Memphis Population 2010: 646,889, #20 in U.S., #1 in Tennessee 1950: 396,000, #26 in U.S. 2010
Metropolitan Area: 1,316,100, #41 in U.S. 1950 Metropolitan Area: 482,393, #40 in U.S. Setting Memphis was founded in 1819 on the eastern bluffs of the Mississippi River. Memphis is a major port city, and Tom Lee Park is along the riverfront in the downtown area. Buildings Tallest building: 100 N. Main Building, 430 feet (1965) List of tallest buildings The Pyramid Arena is a 20,000-seat arena that opened in 1991. It has been called the sixth largest pyramid in the world. It was converted into a Bass Pro Shops store in 2015. Stores Memphis has no downtown department stores. Main Street Mall is a nine-block pedestrian mall that opened in 1976. Peabody Place (2001) has shops and restaurants. Trains Amtrak’s City of New Orleans goes north to Chicago and south to New Orleans from Memphis Central Station (1914). The
MATA Trolley (1993), run by the Memphis Area Transit Authority, has three streetcar lines. Service has been suspended since 2014. The Memphis Suspension Railway (1982) is a short monorail, operating only in the summer, that connects downtown with parks, entertainment, and a museum on Mud Island (actually a peninsula). | Memphis and Mississippi River Museums Downtown Memphis has the National Civil Rights Museum, the Memphis Rock 'n' Soul Museum, and the Fire Museum of Memphis. Theaters Downtown Memphis
has no first-run movie theaters. The Orpheum Theater (1928) is a restored movie
palace
that has concerts, old movies, and touring Broadway shows. Opera Memphis plays at several locations. The Cannon Center for the Performing Arts (2003) hosts the Memphis Symphony Orchestra and a variety of other concerts. The Hattiloo Theatre is also downtown. Sports The Memphis Redbirds, Triple-A Pacific Coast League affiliate of the St. Louis Cardinals, play at AutoZone Park (2000). The NBA Memphis Grizzlies play at the Fed Ex Forum (2004). Convention and Visitors Bureau
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