The Memphis area was first settled by the Mississippian Culture and then by the Chickasaw Indian tribe. European exploration came years later, with Spanish explorer Hernando de Soto and French explorers led by René Robert Cavelier, Sieur de La Salle.

The land comprising present-day Memphis remained in a largely unorganized territory throughout most of the 18th century. By 1796, the community was the westernmost point of the newly admitted state of Tennessee.

Memphis was founded in 1820 , the city was named after the ancient capital of Egypt on the Nile River.

The cotton economy of the antebellum South depended on the forced labor of large numbers of African-American slaves, and Memphis became a major slave market.

Tennessee seceded from the Union in June 1861 and Memphis briefly became a Confederate stronghold. Union forces captured Memphis in the Battle of Memphis on June 6, 1862, and the city remained under Union control for the duration of the war. Memphis became a Union supply base and continued to prosper throughout the war.

Shelby Farms sits on 4500 acres of land that adjoins the Wolf River in East Memphis. There is no shortage of thins to do for anyone who loves the outdoors. The park was originally used as a Penal Farm in conjunction with the county prison, but has become a public recreation facility since then. The park offers numerous lake that can be used for fishing and boating, miles upon miles of walking, biking, and horse trails, and it is home to a wide variety of wildlife. The park is used throughout the year by tons of people, it's a great place for a picnic, or running after work or school. There is a Frisbee Golf Course, a kite flying field, and several playgrounds. If you go for a ride down Gardener Dr you will find the gardens of people from all over the area that don't have the space at home to garden so they rent a plot at the park and garden there. The Memphis Zoo has 10 acres of bamboo growing at the park that help supply them to feed the pandas. The Mid South Raptor Rehab Center is also within the park area. I recently learned that on the west end of the park there is a small family cemetery with one double headstone, nearby is an old barn and an old wrecked out car too. The Park is managed by the Shelby Farms conservancy and they are currently working on a master plan to help make the park a more integral part of the city and its culture. On an average visit to the park you could find any of a large variety of wildlife, from deer and squirrels, to herons and bluebirds. They also have a herd of Bison. I mentioned horse trails, these days not to many people have their own horse, but the park has stables where you can rent a horse. If you aren't one to get out and experience nature first hand I guess you could always drive around within the park.

The Elmwood Cemetery is the oldest active cemetery in the Memphis area. The cemetery itself dates back to 1852, when it was founded by a number of people who wanted a Victorian style Garden Cemetery. The property itself sits just south of the downtown area and covers approximately 80 acres. The Visitor Center was built early on and was originally the grounds keeper's residence. That building is the only known example of Victorian Carpenter Gothic architecture in the Memphis area. The cemetery is home to some 72,000 former Memphians, including people from every walk of life. It is also home to the most expensive monument and the tallest monument in the Southern United States. Walking the grounds you find all sorts of interesting markers, from war heroes to common people. There are even a few good ghost stories pertaining to Elmwood. There is no cost of admission but there are several tour options available, self guided, docent led, and audio tours. This landmark is a definite must and it won't cost you a dime.

The Cupboard is located just a short distance from downtown Memphis on Union Ave. The food in my opinion is excellent. The have a wonderful selection of vegetables, including a number of southern staples, and my favorite corn pudding. You can generally be seated promptly when you arrive and the food is pretty quick too. The mini cornbread they give you before your meal comes is great, they're just slightly larger than quarter size. It would be hard to not find something worth eating here.

Brother Juniper's is located just a short distance from the main campus of the University of Memphis. It is a small restaurant that specializes in breakfast, although they do serve lunch too. The breakfast is about the best you'll find anywhere in town. The food is always prepared fresh and has the look and taste of a home cooked meal. The people who operate the restaurant are very pleasant as well. They are open by 7AM except for Sundays and they are closed by 1PM so don't plan on a late lunch if you want to eat here.

