Memphis, Tennessee

Memphis is the second-largest 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, Tennessee
City
City of Memphis
From top to bottom and left to right: Downtown Memphis skyline, Beale Street, Graceland, Memphis Pyramid, Beale Street Landing, and the Hernando de Soto Bridge
From top to bottom and left to right: Downtown Memphis skyline, Beale Street, Graceland, Memphis Pyramid, Beale Street Landing, and the Hernando de Soto Bridge
Flag of Memphis, Tennessee
Flag
Nickname(s): 
Bluff City, Home of the Blues
Interactive map of Memphis
Coordinates: 35°07′03″N 89°58′16″W
CountryUnited States
StateTennessee
CountyShelby
FoundedMay 22, 1819
IncorporatedDecember 19, 1826
Named forMemphis, Egypt
Government
 • MayorJim Strickland (D)
Area
[1]
 • City304.62 sq mi (788.97 km2)
 • Land296.98 sq mi (769.18 km2)
 • Water7.64 sq mi (19.79 km2)
Elevation
337 ft (103 m)
Population
 (2020)[2]
 • City633,104
 • Rank28th in the United States
2nd in Tennessee
 • Density2,131.81/sq mi (823.09/km2)
 • Metro
[3]
1,337,779 (43rd)
Demonym(s)Memphian
Time zoneUTC−6 (CST)
 • Summer (DST)UTC−5 (CDT)
ZIP Codes
ZIP Codes[4]
Area code901
FIPS code47-48000[5]
Interstates
Interstate Spurs
U.S. Routes
Major State Routes
WaterwaysMississippi River, Wolf River
Public transitMATA
AirportMemphis International Airport
WebsiteCity of Memphis

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

History

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

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

Jim Strickland is the Mayor of Memphis.[6]

Sports

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
  1. "2019 U.S. Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved July 30, 2020.
  2. "QuickFacts: Memphis city, Tennessee". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 22 August 2021.
  3. "2020 Population and Housing State Data". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 22 August 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.


This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.