Memphis, Michigan facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Memphis, Michigan
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| Motto(s):
A Pleasant Place to Live
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Location within Macomb County (bottom) and St. Clair County (top)
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 Memphis, Michigan
Location in Michigan
Memphis, Michigan
Location in the United States
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| Country | United States |
| State | Michigan |
| Counties | Macomb and St. Clair |
| Area | |
| • Total | 1.15 sq mi (2.98 km2) |
| • Land | 1.12 sq mi (2.91 km2) |
| • Water | 0.03 sq mi (0.08 km2) |
| Elevation | 755 ft (230 m) |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 1,084 |
| • Density | 967.86/sq mi (372.51/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-5 (Eastern (EST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-4 (EDT) |
| ZIP Code |
48041
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| Area code(s) | 810 |
| FIPS code | 26-52960 |
| GNIS feature ID | 1624727 |
Memphis is a small city in the state of Michigan, USA. It's special because it sits right on the border between two counties: Macomb and St. Clair. In 2020, about 1,084 people lived there.
Contents
Memphis History: How the City Began
The first European American families to settle in this area were the Wells family. They came from Albany, New York in the 1830s. Anthony Wells arrived in 1834, and James Wells followed in 1835. Because of them, the new community was first called "Wells Settlement."
Choosing the Name "Memphis"
The name "Memphis" was chosen in 1848 when a US post office opened here. The settlers named it after the ancient Egyptian city of Memphis, Egypt. They thought their new home, located on a bluff overlooking the Belle River, was similar to the Egyptian city's position on the Nile River. Memphis officially became a village on April 4, 1865, and then a city in 1953.
Early Industries: Farming and Lumber
At first, most settlers in Memphis were farmers, and the area was used for agriculture. Later, when lumber became a big business in Michigan, logs were floated down the Belle River. They traveled to the St. Clair River and then south to Detroit. Some of this wood was processed in Memphis and nearby Marine City, which was known for shipbuilding. A lot of lumber was also sent to growing cities like Chicago or to the eastern states.
Memphis Geography: Where is it?
Memphis is located in the northeast part of Macomb County and the western part of St. Clair County. It's pretty much split evenly between the two.
Roads and Rivers
M-19 is the main road in Memphis, known as Main Street. It goes north about 6 miles (10 km) to Emmett and south the same distance to Richmond. Mount Clemens, which is the main city for Macomb County, is about 25 miles (40 km) south. Port Huron, the main city for St. Clair County, is about 20 miles (32 km) east.
Memphis covers a total area of about 1.15 square miles (2.98 square kilometers). Most of this is land, with a small part, about 0.03 square miles (0.08 square kilometers), being water. The Belle River flows through the northern and eastern sides of the city. It then goes southeast to join the St. Clair River near Marine City.
Memphis Population: Who Lives Here?
| Historical population | |||
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| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1870 | 385 | — | |
| 1880 | 579 | 50.4% | |
| 1890 | 588 | 1.6% | |
| 1900 | 586 | −0.3% | |
| 1910 | 557 | −4.9% | |
| 1920 | 452 | −18.9% | |
| 1930 | 574 | 27.0% | |
| 1940 | 630 | 9.8% | |
| 1950 | 800 | 27.0% | |
| 1960 | 996 | 24.5% | |
| 1970 | 1,121 | 12.6% | |
| 1980 | 1,171 | 4.5% | |
| 1990 | 1,221 | 4.3% | |
| 2000 | 1,129 | −7.5% | |
| 2010 | 1,183 | 4.8% | |
| 2020 | 1,084 | −8.4% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census | |||
2010 Census Information
In 2010, there were 1,183 people living in Memphis. These people lived in 474 households, with 320 of them being families. The city had about 1056 people per square mile (407 per square kilometer).
Most people in Memphis were White (97.6%). A smaller number were African American (0.8%), Native American (0.3%), or from other backgrounds. About 2.1% of the population identified as Hispanic or Latino.
The average age of people in Memphis was 39.4 years old. About 24.3% of residents were under 18, and 13.8% were 65 or older. The population was almost evenly split between males (47.8%) and females (52.2%).
Education in Memphis
The Memphis Community School District serves the entire city. It has an elementary school for younger students and a junior/senior high school for older kids. The sports teams for Memphis schools are called the Yellowjackets.
A college called Maryglade College was also located in Memphis from 1960 until 1972.
"The Thing": Michigan's First Car?
Over the winter of 1884-1885, a father and son, John and Thomas Clegg, who were mechanics in Memphis, built something amazing. They created a four-seater vehicle that could drive on roads. It was powered by a steam engine with a boiler in the back.
The Cleggs' Invention
This invention was called "The Thing." It is believed to be the first car ever made in Michigan! In the summer of 1885, the Cleggs tested their vehicle 30 times. While it worked, it wasn't practical for regular use. Even so, this early invention was a big step. Michigan later became famous worldwide for making cars.
A special historical marker on the east side of Memphis remembers the Cleggs' invention. It tells the story of "The Thing" and how it ran for about 500 miles (800 km) before the Cleggs took it apart. They sold the engine to a creamery. The workshop where they built it was torn down in 1936. This happened just before Henry Ford wanted to buy it for his famous Greenfield Village museum!
See also
In Spanish: Memphis (Míchigan) para niños