Here are some general thoughts about driving in Memphis. The people who live in Memphis come from a wide variety of backgrounds and thus there are many styles of driving in Memphis. Some people in this town can be downright reckless when it comes to vehicular control and common courtesy. I figured I'd let you in on a few things to look out for. A Memphis right, this traffic maneuver is performed when you are driving in the far left lane and cut across all lanes of traffic to exit or turn right immediately, no signal is required for this stunt and amazingly no matter how many times I've seen it done I've never seen a wreck from it. I've seen it done going left but it's not near as common. Your best bet if you see someone attempt this is to get out of the way. If it's rainy make sure you can tell what everyone around you is doing. Around here if there's even a lite drizzle people tend to loose all control of there steering wheel. Drivers in Memphis tend to be oblivious to the weather. If it sleets or snows be prepared for mass chaos. Rush Hour lasts from 7:00AM till 9:30AM in the morning and 4:30PM till 6:30PM at night if you plan to get somewhere across town during those hours on a normal weekday give yourself at least 15 min to arrive on time. If there is a wreck you may need as much as a hour and a half, especially if you don't know the back roads. Avoid Germantown, Poplar, Walnut Grove, and Union when possible during rush hour. Summer Ave out bound avoid at night especially from 5:30-6:30. The Police like to get people for speeding in certain parts of town. if you are driving on Sam Cooper, there is no set time for getting ambushed, stay on guard near Highland when going inbound, and when nearing the 40 240 junction going outbound. On the North loop there are usually unmarked cars between mile marker 2 and 6 watching traffic on both sides, so long as you don't break away from the pack you'll be ok. Recently they have started checking for speeders on the Airways between the interstate and the Airport, just watch that you aren't going too fast. Lastly if you are coming to Memphis from or going to Nashville on I-40 note that there are generally a couple unmarked vehicles within a mile east or west of exit 25. The last word of advise I will leave you is more FYI. The roads in Memphis though more orderly than some cities I've seen can be a bit confusing. Some of them are a bit windy and they really don't follow a grid pattern at all once you get away from downtown. In and of itself this wouldn't matter much at all. The thing is some roads change name suddenly with no warning some roads change name 2 or three times within a mile for no apparent reason which can lead you to be a bit confused. Thankfully if you know where you are you can never be lost, if you make a wrong turn, just keep driving you'll figure it out sooner or later. Enjoy your visit to Memphis, if you are driving beware of the less than courteous drivers, the idiots, and the crazy roads.

The Pink Palace is named for the mansion built by Clarence Saunders, the man who started the Piggly Wiggly chain of grocery stores. He began the construction of the mansion in 1922, but never finished it as he lost his money in the NYSE. The people who aquired the home after him completed it's construction and gave it to Memphis to house a Museum. Today the museum has artifacts from Memphis and around the world. They have a good collection of fossils, taxidermy, and other natural history stuff. There is also a scale model of the first Piggly Wiggly Grocery store. The museum is also home to a planetarium, and a IMAX theatre. They also have visiting exhibits that rotate through throughout the year. The general admission is average, but their package deals are a bargain thus I show this place as cheap.

Laser quest is cool. If you've been to a laser tag place before then it's really nothing new. The gallery consists of multiple levels and there are good places to hide and shoot people where they can't see you. Definitely a fun place to hang out with friends, but if you don't go there on a visit to Memphis you aren't missing much. The prices are average for such a place.

The Memphis Botanic Garden is a 90 acre compilation of Gardens. Some of these include the Rose Garden, the Wildflower Garden, Japanese Garden, and a number of collections of other plants spread far and wide. There is truly no one season during which to visit, there are things to do year round. During the Summer months the Rose garden is in perpetual bloom. The Japanese Garden provides a serene escape from just about anything. During a walk through the woodlands you might chance upon the flock of wild turkeys that call the garden their home. They offer a Variety of events year round too. During the Summer and Fall the host a Farmer's Market on Wednesday afternoons, The also host the Live at the Garden Concert series. Throughout the year a wide variety of Garden Clubs hold shows that are open to the public featuring everything from cactus to orchids. There are many adult and youth education programs available year round. A few perks of the Visitor's Center are the Art exhibits that change every couple months and there is also a restaurant that is open for lunch on weekdays. At most you'll pay $5.00 to get in, short of the weather being awful, the Memphis Botanical Gardens is a great place to visit.

