Raleigh, Memphis facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Raleigh, Memphis
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 Raleigh, Memphis
Location in Tennessee
Raleigh, Memphis
Location in the United States
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| Country | United States |
| State | Tennessee |
| County | Shelby |
| Settled | 1824 |
| Area | |
| • Total | 22.66 sq mi (58.7 km2) |
| Elevation | 262 ft (80 m) |
| ZIP Code |
38128
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| Area code | 901 |
Raleigh is a community located in north-central Memphis, Tennessee, United States. It is named after a town that used to be in the same spot. Raleigh is bordered by Frayser to the west. The Canadian National Railway tracks form this border. To the east, you'll find the town of Bartlett. The Wolf River and Interstate 40 are to the south. The northern border is the Memphis city limits. The old town of Raleigh was once the first county seat of Shelby County, Tennessee.
Contents
Exploring Raleigh's Geography
Raleigh sits on a high bluff next to the Wolf River. This makes it one of the highest spots in the Memphis area. The old town center was near where James Road/Stage Road and Old Austin Peay Highway meet today. From this spot, people had a great view of the river.
Mary Winslow Chapman wrote about the Wolf River in her 1977 book, I Remember Raleigh. She described the river before it was changed by people. She said it was a clear, cool stream flowing through a thick forest. The trees kept it shady and fresh all summer. Over time, the river changed. Farming upstream caused dirt to wash into the river. This made the water less clear after rains. Later, a prison farm nearby made the water too dirty for swimming. Today, busy roads cross where the quiet river once flowed.
Raleigh's Past: A Look at its History
Raleigh was once an official city. It served as the county seat of Shelby County from 1824 to 1866. A county seat is where the main government offices for the county are located. But Memphis grew much faster than Raleigh. So, the county courts moved to Memphis in 1866. In 1912, Raleigh gave up its city status. It became an unincorporated area again.
Joseph Graham named the town. He was the first circuit clerk for the county. He came from the Raleigh, North Carolina area. The old stone courthouse was between James and Fayette roads. Later, a warehouse was built there. When Raleigh lost its county seat status, the courthouse was taken apart. Its stones were used to build the courthouse in nearby Bartlett. Bartlett became a town that same year.
Raleigh Cemetery is on Old Raleigh-Lagrange Road. Many early settlers of the area are buried there. These include the Colemans and the Burrows. Isaac Rawlings, the second mayor of Memphis, is also buried there. You can also find relatives of Isaac Shelby, who the county is named after. This cemetery started in the 1840s.
Becoming Part of Memphis: Annexation
On January 1, 1973, the City of Memphis officially took over Raleigh. This is called annexation. It means Raleigh became a part of Memphis. A northern part of Raleigh was also annexed in 2005. There was a plan to let this area leave Memphis in 2018. But this idea was later dropped.
Raleigh's Economy and Businesses
Raleigh's businesses are mostly retail stores. Retail means selling goods directly to customers. There is one large Nike distribution center on New Frayser-Raleigh Road. A distribution center is a place where products are stored and shipped out.
The two main shopping areas are Covington Pike and Austin Peay Highway. They meet at a busy intersection. On one corner is Methodist North Healthcare Hospital. On another corner, you'll find a Walmart Supercenter and other stores.
The southern part of Covington Pike has many car dealerships. These are places that sell cars and offer related services. The area around Stage Road has many fast food and casual restaurants. You can also find shopping centers there. Big stores like Home Depot are in this area. Austin Peay Highway also has many restaurants and shopping centers. There are grocery stores too.
Raleigh Springs Mall was once the main shopping spot. It opened in 1971 and was popular into the 1990s. But it struggled to keep stores because of new shopping centers. In 2016, the City of Memphis bought the mall. They built the Raleigh Springs Civic Center there. This center has a public library and a police station. It also has a traffic and special operations station, and a skatepark.
Learning in Raleigh: Education
Most of Raleigh's public schools are part of the Shelby County Schools district. Two elementary schools and one middle school are in the Achievement School District. Public elementary schools include Brownsville Road Elementary, Egypt Elementary, Raleigh-Bartlett Meadows Elementary, and Scenic Hills Elementary.
Raleigh has one public middle school, the Memphis Academy of Health Sciences. There are also two middle and high schools: Raleigh-Egypt High School and Craigmont High School.
Charter schools are also available. These include two elementary schools in the Achievement School District: Journey Coleman and Promise Academy Spring Hill. Memphis Rise Middle and High Schools are also charter schools.
