830.1/km2)
 • Metro1,337,779 (US: 43rd)
DemonymMemphian
Time zoneUTC−6 (CST)
 • Summer (DST)UTC−5 (CDT)
ZIP Codes
ZIP Codes[4]
Area code901
FIPS code47-48000[5]
WebsiteCity of Memphis

Memphis is the second-most populous city in the state of Tennessee. The city has a large port on the Mississippi River. It is also well known for blues music and barbecue. The city is also home to FedEx, a leading company that ships packages around the world. Memphis is also known for being the home of rock and roll legend Elvis Presley.

Memphis is named for Memphis, Egypt, an ancient capital city of Egypt.

History[change | change source]

The future area of Memphis was first settled by the Mississippian Culture before it was discovered by French and Spanish explorers.

The United States took the land from Spain in 1797, and Andrew Jackson implemented the Indian Removal Act that facilitated the expulsion of the Cherokee from the area, making it available to white settlers. The city was established in 1819. Until the American Civil War, Memphis was a hub of cotton and slave trade. Brutal riots of angry whites against black people took place in 1866, in which 46 African Americans were killed. Yellow fever struck the city in the 1870s, killing a lot of people. The city recovered, and its population more than doubled.

The Memphis sanitation strikes was one of the key movements in the Civil Rights Movement. Musicians such as Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis and B.B. King influenced the city's identity as the birthplace of rock and roll.

Geography[change | change source]

Memphis is located east of the Mississippi River. The Wolf River, a tributary of the Mississippi River, crosses the city.

Its metropolitan area extends into Arkansas and Mississippi.

Government[change | change source]

Jim Strickland is the Mayor of Memphis.[6]

Sports[change | change source]

A few professional sports teams are located in Memphis. The Memphis Grizzlies are a basketball team of the National Basketball Association (NBA). They play their home games at the FedExForum. The Memphis Redbirds are a Minor League Baseball team of the International League that plays at AutoZone Park.

References[change | change source]

  1. "ArcGIS REST Services Directory". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved October 15, 2022.
  2. "QuickFacts: Memphis city, Tennessee". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved March 18, 2024.
  3. "2020 Population and Housing State Data". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved August 22, 2021.
  4. "ZIP Code Lookup". USPS. Archived from the original on January 1, 2008. Retrieved October 3, 2014.
  5. "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 31, 2008.
  6. "Mayor of Memphis". Archived from the original on 2010-05-27. Retrieved 2009-10-02.