The Memphis Zoo has been around for over 100 years. There are still glimpses to be found of the old zoo. The bird house and aquarium and herpetarium are quite dated. Despite the older parts of the zoo is shifting more toward natural style habitats, grouping things more by where that come from rather than by what they are related to. Cat Country and Primate Canyon built in the 90s still follow the old paradigm. The newer exhibits like China featuring the Pandas and the Northwest Passage follow the new order for zoos. These allow you to get closer to the animals and learn more about the habitats that they live in in the wild. Grand Teton and the Zambezi River camp are sure to be excellent additions to the zoo when they open in 2009 and 2010 respectively. The admission fee is like $13 or so which is about normal for larger zoos these days. Tuesdays after 2PM are free for Tennessee residents if they show their driver's license at admission. They also accept memberships from other zoos which will get you a discount on the entry fee.

The Dixon Gallery and Gardens is a art gallery within about 17 acres of gardens. The Gallery consists of two main parts the Residence, and the Galleries. The residence was home to Hugo and Margaret Dixon and part that is open to the public is still much the way it was when they lived there. It houses parts of the permanent collection from their days. The Gallery hosts the porcelain and pewter collections and plays host to the visiting exhibits. During the year there are generally 3 or 4 shows. The art gallery specializes in impressionist works but the visiting exhibits vary a lot. A couple years back the had a exhibit featuring duck decoys and related art, it was pretty awesome. The Gardens as I mentioned above covers the balance of the ground. It includes a Cutting Garden, Woodland Gardens, Formal Gardens, and a Moss Garden. The Plant material is mostly natives of the MidSouth region, accented with boxwoods, azaleas, and English ivy. The Garden is truly an oasis within the city of Memphis. The grounds is situated such that very little traffic noise penetrates the depths of the gardens. At the center of the property is a Great Lawn where they occationally hold concerts. The Dixon is closed on Mondays, and Sunday mornings but open the rest of the week. It is a great place to visit, it has been a part of memphis for over 30 years.

DAY 5 (6/29/08)
Little Rock, AR to Memphis, TN (T.O. Fuller State Park)
8pm / 81∞ / Still, cool with a deafening noise from all the animals and bugs in the woods

Today was a relatively short day driving from Little Rock to Memphis. Uneventful really characterizes the day. As we crossed into Tennessee, the might Mississippi River came into view (I have yet to take a picture because I was driving, but I will) and it is huge. It’s a gigantic river, with barges going up and down all day. And it’s ugly. I am sure it is great to all who live here, but really, it’s ugly. I’m used to the crystalline waters of the Colorado River, and this is not the case. For a split second, it looks like a river of chocolate … for a split second.

Something great about all the road signs in these states is that they’re usually exceptionally informative and placed in a timely distance so that you can make informed decisions about which way to go.

Crossing the bridge into Memphis we were looking for another Welcome Center to help us during our stay in Tennessee (The Volunteer State). I see the signs and follow the blue arrows as directed …

Into downtown Memphis. With 50’ of motorhome and tow car. On ancient narrow streets. On a Saturday. During tourist traffic. I’m sure you’re getting the picture.

I think I lost 2 years off of my life trying to navigate this congested, impacted, narrow venue.

Thankfully we made it to the Welcome Center and got plenty of information about the area and where to stay. Now, to navigate BACK to the I-55 to the T.O. Fuller State Park. 2 more years of my life, gone.

Once we get to the park, we discover that Tennessee quite possibly has the best state park system – ever. It is every bit as nice as Maumelle in Arkansas, but nicer!! Well laid out, organized, clean and CHEAP. $10/night for all the amenities. Completely outstanding. If you ever have the chance to camp cross-country, I highly suggest the state park systems in the states you visit.

