Uptown, Memphis
Encyclopedia
Uptown Memphis is a neighborhood located near downtown Memphis
, Tennessee
.
St. Jude Children's Research Hospital
and the Pinch District are located in the general vicinity.
Prominent Memphis families built large stately homes in the area. By 1865, blue collar workers began to build smaller homes alongside these homes creating an economically diverse community. Ethnic diversity was the norm. Immigrants from Germany and Ireland moved into the area, as did Jewish immigrants from Europe. Because of this, the area now known as Greenlaw attracted mostly Northeastern and Mid-Western families, giving the area its own distinctive culture.
In 1870, Greenlaw and Chelsea were annexed into Memphis.
In the 1920s, political power players began to move out, and Greenlaw began to lose political muscle. The government began to bulldoze older mansions in the 1930s, leaving empty lots in many cases.
Phillip Belz began industrial development in north Memphis in the 1940s. The neighborhood attracted blue-collar workers and African Americans. Bars, liquor stores and juke joints also opened up, tarnishing the family-friendly atmosphere.
In an effort to attract more white residents, the Memphis Housing Authority built an all-white housing development called Hurt Village in the 1950s.
Racial tensions were at a high in the 1960s due to the sanitation strike and assassination of Martin Luther King. Most whites who lived in Hurt Village left the area. Since then, most businesses have closed as well as industries. Non-profit groups seek ways to assist the mainly African-American residents left in the area.
lived in Lauderdale Courts, a small government housing project in this area which has since been renovated into a nicer apartment complex. Michael Oher
, a player in the NFL, spent most of his childhood growing up in Uptown Memphis, until the Touhy family took him in.
Memphis, Tennessee
Memphis is a city in the southwestern corner of the U.S. state of Tennessee, and the county seat of Shelby County. The city is located on the 4th Chickasaw Bluff, south of the confluence of the Wolf and Mississippi rivers....
, Tennessee
Tennessee
Tennessee is a U.S. state located in the Southeastern United States. It has a population of 6,346,105, making it the nation's 17th-largest state by population, and covers , making it the 36th-largest by total land area...
.
St. Jude Children's Research Hospital
St. Jude Children's Research Hospital
St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, founded in 1962, is a leading pediatric treatment and research facility focused on children's catastrophic diseases. It is located in Memphis, Tennessee. It is a nonprofit medical corporation chartered as a 501 tax-exempt organization under IRS regulations.In...
and the Pinch District are located in the general vicinity.
19th century
Uptown was established in the 1840s by the Greenlaw Brothers. Partners in the establishing of Uptown were Robert Looney, John and Isaac Saffarans and E.T. Keel. Streets were paved with cobblestone with granite curbs, and were lined with sycamore trees.Prominent Memphis families built large stately homes in the area. By 1865, blue collar workers began to build smaller homes alongside these homes creating an economically diverse community. Ethnic diversity was the norm. Immigrants from Germany and Ireland moved into the area, as did Jewish immigrants from Europe. Because of this, the area now known as Greenlaw attracted mostly Northeastern and Mid-Western families, giving the area its own distinctive culture.
In 1870, Greenlaw and Chelsea were annexed into Memphis.
20th century
The Mississippi River flooded Greenlaw in 1912, stopping construction of homes for the affluent.In the 1920s, political power players began to move out, and Greenlaw began to lose political muscle. The government began to bulldoze older mansions in the 1930s, leaving empty lots in many cases.
Phillip Belz began industrial development in north Memphis in the 1940s. The neighborhood attracted blue-collar workers and African Americans. Bars, liquor stores and juke joints also opened up, tarnishing the family-friendly atmosphere.
In an effort to attract more white residents, the Memphis Housing Authority built an all-white housing development called Hurt Village in the 1950s.
Racial tensions were at a high in the 1960s due to the sanitation strike and assassination of Martin Luther King. Most whites who lived in Hurt Village left the area. Since then, most businesses have closed as well as industries. Non-profit groups seek ways to assist the mainly African-American residents left in the area.
21st century
In 2000, Memphis was awarded the Hope VI grant for demolition of Hurt Village. Uptown is currently becoming a mixed community that is rich in culture and people.Notable residents
At one time, Elvis PresleyElvis Presley
Elvis Aaron Presley was one of the most popular American singers of the 20th century. A cultural icon, he is widely known by the single name Elvis. He is often referred to as the "King of Rock and Roll" or simply "the King"....
lived in Lauderdale Courts, a small government housing project in this area which has since been renovated into a nicer apartment complex. Michael Oher
Michael Oher
Michael Jerome Oher is an American football offensive tackle for the Baltimore Ravens of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Ravens in the first round of the 2009 NFL Draft. He played college football at the University of Mississippi for the Ole Miss Rebels...
, a player in the NFL, spent most of his childhood growing up in Uptown Memphis, until the Touhy family took him in.