Downtown timeline, 1968- PRESENT. By Devin Greaney. www.devingreaney.com.
1968, April 4 - Martin Luther King Jr. assassinated at the Loraine Motel
1968, April 12 - TIME MAGAZINE refers to Memphis as a "Decaying river town" and "Southern Backwater"
1968, April 16- Sanitation strike ends
1968, June 26- Union Station at 3rd and GE Paterson, opened to the public for the last time to auction off memorabilia. The last passenger train left February 28. Demolition began later that year.
1968- Construction begins on South Central Bell at 201 Court
1968- William Len Hotel at 110 Monroe sold and later becomes the Viking Hotel.
1968- Claridge Hotel closes. It will become apartments fifteen years later, then condos.
1968, November - voters in the downtown precincts 1,2, 4 and 6 cast votes for President. Humphrey (D) 261. Wallace (I) 173. Nixon (R) 94
1968, December 12- Warner Theater closes at current site of One Commerce Square. Last movie “Coogan’s Bluff” staring Clint Eastwood
1969- Construction of MLGW building.
1969- Shelby County building completed.
1969- The Downtowner Hotel at 2nd and Union completed
1969- Lowenstein's Tower completed at 99 N. Main (now the Renisance apartments)
1969- Construction of Albert Pick Motel at 300 N Second ( Later the Sheraton and now Crowne Plaza)
1969- Construction of Blue Cross Blue Shield Building
1969, June - $13.9 million HUD urban renewal grant received for Beale Street. From then until about 1972, some 474 buildings were razed in the area.ty jail
1969, June 29 - 11 men escape from the Shelby County Jail using smuggled guns and torches
1969 June 8- WC Handy Blues festival held to commemorate Memphis’ 150th birthday
1969, July 10- Groundbreaking for One Commerce Square
1969, July (late) - After some 125 prostitution related robberies since the beginning of the year, police saturate the Beale St and Hernando Street area with about 31 officers and a police helicopter
1969, November- Article in the MEMPHIS PRESS SCIMITAR says Memphis’ bus system one of the few self sufficient bus systems in the country.
1969, November 25 - Liquor by the drink approved by Tennessee voters
1969, December - Hotel Pontotoc sold and is closed
1970- WDIA radio personality Nat Williams, interviewed in the TRI STATE DEFENDER, calls Beale Street “dead as a dodo.”
1970- Federal Reserve building constructed
1970, January- Eviction notices served to several businesses on Beale for urban renewal project.
1970, February 25 - Pilot House Hotel opens (now Comfort Inn)
1970, April 1st- Census of downtown tracts (1, 22,41, 42, 43 and 44) shows 8,913 residents
1970, July- construction begins on Clark Tower, the tallest skyscraper outside of downtown
1970, August 31 - Official last day of operations for the Mud Island Airport.
1970, Fall- YWCA building razed
1970, October-November- 600 parking meters smashed by vandals in six weeks
1970, November 10 - Ceremony at the central police building marks the first time police women were issued service revolvers. They were to be kept in their purses. "Later if you decide you want to wear them on your belt maybe we can work something out," Chief Henry Lux said to the new officers.
1970, November 22 - First Sunday without blue laws mandating that most business must be closed on Sunday.
1970, November 28 - Last film (WUSA) shown at Lowe's State Theater located at 152 S. Main.
1970, December 6- THE COMMERCIAL APPEAL prints drawings of the proposed river front expressway. It did not happen.
1971- Japanese Gardens taken down from the roof of the 100 North Main Building
1971, January 3- Statue dedicated at Martyr’s Park to honor those who died helping yellow fever victims
1971, February- Britling Cafeteria on Union closes after some fifty years
1971, April 1 - Tenants vacate the Hickman Building at 248 Madison.
1971, May- Amtrak takes over passenger rail service in Memphis and changes the name of “The City of New Orleans” to the “Panama Limited.” The name would change back in February, 1981.
1971, May 14 - First Landing at the Dewitt Spain Downtown Airport. The dedication was held May 30 and the name was later changed to simply Dewitt Spain Airport a few years later.
1971, July 9- Clark Tower in East Memphis has its “topping out” ceremony
1971, August 23 - McCall building at 161 South Front imploded. Current site of Waterford Plaza.
1971, August - Raleigh Springs Mall opens taking shoppers from downtown. Southbrook Mall opened in August, 1966.
1971, October 5 - Harrahan Bridge Theme Park Committee suggests building a theme park at the Harrahan Bridge complete with horse racing, riverboat gambling and having it patrolled by police in 1912 uniforms and wearing handlebar moustaches. It was also suggested it could be linked to Overton Square with a monorail.
1972, February- C and I Bank opens at 200 Madison. They celebrated their indoor arboretum by giving away free crepe myrtle trees
1972, February- Production of the musical “Hair” at the Malco (now Orpheum) draws protests due to a nude scene. “Remember when your kids are doing it in the streets (sex), you supported it,” said protestor Rev. Michael Pearl.
1972, February 3 - I-40 opened from I-240 to Second
1972, March 19 - First March of Dimes Walk-a-thon held (now March for Babies) it went from the Fairgrounds to Downtown amd covered 20 miles.
1972, May- Photo in the MEMPHIS PRESS-SCIMITAR shows most area around Beale Street cleared for urban renewal
1972, June 7 - Venson Building, apartments for the Memphis Area Housing Authority, dedicated at Danny Thomas and Beale.
1972, June 15- Architect Gene Strong refers to Court Square as a "cesspool." Told the newspapers he supports ridding the park of pigeons and squirrels
1972, July - Antebellum home at Georgia and South 5th razed. It was the former Brinkley Female College, but perhaps best known as the place where the ghost of Lizzie Davidson appeared in a pink moldy dress in 1871.