After setting up camp, we unhitched the car and drove back into Memphis for some sight-seeing. The downtown area had become like a ghost town in the hour since we’d driven through the first time. Like many old/original downtowns, Memphis was also full of barren shops and great, historic buildings in decay.

We ended up having dinner at Neely’s, the BBQ restaurant made famous by its founders – the Neely Family. They can now be seen on their own Food Network series, “Down Home with the Neely’s.” The ambiance was … rustic? Since the show, it is obvious that they haven’t let fame affect the establishment as it seems unchanged and un-fancied up. The food, however, speaks for itself. Delicious doesn’t come close to describing this BBQ’d food and, best part, were the truly sensible portions. I thought it might be overkill with the lumberjack servings of a Claim Jumper, but no, it was truly sensible which was nice. Also, the best cole slaw I’ve ever eaten. Yeah, I’m thankful for cole slaw – it was tough driving in Memphis today.

Graceland is postponed until tomorrow, and now, after dinner, we have retired to the campsite for an evening of fireflies and crickets.

I was awakened early by the sound of thunder.  I went back to sleep and was roused again by thunder. I fell asleep once again and when I finally awoke I got ready to hit the road, but not before breakfast.  I went with my grandma to a new restaurant in town.  As we were walking in the door I was reminded that it was almost time to get back to work; as one of my former trainees called me for help on a job.  I gave him the advice he needed and then enjoyed the rest of my visit with my grandmother.  The rain was coming down as I got back on the road and the wind was blowing out of the west and I was heading southbound for home.  The rain stopped around Effingham, IL but the wind was relentless till Arkansas. As I rounded the bend to get on I-40 the sun was setting and the sky was painted with the most brilliant colors I had seen since sunrise over the Badlands on Tuesday. My trip had come to an end as I arrived back at home. It’s good to get away but it’s also good to come home again.

So it was to be the day I left for my trip and early indications were that I might actually get off work early, at that point in time I was working for Dish Network doing satellite installs.    The day started out pretty nice but about 3 o'clock some pretty major storms started rolling in. I always have enjoyed working in the rain just not when there's lightning, wind, and so much rain that regardless of what you do you get soaked .  My route went well but it seemed that everyone else chose to work slowly that day, go figure.  About 5:00PM I learned that one of my coworkers who had been working in St Louis, MO had fallen off of a ladder about 35 feet and was in the Hospital where he still is (He could have been injured much worse but he is far from being in good shape.)  Anyway receiving that news didn't put me in a very good mood.  So I finally made it out of work about 7:15 and swung by the house for a quick bite before hitting the road.  Leaving 7:30 I had the joy of driving through about 30 minutes of the tail end of the storm.

The Sports Bar and Grill, is not located in the best part of town, but is far from the worst part of town. Seven nights a week they do karaoke starting at 9PM and going till they close at 3AM. They are open later than anywhere away from downtown Memphis, with the possible exception of IHOP or Waffle House. No cover charge, free poker tournaments, and BYOB for liquor are a few perks of the place. As I mentioned above they do karaoke every day, their library consists of hundreds of artists, and thousands of tracks, but for the hardcore karaoke enthusiast, you can always bring your own disk. They have a practice booth too if you need to brush up on your skills before hitting the stage. You say karaoke ain't your thing, the have 3 pool tables, pay per game but only $0.75 per game, and electronic darts. The beer menu is simple they keep about 8 or 9 kinds of beer and as I mentioned above it's BYOB (bottle) with regards to liquor. The food is your classic bar food. The KJ's (Karaoke DJ's) and bartenders are friendly and attentive. The owner is there most of the time working and having fun with everyone there too. During the week the hold a free poker tournament, ladies night drink specials, and other discount specials on beer depending on the day. All in all it's a good place to go and you won't go broke having a good time.