Memphis, TN

Located in the southeastern corner of the state, Memphis is home to 675,000 people, which makes it the largest city in the state of Tennessee and one of the 20 largest in the country. The city's "center" is located immediately east of the Mississippi River; the city extends to the north, east, and south, but not to the west, because it is so close to the state line. Memphis is known for producing some of the best musical talent in American history, including Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, B.B. King, John Lee Hooker, Jerry Lee Lewis and Justin Timberlake.

ECONOMY AND INDUSTRIES

Memphis has a very diverse economy, with no single sector employing more than 15 percent of the workforce. The largest sectors include the local government, health and education services, business and professional services, the hospitality and leisure industries and the retail trade. There are several major corporations with headquarters located in the Memphis area, including Federal Express Corporation, International Paper and AutoZone. Local educational and healthcare facilities also provide quite a few jobs for workers:

• Memphis City Schools
• Methodist Healthcare
• Baptist Memorial Healthcare
• Shelby County Schools
• University of Tennessee Health Science Center
• Saint Jude Children's Research Hospital
• University of Memphis
• Saint Francis Hospital
• Veterans' Affairs Medical Center

The average commute time for residents is just 21 minutes; the infrastructure in this large city has been designed to accommodate its residents, as well as its daily influx of laborers and visitors. The Memphis Regional Chamber actively seeks to attract major employers to the area and helps local entrepreneurs get started. Local craftspeople have plenty of opportunities to showcase their work at the many festivals and fairs held in Memphis. Some of these are held at the Memphis Cook Convention Center, which is located in the downtown area, close to the river.

The city is known for its logistical capabilities; it has easy access to two main interstates, the Mississippi River, railroads and a major international airport. Many warehouses and distribution centers choose to locate their facilities in Memphis for this reason. Memphis has an NBA team, the Memphis Grizzlies, which plays at the FedEx Forum. This venue also hosts many other events throughout the year, providing jobs for Memphis residents and revenue for the city and its vendors.

NEIGHBORHOODS AND DISTRICTS

The city of Memphis is diverse, containing a range of low-income projects, historic homes and sprawling mansions:

• Berclair: This district is on the far east side of Memphis and is a quiet, suburban area of upper-middle-class families.
• City Center: Located on the far west side of town (downtown) next to the river, this area is mostly comprised of wealthy renters. The urban sophisticates who live here can afford the very high rental rates; home values here range from average to very high.
• East Junction: This artsy area is located on the south side of town and is bordered on the north by Interstate 240. This area is home to mostly upper-middle-class renters, though the majority of houses are mobile homes.
• Egypt: The residents in this northeastern area are mostly middle class.
• Evergreen Street/Overton Park Avenue: This upscale, urban neighborhood boasts quite a few historic homes with high housing values. The district is populated by wealthy, highly educated, young professionals.
• Hollywood: This is an urban area with low home values and rental rates, and it's comprised of low-income residents.
• Siena College/Poplar Avenue: Many wealthy families live here, far to the east of the city's center. There are several parks and shopping centers in this upscale district.

EDUCATION

Memphis is home to many post-secondary schools, giving its young residents a variety of options:

• University of Memphis
• Southwest Tennessee Community College
• University of Tennessee Health Science Center
• Christian Brothers University
• Rhodes College

BEST BETS

• Graceland Mansion: Visitors can tour Elvis Presley's legendary estate and see artifacts from his life, including his cars, airplane and famous costumes.
• Gibson Guitar Factory: This attraction is a must for guitar players. Visitors can tour the factory and see how Gibson guitars are made. There is also a retail store on-site.
• National Civil Rights Museum : This museum is actually the infamous Lorraine Hotel, where Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., was assassinated. There are now both permanent and rotating exhibits dedicated not just to his memory but also to preserving the history of the Civil Rights Movement.
• Beale Street Walk of Fame: Similar to Hollywood's Walk of Fame, this stretch honors some of Memphis's greatest musicians, with brass music notes embedded into the concrete sidewalks, along with imprints of their hands.

ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT

• Memphis Symphony Orchestra (MSO) : The MSO offers quite a few different concert series; some of these are quite inexpensive, while others are more expensive and benefit local charities.
• Stax Museum of American Soul Music: This center showcases more than 2,000 artifacts and exhibits from the soul music culture. It is located in the original Stax Records facility.
• Memphis Pink Palace Museum: This venue is actually three attractions in one: Pink Palace Museum, Sharpe Planetarium and CTI IMAX Theater. The history and science museum offers multiple rotating exhibits, some of which are interactive.

DID YOU KNOW?

• Several movies were filmed in Memphis, including The Firm (1993), Cast Away (2000), Walk the Line (2005), and Hustle and Flow (2006).
• Elvis Presley died in Memphis at his home, Graceland, in 1977.
• The city actually sits on top of an artesian well system with more than a trillion gallons of fresh water.
• Memphis is known as both the "Birthplace of Rock 'n' Roll" and the "Home of the Blues."