Timeline of Memphis, Tennessee facts for kids

Memphis, Tennessee, is a vibrant city with a long and interesting history! This timeline will take you on a journey through the most important moments in Memphis, from its early days as a fort to the modern city it is today. You'll learn about how the city grew, the challenges it faced, and the people who shaped its story.

Early History (Before the 1800s)

• 1739 – The French built a military fort called Fort Assumption in the area.
• 1740 – The French abandoned Fort Assumption.
• 1797 – The United States built its own fort here.

The 1800s: A City Begins to Grow

• 1819 – The town of Memphis was officially planned out.
• 1826 – Memphis became an incorporated town, meaning it had its own local government.
• 1827
  • The Memphis Advocate newspaper started publishing.
  • Marcus B. Winchester became the first mayor of Memphis.
• 1836 – The Memphis Enquirer newspaper began.
• 1841 – The Appeal newspaper started.
• 1843
  • A telegraph line connecting New Orleans and Memphis began working, allowing faster communication.
  • The Memphis Daily Eagle newspaper started.
• 1844 – Calvary Episcopal Church was officially opened.
• 1849 – Memphis was officially incorporated as a city.
• 1850
  • Memphis was named a port of customs, important for trade.
  • The city's population was 8,841 people.
• 1852 – Elmwood Cemetery was created.
• 1853 – Congregation B'nai Israel, a Jewish community, was founded.
• 1855 – The German Benevolent Society was formed to help German immigrants.
• 1857 – The Memphis & Charleston Railroad was finished, connecting the city to other places by train.
• 1858 – The Memphis Daily Avalanche newspaper began.
• 1860 – The population grew to 22,623 people.
• 1861 – The Memphis and Ohio Railroad was completed.
• 1862
  • The capital of Tennessee was moved to Memphis from Nashville for a short time.
  • June 6: The First Battle of Memphis happened on the Mississippi River. Union forces took control of Memphis during the Civil War.
• 1864
  • August 21: The Second Battle of Memphis took place.
  • The First National Bank of Memphis was established.
• 1866
  • May: The city experienced difficult times related to race relations.
  • Greenwood School was established.
  • The Memphis Post newspaper began.
• 1868 – The famous Peabody Hotel opened for business.
• 1870
  • Goldsmith's department store opened.
  • The population reached 40,226 people.
• 1871
  • LeMoyne Normal Institute and College of Christian Brothers were established, offering education.
  • St. Mary's Episcopal Cathedral was officially opened.
• 1873 – A serious yellow fever epidemic affected the city.
• 1874 – The Memphis Cotton Exchange was founded, important for the cotton trade.
• 1875 – Southwestern at Memphis college was established.
• 1878 – Another yellow fever epidemic occurred.
• 1879 – A third yellow fever epidemic hit Memphis.
• 1880 – The population was 33,592, showing a decrease due to the epidemics.
• 1882 – Tabernacle Missionary Baptist Church was established.
• 1883 – The Young Men's Christian Association (YMCA) was officially started in Memphis.
• 1885 – Peoples Grocery opened.
• 1887 – Memphis National Bank was organized.
• 1890
  • The Nineteenth Century Club was formed.
  • The population grew to 64,589 people.
• 1891 – The city's charter was rewritten.
• 1892 – A railroad bridge was built across the Mississippi River.
• 1899 – Manassas High School was established.