1972, June 30 - Hotel King Cotton closes. Current site of the Morgan Keegan building
1972, October 6 - Post Office at 555 S. Third opens at the former site of The Union Station
1972, November - Voters in the downtown precincts 1 and 2 cast votes for
President. McGovern (D) 1,045 Nixon (R) 544 Schulz (I) 19
1972, December - Department of the Interior declares Victorian Village a National Historic District
1973- Viking Hotel at 110 Monroe closes
1973, February 15 - Fire station #1 closes and moves to near St. Jude Hospital. The building will become the fire museum 25 years later.
1973, April- Grand opening of One Commerce Center (now SunTrust)
1973, April- Hotel Chisca vacated to become world headquarters for Church of God in Christ
1973, April 18 - Last advertisement in the newspaper for Lawrence Furniture at 56 S Main which opened there in 1933. The sign was still up in 2008.
1973, May 8- Mississippi River reaches 40.5 feet -- highest level since the 1937 flood.
1973, July- Article says 13 buildings on Beale St. are to be condemned. The city said they had not been maintained for fifteen years. 320-324 Beale, city inspectors said, had the roof cave into an auditorium that was full of water.
1973, August 17- Hernando De Soto Bridge opens
1973, October 26- Memphis Planning Action Committee suggests Mud Island be used for a river museum
1973, Nov 20- President Nixon greets about 7,000 supporters -and protesters- at the Rivermont Hotel (now Rivermark condos).
1974- Timpani at 35-49 Union remodeled for condos, possibly the first of a trend.
1974- Park built on the North end of Mud Island. It was 1975 before a paved road was built to reach it.
1974, January- Sheraton sells Peabody to James “Jimmy” Lane
1974, January 6 - First event at the Cook Convention Center, a convention of the Cotton States Fashion Exhibitors.
1974, February- Goodwill Building at 94 N 2nd razed
1974, March 10- First rock concert at the Cook Convention Center when Yes played. Concert goers complained about the acoustics.
1974, April 9 - Article and photos show the 83-year-old Clayborn Temple in serious disrepair . It was an epicenter for the civil rights marches six years earlier
1974, May - First use of the name "Memphis in May International Festival." The month-long celebration included The Danny Thomas Memphis Golf Classic, a performance by the New York Metropolitan Opera, The Cotton Carnival, Sate Jude Shower of Stars and the Memphis Music Awards.
1974, May 3- Ron Pekar finishes outdoor “supergraphic” mural on mid America Mall
1974, May 11- Grand opening of the Cook Convention Center.
1974, August- Gerber’s department store at 21-31 North Main announces it will close downtown store by October 15
1974, October- First downtown Oktoberfest
1975 (early) Construction starts on Mid America Mall
1975- Tristate Bank building built at Beale and Main
1975- Last Cole’s City Directory that has a pawnshop listed on Beale Street
1975- Memphis Heritage Inc founded
1975, March 3- WREG Channel 3 moves from the Peabody to 803 Channel 3 Drive
1975, April - largest burglary in Memphis' history when almost all the fixtures are removed from the Hotel King Cotton
1975, April 3- Peabody closes
1975, June 1- 475 gallons of ice cream brought to Tom Lee Park to create the world's largest ice cream sundae.
1975, June 20- Muhammad Ali Theater, first black owned movie theater to open in Tennessee in 30 years, opens on Beale
1975, July- The Toma Drummond report suggests a pyramid arena to be built. The drawing of the plan looked a lot like the Great America Pyramid opened in 1991, but the proposed design was for a location at what is now the Southbluffs neighborhood.
1975, August 1 - Peabody purchased by Jack Belz
1975, August 28 - Ceremony at Main and McCall (now Peabody Place Ave) of the first bricks laid in Mid America Mall
1975, Labor Day- First WLOK Stone Soul Picnic
1975, October - Fred P. Gattas department store announced it will close its store at 387 S. Main
1975, November - Fire station 8 opens on Mississippi Blvd closing the old station 8 on Mississippi and Crump and Station 3 at Linden and S. 3rd.
1975, November 21 - St Jude dedicates the 7-story tower.
1976 - Second Street bridge crossing the Wolf River replaced. It was washed away by a flood in 1935
1976, February 27 - Theatrical production of the play "Hot l Baltimore" held for three weeks in the abandoned Hotel King Cotton
1976, April - Sister Elizabeth Bonia becomes first director of development of the Co De North neighborhood which was bounded by Bethel, Looney, Woodlawn and North Seventh
1976, April 17-22- The Freedom Train stops in Memphis near the present site of the Mud Island parking lot. It contained exhibits on American history for the US Bicentennial.
1976, April 30 - Memphis receives national attention when a jury finds 12 people and 4 companies guilty for distribution of the film "Deep Throat" in federal court in Memphis.
1976, May 14- Mid America Mall (now Main Street Mall) dedicated by President Gerald Ford
1976, July - First Memphis Music Heritage Festival
1976, July- Plans for a Beale Street Mall like the one on Main Street placed in limbo.. Apparently not revisited.
1976, September 26 - Front Street Deli opens at Union and Front
1976, November 2- Movies stop running at The Malco (now The Orpheum). Last movies were “House of 1000 Pleasures” and “The 4 of Us.”
1976, November 2 - Voters in downtown precincts 1,2 and 7 vote for president. Carter (D) 2,211 Ford (R) 601
1976-November- Joni Mitchell releases “Fury Sings the Blues” referencing her visit with Fury Lewis on Mosby Avenue and the deteriorating condition of Beale Street. Lewis’ reaction to the song, “She shouldn’t have used my name in no way, form or faction with out consultin’ me ’bout it first,” he said to ROLLING STONE.
1976, December- the Yule Parade returns to Memphis after a seven year hiatus
1976, December 16- Memphis Development Foundation christens riverfront program at Beale and Wagner
1977- Erica’s German Restaurant opens on S. 2nd
1977- Henry Turley Company formed
1977- Memphis Development Foundation buys Orpheum for a performing arts venue
1977, Jan 3- Shelby State (now Southwest Tennessee Community College) dedicates the new Downtown campus
1977, February 2- Center City Commission formed
1977, February 11 - The Malco (now the Orpheum) opens as a performing arts venue
1977, March- Repairs begin on the brick pavement of Mid America Mall.
