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Welcome to Memphis, Tennessee.
Memphis is a city in Shelby County, Tennessee, of which it is the county seat. As of 2006, the city of Memphis had an estimated population of 680,768, making it the largest city in the state of Tennessee. The greater Memphis metropolitan area has a population of 1,230,303. This makes Memphis the second largest metropolitan area in Tennessee, surpassed only by metropolitan Nashville.
Even though Memphis is the state's largest city, it is the youngest of all of Tennessee's four major cities (traditionally including Knoxville and Chattanooga as well as Nashville). Memphis is on the Lower Chickasaw Bluff above the Mississippi River, at the mouth of the Wolf River.
The Memphis area was first settled by the Mississippian Culture and then by the Chickasaw Indian tribe. European exploration came years later, with Spanish explorer Hernando de Soto believed to have visited what is now the Memphis area as early as the 1540s. By the 1680s, French explorers led by Rene Robert Cavelier, Sieur de La Salle built Fort Prudhomme in the vicinity, the first European settlement in what would become Memphis, predating English settlements in East Tennessee by more than 70 years.
addition to a rich musical heritage, Memphis also boasts a long culinary legacy dominated by regional barbeque. Memphis barbeque is rendered distinct by its sole usage of pork (as opposed to beef), focus on rib and shoulder cuts of meat, and multiple locally-owned barbeque restaurants. Celebration of this local dish reaches its climax each year in May, when the Memphis in May Festival holds its annual international Memphis in May Barbeque Cookoff.
Memphis is marked by five major districts, with smaller districts lying within their borders. These are Downtown, Midtown, North Memphis, South Memphis, and East Memphis.
One of the largest celebrations in Memphis is Memphis in May. The month-long series of events promotes Memphis' heritage and outreach of its people far beyond the city's borders. Each year, Memphis in May honors a different country, highlighting various aspects of the honored nation's history and culture. Since its founding, the economic and educational impact of Memphis in May has given a significant boost to the city each spring. The celebration includes a diverse mix, beginning during the first weekend of the month at Tom Lee Park, the site of the Beale Street Music Festival.
During International Week, the city focuses on its honored country, part of a larger program in coordination with area schools to broaden cultural awareness among students. Other signature events of Memphis in May include the World Championship Barbecue Cooking Contest, the FedEx St. Jude Classic (a PGA Tour golf tournament), and the closing event of the month - a performance of the Sunset Symphony.
Memphis is the home of founders and establishers of various American music genres, including Blues, Gospel, Rock n' Roll, and "sharecropper" country music (in contrast to the "rhinestone" country sound of Nashville). Johnny Cash, Elvis Presley, and B. B. King were all getting their starts in Memphis in the 1950s. They are respectively dubbed the "King" of Country, Rock n' Roll, and Blues.
In the last decade, the art scene in Memphis has exploded. The independent art scene has centered primarily in South Main, located in downtown Memphis on the trolley line. More than a dozen art galleries have moved into the neighborhood, fueling a redevelopment boom that has expanded into new residential construction. Perhaps the most interesting conversion has been the Power House, a former power plant near Central Station that has been transformed into contemporary art space.
The city is served by Memphis City Schools while surrounding suburbs in other areas of Shelby County are served by Shelby County Schools. Several colleges and universities are also located in the city, including the University of Memphis (formerly Memphis State University), Rhodes College (formerly Southwestern at Memphis), Le Moyne-Owen College, and Christian Brothers University.
Many museums of interest are located in Memphis, including the National Civil Rights Museum, located in the former Lorraine Motel where Martin Luther King, Jr. was assassinated. It includes a historical overview of the American civil rights movement, ranging from the abolishment of slavery to more modern themes such the GLBT movement. On Martin Luther King Day, a yearly parade and celebration happens outside the room where Martin Luther King, Jr. was shot.
Graceland, the former home of Rock n Roll legend Elvis Presley, is the second most visited house in the United States (after the White House), attracting over 600,000 visitors a year, from many different countries. Graceland contains a variety of Elvis memorabilia. The Heartbreak Hotel, located across the street, is named after a popular Elvis hit. Celebrations include the annual Graceland Christmas lighting, and memorial services on the week of Elvis's birthday. It is now a National Landmark.
The Memphis Zoo, which is located in midtown Memphis, features many exhibits, of mammals, birds, fish, and amphibians, from all regions of the world. The most popular exhibits are the Cat House, which is the fifth oldest in the United States, and the zoo's panda exhibit, which is one of only a handful in North America.
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Local daily news in Memphis:
Black farmers to rally in Memphis for settlement
Black farmers are holding a rally in Memphis to ask Congress to approve a $1.15 billion discrimination settlement.
Spirit of Memphis Pep Rally
It's a pep rally for the city. What news could be better than that? The 'Spirit of Memphis' will be celebrated Friday.
Former Memphis Mayor Willie Herenton officially launches campaign for 9th District seat
Former Memphis Mayor Willie Herenton is officially beginning his campaign for Tennessee's 9th Congressional District seat.
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Places of interest:
Southaven, MS (10.5 miles), Bartlett, TN (11.5 miles), Horn Lake, MS (12.0 miles), Germantown, TN (12.3 miles), Lynchburg, MS (13.9 miles), Olive Branch, MS (13.9 miles), West Memphis, AR (14.5 miles), Millington, TN (15.9 miles).
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