The 1900s: Modern Memphis Takes Shape

Early 1900s to 1940s

• 1900 – The population reached 102,320 people.
• 1905 – The Madison Hotel was built.
• 1906 – The Memphis Zoo and Overton Park were established, providing recreation for citizens.
• 1910
  • A new commission form of government began in Memphis.
  • The Exchange Building was constructed.
  • E. H. Crump became mayor.
  • The population was 131,105 people.
• 1911 – A local branch of the Urban League, an organization working for civil rights, was established.
• 1912 – W. C. Handy's famous song The Memphis Blues was published.
• 1914 – Union Avenue United Methodist Church was built.
• 1915 – Guthrie Elementary School was founded.
• 1916
  • The Harahan Bridge opened, connecting Memphis to West Memphis, Arkansas.
  • The Memphis Brooks Museum of Art was established.
  • Piggly Wiggly, a new type of grocery store, opened for business.
• 1917 – A local branch of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) was established.
• 1919 – Citizens' Co-operative Stores were incorporated.
• 1920
  • The city hosted the Commission on Interracial Cooperation Women's Interracial Conference.
  • The population reached 162,351 people.
• 1922 – Mississippi Boulevard Christian Church was established.
• 1924 – The Lincoln American Tower was built.
• 1929 – Memphis Municipal Airport was officially opened.
• 1930
  • The Memphis Museum of Natural History and Industrial Arts opened.
  • The Sterick Building was constructed.
  • The population was 253,143 people.
• 1931
  • The Memphis World newspaper began publishing.
  • The Cotton Carnival, a popular annual festival, began.
• 1932 – The Memphis Times newspaper began.
• 1936 – The Memphis Academy of Art was founded.
• 1937 – A Firestone factory began operations in Hyde Park.
• 1938 – The Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception was built.
• 1939 – The First Colored Baptist Church was built.
• 1940 – The population was 292,942 people.
• 1941 – Mason Temple was built.
• 1945 – The Lorraine Motel opened.
• 1946
  • Douglass High School opened.
  • Tri-State Bank was established.
• 1947 – WDIA radio began broadcasting, becoming a very important station for the African American community.

Mid-1900s to Late 1900s

• 1950 – The population reached 396,000 people.
• 1956 – Opera Memphis was established.
• 1957 – Satellite Records, a famous music studio, opened for business.
• 1960
  • Henry Loeb became mayor.
  • The population was 497,524 people.
• 1965 – The 100 North Main building and White Station Tower were constructed.
• 1968
  • January: Henry Loeb became mayor again.
  • February 11: The Memphis sanitation strike began, with sanitation workers protesting for better pay and working conditions.
  • April 3: Martin Luther King, Jr. delivered his powerful I've Been to the Mountaintop speech in Memphis.
  • April 4: Martin Luther King, Jr. was assassinated in Memphis.
  • April 8: A march was held in honor of Martin Luther King, Jr.
• 1970
  • The Vollintine-Evergreen Community Association was organized.
  • The population reached 623,530 people.
• 1971 – Clark Tower was built.
• 1972 – The National Bank of Commerce building was constructed.
• 1973 – May: The city hosted the Rock Writers of the World Convention.
• 1974 – The Women's Resource Center was founded.
• 1975 – The Hyatt hotel opened.
• 1976 – Temple Israel was built.
• 1977 – The Memphis in May festival began, celebrating the city's culture.
• 1978 – The Muslim Society of Memphis was founded.
• 1980 – The population was 646,356 people.
• 1985 – The Morgan Keegan Tower was built.
• 1990 – The population was 610,337 people.
• 1991
  • The National Civil Rights Museum and the Pyramid Arena opened.
  • Willie Herenton became mayor.
• 1996 – The city's official website went online.

The 2000s: Memphis in the New Millennium

• 2002 – June 8: The boxing match between Lennox Lewis vs. Mike Tyson took place in Memphis.
• 2003
  • The Clark Opera Memphis Center opened.
  • July 22: The Memphis Summer Storm of 2003, also known as "Hurricane Elvis," caused widespread damage.
  • December 18: An airplane crash occurred.
• 2007 – Steve Cohen became the U.S. representative for Tennessee's 9th congressional district.
• 2008 – February 5–6: A tornado outbreak affected the area.
• 2009
  • October: A C Wharton was elected mayor.
  • The city adopted an open government standard, making government information more accessible.
• 2012 – The population was 655,155 people.
• 2015 – October 8: Jim Strickland was elected mayor.
• 2016 – The Raleigh Springs Mall was demolished.
• 2023 – October 5: Paul Young was elected mayor.

Images for kids

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  Memphis skyline as seen from Poplar Avenue (2010)