1977, March 17- First annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade started from Zinnie’s near Court Square
1977, April 4- “I Have Been to the Mountaintop” Sculpture dedicated.
1977, April - Plans to convert The Daisy Theater into a wax museum put on hold
1977, May- 1st Memphis in May festival. Honored country- Japan
1977, May 28- Lowe's Palace Theater closes. Downtown will be without a movie theater for 24 years.
1977, June 4- First Sunset Symphony
1977, June 21- Groundbreaking on Criminal Justice Center, 201 Poplar.
1977, August - The Pier, The first full service bar on the Mississippi, opens on Wagner
1977, August 20- Blues Alley on November 6th St burns. It will later reopen on Front St.
1977, September- City grants historic status to Cotton Row
1977, September- Dredging operations begin to raise Mud Island for what was to be called Volunteer Park
1977, December 17- Fire destroys part of Beale Street Landing, current location of Joe’s Crab Shack
1978 - The familiar chalk boards at the Cotton Exchange replaced with computer readout
1978, May- Bessie Louise Cathey becomes the winner of the first Memphis in May barbecue contest. It was held at the parking lot north of the Orpheum and later moved to Tom Lee Park.
1978, July and August - Police and Fire strikes bring National Guard to Memphis for security
1978, July 13 - The Downtown Dream Machine begins entertaining Memphians with the play "A Mid Summer Night's Dream" at Confederate Park
1978, August 10 - Number One Beale, first restaurant on Beale in several years, opens at Beale and Wagner.
1978, December 8-10 - Democratic Midterm Convention brings President Carter and Iranian protesters opposing the US harboring the exiled Shah of Iran.
1979, early- Name of Volunteer Park changed to Mud Island
1979, January 8 - Sun Studios opens for tours
1979, February- National Ornamental Metal Museum opens using some of the buildings of the old Marine Hospital which closed fourteen years earlier.
1979, March- buses begin a continuous loop from the Medical Center to Downtown for a 10 cent fare. Keeping with the times, the service was called “The Hustle Bus”
1979, March Clayborn Temple boarded up in preparation for remodeling.
1979, May- Avron Folgleman announced building of Jefferson Place, the first downtown luxury apartments built since 1968, for opening in 1980.
1979, May - County Commissioner Steve Cohen complains about the lack of upkeep to the Viet Nam Memorial Park located at the Northwest corner of Beale and Lauderdale. The park is no longer there.
1979, May 26 - First Great wine Race
1979, June 10- MEMPHIS PRESS-SCIMITAR article states “Urban renewal destroyed Beale Street.”
1979, November 28- First Jobs Conference held at the Cook Convention Center.
1979, December- Harry’s Discount Department Store on Beale closes after 53 years in business
1980- Kress at 9 North Main becomes McCrory’s
1980- Memphis Carriage Tours begins horse and carriage tours of downtown
1980- Rhodes Jennings furniture closes store at 64-68 North Main. It has been vacant ever since.
1980, February 4- A silver nail is hammered into the old Pantaze Drug store (present location of Wet Willie’s) beginning the remodeling of Beale Street
1980, March- Remodeling begins on the Peabody
1980, April 1- Census of Downtown tracts (1,22, 41, 42, 43 and 44) shows 5, 979 residents.
1980, July- John Malmo Advertising Agency moves to 47 Union.
1980, July 1- Terry and Leigh Davis purchase the old Pontotoc Hotel to turn into a home and a recording studio
1980, July 13- Memphis hits 108 degrees.. hottest day on record.
1980, July 21 - Puralator Armored Car office at 342 Washington robbed of more than $418,000. It was the largest holdup in the city's history.
1980, August - The film "This is Elvis" begins shooting in Downtown combining archival footage and dramatic recreations. It was released April 4, 1981.
1980, August 14- Statue of Elvis Presley, sculpted by Eric Parks, unveiled at Elvis Presley Plaza. The current statue is not the original.
1980, August 28 - Fire damages the offices of Burch, Porter and Johnson, a unique Moorish-style building next to Court Square. It was remodeled.
1980, November - Voters in the downtown precincts 1 and 7 vote for President. Carter (D) 1,536 Reagan (R) 222 Anderson (I) 38
1980, November 16- First annual Memphis Blues Awards, now the WC Handy Blues Awards held at the Orpheum.
1981, January 16 - Transportation Secretary Neil Goldschmidt officially scraps plans to have I- 40 go through Overton Park.
1981, February 28- Prayer service held at city hall asking God to intervene to keep the bus system from closing down.
1981, June 29- Sneak a Peak Tour gave Memphians a look at Mud Island park under construction. The highlight of the day was a race between The Delta Queen and The Mississippi Queen
1981, July 4- First “Star Spangled Celebration” fireworks show at Tom Lee Park
1981, July 31- Peabody reopens
1981, August and October- Hickory Ridge Mall and Mall of Memphis open out east
1981, August- offices begin moving into Criminal Justice Center
1981, Sept 5- New city jail opens at the Criminal Justice Center
1981, Fall - Construction starts on Riverbluff Coop
1981, October 6 - Downtown Residence and Merchant Association holds their first meeting at Blues Alley
1981, Oct 23- First escape from the new city jail at the Criminal Justice Center
1981, October 30 - After a deaf-mute woman was raped on the Mid America (now Main Street) Mall, MEMPHIS PRESS-SCIMITAR reporter Shelia Peace writes a front page editorial condemning the daily harassment of women walking up the mall.
1981, December 10- Ad in newspaper for the complete liquidation of Lowenstein's merchandise, including the downtown store. The sign at 99 N Main was removed May 15, 1982.
1982- 81 Monroe remodeled
1982- Cole’s Directory lists two businesses remaining in The Exchange Building
1982, January 13- 4 alarm fire damages the Dermon Building at 46 North 3rd.
