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Memphis from photo storage

Brandon716

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Some of these photos I took, many I didn't. These are all several years old, as I don't actively hunt Memphis pictures, but due to another thread I felt obligated to pull out some more photos. So here's Memphis, TN, USA revisited.

I lived here from 2001-2002, it was an interesting experience. I was 19 turning 20 years old and it was a college year never to forget.

Downtown can be quite photogenic. Memphis is one of the few pre-WWII cities in the south. Actually, besides New Orleans, it is probably the only pre-WWII city with a significant highrise building activity. Half of downtown was built in the 1920's. The DT Porter building was one of the south's original steek frame highrises, pictured here. It was erected in 1895.

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Somewhere in this aerial the butt-ugly building that started this thread exists, and they demolished the 20 story highrise NEXT to it instead of the ugly one. Imagine that! And the Main Street trolley mall (seen above) is closed to automobiles, at least...

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The Memphis pyramid arena and exhibit center was created in homage to Memphis' namesake, Memphis on Nile. I guess Cairo stole its flame, but still. The founders built Memphis on the Mississippi in honor of the Egyptian cousin.

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That's not glass, its 100% stainless steel with a window overlook in the top. Its the equivilent of 32 stories, and its not a tacky Las Vegas attraction. Just a college league arena and exhibit center, paid for and built by the state and city governments.

But, Memphis on the Mississippi is a little colder in winter than Memphis on the Nile.

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More of the Main St pedestian only mall:

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They have one of America's few vintage trolley systems. Outside of San Francisco, New Orleans, and Memphis I'm not sure how many are still running. Memphis uses a variety of cars instead of one style, here are a few.

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Mid-America Mall:
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Memphis does have a small monorail system to connect downtown to the Mud Island river park. Its just a tourist attraction, so no serious transit here. But the riverfront loop of the trolley does go under the monorail.
MudIslTram_wPyramid.jpg



I took these photos on top of my old 11 story apartment building. You can see the butt ugly Medical Center Plaza from here, quite easily like a pimple on the Midtown skyline.
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Zoomed out, perspective takes its place.
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Memphis pics...

Brandon: Good Memphis pics and memories! I have only been thru there twice and briefly both times. On my first trip in 1987 my traveling buddies stopped at Graceland and the Civil Rights Museum. I remember hearing that MATA had vintage trolleys Downtown-good pics there. One thing I wondered: How large is the Downtown "Apartment Dwellers" population? LI MIKE
 
Yea, that's pretty ... interesting.

As far as downtown population I don't know, but its large for the southeast. Unfortunately unless you're on Beale St. during club hours, the downtown area is mostly dead and not really that exciting. Its almost like Buffalo south in foot traffic half the time, but actually Beale St gets totally packed when they have events and on club nights.
 

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