Memphis' roots were established by the Chickasaw Indians who settled ont he high bluffs overlooking the Mississippi. The first Europeans to visit the area was Spanish explorer Hernando de Soto, who crossed the Mississippi in 1540. Louis Joliet and Jacques Marquette followed, and in 1673 Robert Cavelier de La Salle claimed the region for France. The first permanent structure, Fort Assumption, was built on the bluffs in 1739.
After passing through British hands, the territory was ceded to the United States, and in 1819 Andrew Jackson helped found and name the settlement. Inspired by the Nile-like appearance of the Mississippi, the founders called their new town Memphis, "place of good abode," after the city in Egypt.
As river commerce developed in the 1800s, Memphis, with a good harbor at the mouth of the mouth of the Wolf River, became no only a major port but also the largest slave-trade market in the central South. During the Civil War, it was a vital link in the Confederate supply chain; in 1862 Union gunboats sank the Confederate fleet and seized the city, holding it for the remainder of the war. The city suffered from the lack of river trade during the war, but Reconstruction almost finished it, destroying the surrounding plantations and plunging the city into economic decline.
The distinct Southern flavor and history of Memphis are embodied in the blues - melancholy ballads sung by slaves. At the beginning of the 20th century, music legend W.C. Handy developed this American art form in Pee Wee's Saloon on Beale Street. "Memphis Blues," the first blues ever published, along with "St. Louis Blues" and "Beale Street Blues," earned Handy the title of "Father of the Blues." In 1977 Congress honored this musical heritage by declaring the city "Home of the Blues."
In the 1950s Elvis Presley, known simply as "The King," rode into stardom on a wave of rhythm and blues. Studios moved to town, and fans and fortunes followed. Another King drew national attention to Memphis, but on a sadder note. The assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. on April 4, 1968 cast a shadow that had been slow to fade. "The Mountain Top," a massive steel sculpture at the north end of the Civic Center Plaza honors King.
Graceland (Brooks Rd and 3797 Elvis Presley Blvd - 1-1/2 mi S of I-55 jct 5B) Portions the 15,000 square foot mansion of the late "King of Rock and Roll" are accessible to the public on a 1-1/2 to 2 hour guided tour. Included are the pool room, TV room, music room, formal dining room, and den, all decorated as then were during Elvis' lifetime.
Also included on the tour are the racquetball building and the trophy room, housing Elvis' many awards, gold records, jewelry, mementos and costumes. Exit is through the gardens that contain his grave and those of some family members.
Tours on the hour and every 3-5 minutes thereafter. Daily 8-7, Memorial Day to Labor Day; 9-6 the rest of the year. Ph: 901/332-3329 or 800/238-2000 outside of TN.
The National Civil Rights Museum (between Vance and Calhoun at 450 Mulberry) contains displays of the key events in the civil rights movement of the 1950s and 1960s. Housed in the Lorraine Motel, where Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated.
The landmark 1954 Supreme Court decision that sparked the nation's civil rights battle is examined in the Brown vs. Board of Education of Topeka exhibit. The Montgomery Bus Boycott exhibit details the events leading up to the 1955 arrest of Rosa Parks. Mon-Sat 10-5, Sun 1-5, Sept-May; Mon and Wed-Sat, 10-5, Sun 1-5, rest of the year. Admission $5. Free Mondays 3-5. Ph: 901/521-9699