1982, February - Marmalade's Restaurant and live music venue opens near 2nd and G E Patterson. The area was largely abandoned
1982, February 4/ 5 - Gunman holds three hostages at St. Jude Hospital before being killed by police TACT unit
1982 February 5 - The Robert and Annie McGowan buy the building at 418 S. Main as a residence, beginning what the South Main Association calls "the South Main renaissance."
1982, April - Fire Damages the Madison Hotel (not the current one- a smaller hotel located at the north end of AutoZone Park) and Tristate Hotel at 400 S. Main. Arson was suspected in both fires. In other fire news that month, fire destroyed a home built in 1904 at 301 S Lauderdale. Newspapers pointed out it was the 12th fire of a historic structure in the area since 1979.
1982, April 3 - Ambassador Hotel at Main and Vance closes. It opened in 1926. From December of 1988 to March of 1989 it reopened.
1982, May- Nov. - Sterick Building gets its brown and gold paint job
1982, May 22 - First Outdoors Inc canoe and kayak race held at Mud Island. It is currently the largest canoe and kayak event in the area.
1982, June 7- Graceland opens for tours, bringing people from all over the world to the city
1982, July 3 - Mud Island park and museum opens
1982, July 8- Construction starts on 200 Wagner Place (now Waterford Plaza) , one of the largest residential developments downtown in years.
July, 1982 - City Councilman Michael Hooks complains the Confederate battle flag flying at Mud Island is offensive. The flag is replaced by the "stars and bars" the official flag of the Confederacy.
1982, August- Midsouth Folklife Festival becomes first festival produced by the Center for Southern Folklore.
1982, October- First resident of Riverbluff coop moves in
1982, October 1 - After the resignation of Mayor Wyeth Chandler to become a judge, Councilman J. O. Paterson becomes Memphis' first black mayor.
1982, November - Gene Carlisle opens The Emporium, a mall at Beale Street Landing
1982, December 25- Orpheum closed for $5 million renovation
1982, December - MEMPHIS MAGAZINE moves into its offices on Tennessee Street
1983- Jefferson Davis Park remodeled, starting a series of improvements to the public promenade
1983- The former Claridge Hotel becomes apartments
1983- Artist Louise Dunavant releases her first print "Spirit of Beale." She would release dozens more celebrating the sights of Memphis and the riverfront.
1983, March - The Downtown Neighborhood Association creates the Roses and Radishes awards. Roses went to businesses the association said were promoting downtown and wilted radishes were those detracting. First rose recipient- Walgreen's at Main and Madison. The first radishes went to an Adult Movie Theater at 230 Union.
1983, April 19 - First run of the River City Choo Choo, a train that rode the streets of downtown.
1983, May- Memphis Police bring back horse patrols to downtown. The last ones were in 1948.
1983, May 11- despite a recently enacted anti-topless ordinance in the city, a nude scene was permitted in the opera “Macbeth” at Dixon-Myers Hall. Some in the audience protested the double standard by removing their tops.
1983, September 7- Construction starts on $43.5 Million Holiday Inn - Crowne Plaza Convention Center Hotel
1983, September 18 - First annual Victorian Village Festival
1983, September- Showboat buses begin traveling from Downtown to Fairgrounds showing off local tourist attractions.
1983, October 8 - Beale remodeling complete and the street rededicated
1983, October 31- Last issue of the evening paper, MEMPHIS PRESS-SCIMITAR, published from 495 Union.
1983, November 1 - Jefferson Square Restaurant and the site of the first Piggly Wiggly Supermarket burns at 79 Jefferson. The owner will open The North End later that year.
1983, November 9 - After $500,000 in renovations the Clayborn Temple reopens as the Calyborn Ball Temple
1983, November 24 - $6.5 million taken in Memphis' largest armed robbery at Wells Fargo at 277 Monroe. Four people were convicted almost a year later.
1983, December- First Memphis Express Marathon. Ran from Racquet Club to downtown and back. The last race was in 1985. Other Marathons would follow that included downtown.
1983, December 7- North End (now Westy’s) opens near Abraham’s Deli, making the neglected Pinch District a destination
1983, December 21 - After being a part of Memphis since 1939, the Maid of Cotton competition holds its last Memphis pageant before moving to Dallas. Valerie Rhea Bendall was crowned at the auditorium.
1984- Cotton Exchange Building remodeled
1984- Brinkley (former Lowenstein's) remodeled
1984- Falls Building renovated
1984, January 7 - Grand reopening of the 56-year-old Orpheum as a performing arts venue
1984, January 16 - Belz family announces plans for the Peabody Place Development
1984, January- Owners announce the Rivermont Hotel will become Rivermark Condos
1984, April 30- Hotel King Cotton imploded to make way for Morgan Keegan Tower, starting the building of some of downtown’s first new office space in eleven years, according to THE COMMERCIAL APPEAL.
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1984, May 5- 2,500-3,500 people show up at Tom Lee Park to try to break the record for the world’s largest aerobics class. The current record is over 48,000 and was set in the Philippines.
1984, May 13- Groundbreaking for One Memphis Place
1984, June 2 - Carl and Jean Boenish jump (with parachutes) from the top of the 430-foot-tall 100 North Main Building as a kickoff for the Cotton Carnival Parade. Carl would die five weeks later in a jump from a mountain in Norway.
1984, June 28 - First Tennessee Heritage Gallery opens in the bank lobby
1984, November - Voters in the downtown precincts 1 and 2 vote for President. Mondale (D) 1,511 Reagan (R) 224
1984, December- William Len Apartments open at 110 Monroe.
1985- One Memphis Place opens
1985- South Main Association formed
1985- Paper Works at 408 S Front remodeled for apartments and offices
1985, Jan 5- Bill Cosby performs at the Orpheum and mentions visiting the Mid America Mall. “I expected to find a Neimen Marcus or maybe a Sax 5th Avenue. But hey, you people are the only city in the country with a mall for the poor and needy,” he said to the audience.
1985, February - Jerry Lee Lewis rents penthouse apartment at 200 Wagner Place (now Waterford Plaza)
1985, April - Convention and Visitors Bureau launches the "Start Something Great in Memphis" ad campaign.
1985, May- Cotton Carnival’s name changed to the River Carnival
1985, May 1- Memphis gets cellular phone service
1985, May - Lincoln America Life Insurance moves headquarters from 60 North Main to Carmel, Indiana
1985, June - The newly remodeled Brinkley Plaza holds an open house
1985, July - Repair work gets underway to replace falling and broken marble tile from the City Hall exterior
1985, July 12- Convention Center Hotel opens, first as Holiday Inn Crown Plaza, later as Marriott
1985, September- ALSAC Pavilion opens at St. Jude
1985, September - Carl Perkins, Roy Orbison, Jerry Lee Lewis and Carl Perkins team up together at Sun Studios to record under the name "The Class of 1955"
1985, November 30 - Blues Alley closes.
1986- Cotton Exchange Building renovated for offices
1986- Union Commons renovated
1986- first South Main Street fest
1986, January - MEMPHIS BUSINESS JOURNAL moves offices downtown. Its first issue was May 28, 1979 and titled MIDSOUTH BUSINESS. It was then published from 4515 Poplar.
1986, January- Residents move into the William Len Apartments (Now Residence Inn by Marriott at Main and Monroe)
1986, Feb 6- St. Jude hospital votes to stay in Memphis
1986, March 15- Radisson opens integrating a new building with the old Hotel Tennessee (built in 1927). Cost $25 million.
1986, April - City Council votes to fund $600,000 for re landscaping and improving court square. The project took about six months
1986, May- Construction starts on Church Park
1986, May 5 - After Memphis tried to get the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame to move to the city, the museum announced it will open ... in Cleveland, Ohio
1986, May 25- Memphians link hands in the “Hands Across America” event stretching from New York NY to Long Beach CA.
1986, Summer- Memphis Police Museum opens on Beale
1986, September 5- Hernando Desoto bridge lighting
1986, November - Remodeling of 378 South Main becomes the first project using $600,000 of county money spent to revitalize the South Main historic district. The first South Main open house was also held that month
1986, December 11 - Time capsule buried in Court Square for excavation in 2036 to commemorate Tennessee Homecoming 1986. It was a year-long celebration of Tennessee culture.
1987- Parking Can Be Fun Garage opens on Union
1987- 88 Monroe remodeled
1987- The original St. Jude Hospital star shaped building razed
1987- The South End opens at South Front and GE Patterson. It closed in 1995.
1987, April- First Africa in April festival
1987, April 15 to August 31 - Exhibit of Rameses the Great begins a series of changing exhibits that will later be called The Wonders Series.
1987, May- “Ascent of the Blues” sculpture built south of Morgan Keegan Tower. Two years later, THE MEMPHIS FLYER lists this as one of Memphis’ top ten eyesores.
1987, May 17- The Memphis Belle, the famous WWII B 29, gets a new home on Mud Island
1987, June- Plans for Riverset apartments on Mud Island announced
1987, July- Sunset Cafe, a floating restaurant, opens on the river at the foot of Beale
1987, Summer- Spaghetti Warehouse opens on Hulling, a South Main Historic District pioneer
1987, September 15- The Tennessee Heritage Mural created by artists Edward Faires and Betty Gilow is dedicated in the lobby of the First Tennessee Bank.
1987 October 12- Columbus Park dedicated
1987, November 5- Church Park is dedicated on Beale St.
1987, November 30- McCall Avenue changed to Peabody Place
1987, December 5 - Rededication of the Shelby County Courthouse. It was originally dedicated January 1, 1910, but had undergone major remodeling.
1987, December 27 - MID SOUTH MAGAZINE, the COMMERCIAL APPEAL'S Sunday
magazine publishes its last issue. It debuted in March, 1965 and was replaced by
PARADE magazine
1987, December 30- AW Willis Bridge opened from Auction St. to Mud Island
1988- Backstreet Couriers, a bicycle messenger service, opens downtown
1988- 88 Union Center remodeled
1988, February 2- Operators at the Criminal Justice Center begin answering calls at Memphis’ new 911 system.
1988, March 2 - Loraine Motel closed and tenants evicted so the motel can be converted into the Civil Rights Museum
1988, April 19 - Groundbreaking for the remodeling of the YMCA building on Madison into the new Fogelman YMCA
1988, June- Memphis Center for Contemporary Art opens in S,. Main Historic District
1988, July 10 & 11- River stage at Memphis falls to -10.7 feet, the lowest recorded level
1988, July 27- Riverset Apartments - the first residential development on Mud Island- opens.
1988, August 23- Council votes to fund Pyramid arena
1988, August 27 & 28- First Center for Southern Folklore’s Midsouth Music and Heritage Festival
1988, November - Voters in the downtown precincts 1 and 2 vote for President.
Dukakis (D) 1,069 Bush (R) 317
1989- Downtown YMCA remodeling completed and dedicated as the Fogelman YMCA
1989, January 27- Civil Rights Museum breaks ground
1989, February 16- 1st issue of THE MEMPHIS FLYER published from offices in the warehouse district
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1989, June 30 - The movie "Great Balls of Fire" released showing the life of Jerry Lee Lewis and portraying late 1950's Memphis. It was filmed the previous Fall and Winter.
1989, July 22- Jimmy Buffett and the Coral Reefer Band play the open area of Mud Island which had been turned into a sandy beach.
1989, September - Joseph Goodman and Son Jewelers announces it will close within the month. It had been part of downtown since 1862.
1989, September 7- Rhodes Jennings Building, Central Station, the Showboat Buses and Assent of The Blues Sculpture listed as four of Memphis’ biggest eyesores by the MEMPHIS FLYER
1989,September 15 and 16 - The Big Dig ... groundbreaking of the Great American Pyramid
1989, December- Plan considered to change the name of Mud Island to Racapolis and turn it into a rock and roll and Ancient Egyptian theme park. It didn’t happen.
1989, December - Mayor Hackett proposes the city spend less effort on housing the poor in housing projects and more on getting them into houses and apartments throughout the city. This would later lead to turning Lauderdale Courts into apartments.
1989, December 26 - Belz Company announces the beginning of the construction of Peabody Place development, a parking garage at 3rd and Peabody Place.
1990- Candy Factory at 262 Wagner remodeled
1990, January- The movie “Mystery Train” filmed in the South Main Historic District released across the country. It portrayed the area as empty and abandoned but with its own loveable charisma.
1990, April 1- Census shows 7,160 people living in downtown tracts of 1, 22, 41, 42, 43 and 44.
1990, April- Public station WKNO’s “Action Auction” takes bids for a home on Mud Island’s Harbor Town development. No one bid above the minimum bid.
1990, May 30- Henry Turley begins purchasing land for what will become the South Bluffs Community
1990, June 18- Goldsmith’s downtown closes
1990, July 26- Danny and Jeanne Richardson purchase house at 860 Riverpark Dr. They become the first homeowners on Mud Island.
1990, August 1- Lansky’s on Beale closes
1990, August 2 - South Main residents complain that prostitutes have returned to the area after a two year absence.
1990, October 28 - The Convention and Visitor's "Start Something Great in Memphis" advertising campaign is replaced my "Give Me Memphis, Tennessee."
1990, November- Community radio station WEVL moves to South Main
1990, December 3- Dr. Iben Browning forecast for a deviating earthquake to affect Memphis on this date didn’t happen.
1991, January 24 - Actress Cybill Shepherd purchases home in the South Bluffs neighborhood at 525 Magnolia Mound. She sold the house in October, 2006
1991, February- 1st issue of MEMPHIS DOWNTOWNER magazine
1991, February 6 - Actor and founder of St. Jude hospital Danny Thomas dies. Buried at the hospital
1991, February 12- Marc Cohn releases CD with the hit “Walking in Memphis” with lots of downtown references
1991, February 19 - Abraham’s Deli at 338 N Main collapses. It had closed Jan 30.
1991, May- BB King’s Club opens
1991, May 31- Dianne's restaurant on top of the 100 N. Main Building becomes Pinnacle
1991, June 17- Sydney Schlenker removed as head of the Pyramid
1991 June 23-29 - World Police and Fire games hosted in Memphis, including downtown.
1991, August 30 - Edward Pembroke, the long time duck master at the Peabody Hotel, retires. He started at the hotel some 50 years earlier.
1991, Sept 28- $9.2 million Civil Rights Museum opens
1991, Sept- Tonoke at 161 Jefferson vacates when the military processing station moves to Beale and Danny Thomas
1991, September- Article in THE COMMERCIAL APPEAL states Sterick Building will be put up for auction. There were two tenants remaining. The 1990 City Directory had a few dozen tenants
1991 November 9 - Pyramid opens at a cost of $65 million
1991, December 9 - Building at 91 South Main collapses. There were no injuries or deaths.
1992- Hays Building remodeled at 269-73 South Front
1992, January 1- Dr. Willie Herenton inaugurated as the first elected black mayor after a week of events to commemorate the events.
1992, March- First buyers of D.T. Porter condos
1992, April 25- Grand opening of South Bluffs
1992, July 25- A police escort brings the cooking grease from the Dyer’s Cafe location on Cleveland to its new home on Beale. Dyer’s claims it has used the same grease since its opening .
1992, Fall- Maria Montessori School opens at Harbor Town
1992, Oct.- Union Planters Bank (now Regions Bank) moves headquarters from downtown to East Memphis
1992, October - Sidewalks repaired around the Shelby County Courthouse marking an end to almost ten years of repairs to the building
1992, November 3 - Downtown voters in precincts 1 and 2 vote for President. Clinton (D) 1,390 Bush (R) 622 Perot (I) 129. In Mississippi voters approve riverboat casino gambling, which will eventually make Tunica a rival to Memphis as an entertainment venue.
1992, December- Lincoln American Tower closes
1993- Tom Lee Park expanded
1993, April- Arcade Hotel, featured in the movie “Mystery Train” razed
1993, April- Fire damages Hickman Building on Madison across from the YMCA. It had been vacant since 1971
1993, April 29-. Trolleys run 2.5 mile rail line and Mid America Mall returns to its old name of Main Street
1993, May 1 - Smoking ban issued for inside all city government buildings
1993, June 30- “The Firm,” a big budget movie shot primarily in Memphis, is released.
1993, November- groundbreaking at AutoZone Headquarters. During the excavation of the site, archeologists discovered an unexploded Civil War canonball.
1994, January- Memphis Police create a new downtown precinct, illustrating downtown’s growing population
1994, February 9 - Major ice storm shuts down much of the city
1994, April- Senator Joe Cooper and Councilman Myron Lowery suggested putting a measure on the August ballot that would give or lease part of Mud Island to an American Indian tribe so casinos can open on the island. Didn’t happen.
1994, April 12 - THE COMMERCIAL APPEAL cartoonist Michael Ramirez awarded Pulitzer Prize
1994, May 13- Formation of the Memphis River Redevelopment Corporation
1994, December- McCrory’s (originally Kress) store at 9 North Main closes. It had been open since 1927
1994, December- Gayoso Apartments open
1995, November - Saint Mongo's Atonement Center, formerly Prince Mongo's Planet at 56 S. Front, closed. The business had many legal problems that year.
1995, November- Last of 900 AutoZone employees move into headquarters
1995, December 13 - groundbreaking for Peabody Place tower
1996- Sleep Inn opens near Court Square
1996, January- South End (Later Blue Monkey) at 529 S Front closes
1996, March 1- Hunt Phelan home, an antebellum mansion on Beale, opens to the public for tours.
1996, June - Tourist Information Center opens near Jefferson Davis Park
1996, June - The Former Saint Mongo's Atonement Center at 56-60 South Front painted pink. City Environmental Court dropped charges against him brought by the Memphis Landmarks Commission.
1996, October- production begins on traveling radio show “Beale Street Caravan” now produced in downtown Memphis
1996, October 7 - Dr. Peter Doherty, an immunologist from St. Jude Children's Research Hospital awarded Nobel Prize for Medicine. He shared the award with Dr Rolf Zinkernagel of Switzerland
1996, November - Voters is downtown precincts 1 and 2 vote for President. Clinton (D) 1,147 Dole (R) 563 Perot (I) 33
1997- First phase of Peabody Place opens
1997- Penbroke Building opens
1997, March 14- Mississippi River reaches 40.76 feet at Memphis -- third highest level in recorded history
1997, May 29- Singer Jeff Buckley drowns while swimming near the Mud Island monorail bridge.
1997, June 17- Portion of Hernando Street becomes Rufus Thomas Blvd.
1997, October 23 - Blue Suede Brigade introduced by the Center City Commission to provide information to people traveling downtown
1997, November 15- Renovation of the Orpheum completed with traveling performance of "Phantom of the Opera"
1998- Heritage Tours opens the old Jacob Birkle house for regular visits as “Slave Haven,” a possible stop on the underground railroad.
1998- MEMPHIS PARENT magazine starts publishing from Contemporary Media. The magazine was founded in 1990.
1998, Jan 5- first grocery opens on Mud Island (Miss Cordelia’s Grocery store)
1998, January 17 - Ku Klux Klan marches downtown to protest the Martin Luther King holiday. Police use teargas to dispense the protesters
1998, September 3- Crowne Plaza downtown becomes Marriott
1998, October- Fire Museum opens
1998, December- St. Joseph Hospital closes after almost 110 years
1998, December 1- City Council approves changing the name of Calhoun Ave to Bishop G E Patterson Ave.
1999, February- Brownstone Hotel reopens as Wyndham Garden
1999, May - The Cotton Makers Jubilee becomes the Kemet Jubilee
1999, May - Temple Deliverance Cathedral, a church of God in Christ church, opens at 369 G E Patterson
1999, May 11- Park Commission cancels plans to turn Confederate Park into a park to honor cancer survivors
1999, July- Demolition begins on Ellis Auditorium
1999, August 6- dedication on the 1.1 mile Mississippi Riverbluff Walkway.
1999, September 24- Grand re-opening of the newly remodeled Central Station
1999, December 8 - St Peter's Catholic Church breaks ground on a national shrine honoring St. Martin de Porres, patron saint of social justice.
2000- Center City Commission adopts the slogan “Definitely Downtown”
2000, January 14- Remodeled Central Station officially opened to the public
2000, March- Hampton opens
2000, April 1- AutoZone park opens at a cost of $72 million
2000, April 1- Census shows 8,994 people living in the Downtown census tracts of 1, 22, 41, 42, 43 and 44.
2000, April 28- Rock and Soul Museum opens
2000, May 5 - Auction at the Hunt Phelan home on contents from the house, what was not auctioned off then was sold the following October. The city refused to fund the home as a museum
2000, August 24 - Fire severely damages St Mary's Episcopal Church
2000, October 19- WC Handy Park for the Performing Arts opens
2000, November- Voters in downtown precincts 1 and 2 vote for President. Gore (D) 914 Bush (R) 548 Nader (G) 40 Buchanan (I) 1
2001- $100m expansion of Cook convention Center. begins
2001, June 15 - Peabody Place Mall opens giving Memphis, among other things, downtown’s first movie theater since 1977
2001, July- Residents relocated from Hurt Village and Lauderdale Courts for creation of part of Uptown Memphis
2001, August 13- Article in THE COMMERCIAL APPEAL states the Clayborn Ball Temple is now closed.
2001, October- Ross De Alessi Lighting Design presents a report for “Light It Up Memphis” a program to illuminate public buildings downtown
2001, Oct. 9 - Grizzlies, Memphis' NBA team, play at Pyramid
2001, December 20 - Contract approved for the new basketball arena (later named the FedEx Forum). Among other things it contained a clause stating no events at the Pyramid arena could compete with events at the FedEx Forum.
2002- Spring Hill Suites opens
2002- Echelon at the Ballpark Apartments opens
2002, February- Uptown Resource Center opens
2002, June- Madison Hotel opens
2002, June 8- Lennox Lewis defeats Mike Tyson at the Pyramid
2002, June 20- Groundbreaking of FedEx Forum
2002 July 18- Emerge Memphis, Memphis’ first business incubator, opens at GE Patterson and Tennessee
2002, September 28- Dedication of the expansion of The Civil Rights Museum. The original section focused on the civil rights movement but this segment dealt with the assassination.
2002, October- Demolition begins on the old Hurt Village and Lauderdale Courts housing project and remodeling begins on Lauderdale Courts. The name Uptown Memphis and new logo are unveiled
2002, October 16 - New basketball arena to be named The FedEx Forum
2002 November 26- Yellow Rose Cafe, the last business in the Lincoln America Building closes.
2003- Friends For Our Riverfront formed
2003- Blue Monkey opens at Front and GE Paterson
2003, January 25- Cannon Performing Arts Center Grand Opening
2003, March- Memphis Bell moved from Mud Island to Millington for restoration
2003, May 16 - Barbeque Contest evacuated due to a tornado warning.
2003, July 22 - Storms wreck millions of dollars in damage on Memphis
2003, August- Students return to St. Patrick’s School after a fifty year hiatus.
2003, September 16- Elvis Presley’s Memphis at Second and Beale closes.
2003, September 18- Urban Land Institute releases report on Memphis Riverfront Master Plan that includes creating a land bridge from Downtown to Mud Island
2003, October- leasing starts Greenlaw Place and Uptown Square Apartments
2003, October- Plans for Court Square Center announced combining the Lincoln America Tower, Court Annex and Rhodes Jennings Buildings
2003, December- remodeling begins on the old Kress Store for Spring Hill suites by Marriott.
2003, December - Center for Southern Folklore moves into 123 S. Main
2003, December 21- Jack’s Food Store at Main and Jefferson destroyed by fire
2004- Marriott opens at 110 Monroe, site of the William Len Hotel
2004, January 5- Grizzlies House opens at St. Jude
2004, February 9 - University of Memphis announces the Tigers basketball team will play at the FedEx Forum
2004, March 15- trolley expands to the Medical Center
2004, July 14- Groundbreaking of City House Condos on GE Paterson between Front and Tennessee Streets
2004, Summer- repaving at Court Square begins
2004, August - Uptown Square and Elvis Suite are unveiled
2004, September - Fire Station 4 opens at 1460 N. Second. The original Station 4 was on North Main where the Interstate 40 crosses and was closed in 1963.
2004, September 6 - The $196.1 million FedEx Forum opens with a open house.
2004, September- Uptown Condos begin selling in former Lauderdale Courts housing project.
2004, October- U S Air Force announces it will move the Memphis Belle to Dayton, Ohio.
2005, February- Demolition begins on Beale Street Landing
2005, March- Court Square reopened with improvements, including WIFI access. .
2005, March 12- 71 homes sold -all before they were built- in three hours on Mud Island
2005, April 1- Ride The Ducks, a tour group of amphibious vehicles, takes to the streets of Memphis
2005, April - The “NBC” bank sign on top of One Commerce Square is replaced by “SunTrust”
2005, July 17 and 18- Former Eureka Hotel at 356 Mulberry razed. It had been for sale and needing repair since January
2005, August 13- Reverend Al Sharpton comes to Memphis to rally in favor of changing the names of Confederate, Jefferson Davis and Forrest Parks
2005, Sept 18- Blue Monkey at 529 S Front destroyed by fire
2005, October 27- Pre selling begins on The Horizon Condos, with 2 sixteen story towers.
2005, December- “UP BANK” sign removed from the top of 100 North Main after 40 years.
2006, January- University of Memphis Law School announced it will relocate from the U of M campus to the post office at Front and Madison
2006, January, 11- Bass Pro Shops reaches "an agreement in principle" to turn the Pyramid into a outdoor mega store
2006, March 5 - Cotton Museum opens in the Cotton Exchange Building.
2006, March 5 - Memphis made films "Hustle and Flow" and "Walk the Line," win Academy Awards.
2006, May 13 - First downtown farmer's market held at Central Station.
2006, June 30 - President George W. Bush and Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi eat lunch at the Rendezvous after a visit to Graceland and the Civil Rights Museum.
2006, September 3 - "American Idol" holds auditions at the FedEx Forum
2006, October 6 - Early morning fires destroy First United Methodist Church, The Court Square Annex and damage the Lincoln America Tower. Over two hundred firefighters were involved.
2006, October 29 - Fishermen find a manatee swimming in the harbor between Mud Island and Downtown. The manatee was gone by the time rescuers from Sea World in Florida came to its rescue. It was later found dead.
2006, November 30 - Mayor Willie Herenton and Joe Frazier hold a boxing match at the Peabody to benefit the Shelby County Drug Court.
2007, February 3 - Bob Seager holds a concert at The Pyramid. It was billed as the last concert at the venue.
2007, April 17 - Westin Hotel opens at South Second and George W Lee
2007, May 25 - Downtown's first "Zombie Walk" where visitors dressed as zombies walked through the streets of downtown
2007, June 22 - Stax Record's 50th anniversary concert held at the Orpheum.
2007, June 25 - Memphis marketing executive Greg Ericson of the Ericson Group presents Mayor Herenton with plans for an indoor amusement park at The Pyramid
2008, February 23 - In perhaps one of the most anticipated sporting events in Memphis history, The FedEx Forum hosted number 2 ranked University of Tennessee Volunteers basketball team against number 1 ranked University of Memphis. The UT Volunteers won, 66 to 62.
2008, April 4 - Presidential Candidates Hilary Rodham-Clinton and John McCain visit the Civil Rights museum on the 40th anniversary of Martin Luther King's assassination.
2008, June 18 - THE DAILY NEWS located at 193 Jefferson, expands to include a weekly newspaper, THE MEMPHIS NEWS.
2008, July 6 - Last movies shown at Muvico Peabody Place Theater
2008, September 27 - Presidential candidate Barack Obama (and Secret Service agents) drops by Fogelman YMCA for an early morning workout. They left about an hour later.
2008, October 31 - The 82-year-old Delta Queen departs from Memphis on its last voyage
2009, January 5 - After five years as a giant hole in the ground, construction begins on Barbaro Alley Flats at Main and Gayoso
2009, February 27 - The Terra (Technologically Environmentally Responsible Residential Architecture) Home dedicated at North Main and Greenlaw. It was designed to be the most energy and environmentally efficient home in the area.
2009, March - Artist Jeff Zimmerman and Rhodes College began work on a giant mural near the YMCA and Autozone Park
2009, May 1- "$5 Cover", a Memphis-based TV series created by local director Craig Brewer and local cinematographer Alan Spearmen, premiers on MTV.
2009, June 25 - Mayor Willie Herenton announces he will resign July 10
2009, July 30 - Mayor Willie Herenton leaves and is replaced by Interim Mayor Myron Lowery
2009, September 22 - The Dali Lama visits Memphis. Mayor Pro Tem Myron Lowry makes national news with his "fist bump" greeting at Tom Lee Park
From sources including the archives of THE COMMERCIAL APPEAL, MEMPHIS BUSINESS JOURNAL, DOWNTOWN DEVELOPER, MEMPHIS DOWNTOWNER, THE MEMPHIS FLYER, MEMPHIS MAGAZINE, THE MEMPHIS PRESS-SCIMITAR. The books, MEMPHIS: AN ARCHITECTURAL GUIDE by Eugene J. Johnson and Robert D. Russell Jr., ASK VANCE, by Vance Lauderdale. www.tennesseeencyclopedia.net, www.memphispolice.com., www.firemuseum.com, The files of the Memphis Room at the Memphis Shelby County Public Library and Information Center and Ned R McWherter Library at the University of Memphis. Internet Movie Database.
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