The staff here are extremely helpful, accommodating, and friendly. This is an excellent community…read moreresource. I highly recommend.

Thomas Edison got around - I've been to his winter estate in Fort Myers and elsewhere. But before…read morehe was the famed inventor and friend to other rich philanthropists, he spent time here in Memphis. This marker near Court Square Park points out some of his time here in Memphis. It reads, "In 1865-66 Edison was military telegraph operator with the Federal occupation army, working in a building formerly at the east corner of North Court and November 6 Streets, and boarding next door. Trying to invent an auto-repeat key, he managed to connect New Orleans with New York directly for the first time after the war. As a result, he was discharged by a jealous superior, and he left Memphis." This is marker number 4E-69 and was erected by the Tennessee Historical Commission. There is metered street parking nearby. [Review 19850 overall - 402 in Tennessee - 823 of 2023.]

Awesome and friendly staff! Ryan White Part A oversees distribution of federal funds to local…read moreprograms and agencies to help those with HIV and AIDS receive care and support services.

This marker stands in front of the Memphis branch of the Federal Reserve Bank. It points out the…read morehistory of a local who achieved much success in law. The marker is in excellent condition. On the front, it reads "Josiah T. Settle, one of the earliest African-American 19th century Memphis lawyers, was born in the Cumberland Mountains of East Tennessee. Educated at Oberlin College, Settle was a member of the Howard University's first law school graduating class (1875). That same year, he was admitted to the bar and in 1876 was presidential elector-at-large. During the early 1880s, Settle served in the Mississippi House of Representatives." On the reverse, "After a noted legal and legislative career in Mississippi, Settle came to Memphis in 1885. During the late 1880s, he served as Assistant Attorney General of the Criminal Court of Shelby County, an appointment unprecedented for an African-American at that time. He was a delegate to the Republican National Conventions of 1892, 1900, 1904, and 1912. In 1906, Settle was admitted to practice before the United States Supreme Court." There is metered street parking and parking garages nearby. [Review 19845 overall - 397 in Tennessee - 818 of 2023.]

I've lived in every municipality in Shelby County. Collierville has the absolute WORST city…read moreservices. I see a Police car patrol MAYBE once a month on our road; which is a city boundary. The garbage services are worse than that. They half way pick up piled up tree debris & I've had actual arguments with the recycling driver. His supervisor was no help. The roads are absolute garbage, for this to be tge wealthiest town in the county. I've even asked; in emails, for extra Police patrol; which would be ANY patrol at this point. I asked for help from engineering because our ditch floods and flows over into my yard. Instead of getting help I got an email saying to keep my easement clean. Even though the city charter says that they're responsible for ditches and flood water. After paying over $550K for our home and doubling my mortgage, I wish I'd just stayed in Arlington. Collierville is awful and not accountable for anything.

Really don't know why I haven't done check ins here in my little slice of of the world. I first…read morerode around this quaint little town with a realtor when looking to relocate in 1993, fell in love and have been here ever since. I guess I can start to doing check-is regularly. (smiles) There's so much to say about my adopted home of Collierville. I call it my adopted home because I was born in Ohio, grew up in NC and moved around the country from California to VA and PA before getting out of the Navy and settling down and having children in MA. I thought New England was going to be my 4ever home and I was there, in one place, for longer than anywhere else before. But alas it was not to be and when fate brought me back down south it all started by an offer for a morning gig at a new Memphis radio station & looking for a new house in little ol' Collierville.   It was relatively small back then in 1992 (approx 14,000) and that 1st ride through the wonderfully quaint and pristine town square was like driving right into an episode of Andy Griffith because it was like a ride into Mayberry. From the trains and whistle stop to the whiskey barrels set up for checkers in the boot and tackle shop, right down to a little bank the size of an outhouse, it was just all very charming. (Parade Magazine ranked the town square "Best Main Street" in America in 2014) I would soon discover that this town was home to excellent schools for my kids that, would later, have national championship cheerleaders and athletes with some of the finest teachers and administrators anywhere.  My kids, who grew in metro areas, would soon have their first puppy, their first bikes and even a pool in their very own backyard and more, pretty awesome!  The people of Colliervile had a great sense of community and civic pride and I got to know many of the police professionals, many who have federal certifications and have always been on the cutting edge in an effort to protect our not so little community and our firefighters and local business owners. I say not so little because the expansion has been pretty fast (currently over 50,000) with a new 800,000+ sq ft outdoor shopping center & Baptist Hospital and industry like Carrier & Pepsi, and a really big deal, the national headquarters for FedEx. There's been so many new businesses, houses, banks, restaurants, schools, many new churches and so much more with construction all around. Then there was the major highways, the first was the Nonconah (385) which connects the town to I-240/I-40 (a loop around Memphis) and later I-269 a Memphis beltway connecting the I-55 corridor in MS to the south & I-40 to the East. If that weren't enough Collierville will eventually become part of the I-69 hwy plan that integrates SR-385 & I-269 as part of the huge project linking Canada and Mexico. Wow! I make a big deal out of these roads because when I first arrived we were kind if isolated from the "big city" and all the highway systems It used to taket 45+ minutes just to get to Memphis on Poplar & just as long to get to I-40 via backroads to go east (Nashville), so growth has been relatively fast and big, but I digress. I'm happy to have been right here in Collierville for over twenty-five years which is, by far, longer than any of my previous homes. While I have lived in 12 different states, and visited 46 others, I am both happy and proud to call this little place my home.

Located along historic Beale Street, this marker points out the history of an early business that…read moresadly is no more. On the front of the marker, it reads "Hooks Brothers Photography. Established in 1907. Established by Henry A. Hooks, Sr. and his brother Robert B. Hooks, Hooks Brothers Photography Studio was the second oldest continuously operating black business in Memphis. Located during its early years at 164 Beale Street, it next moved to Linden Avenue and finally to McLemore Avenue, where it ceased operation after a destructive fire in 1979." It continues on the reverse, "Covering much of the 20th century, the company chronicled and documented the history and lives of black Memphis and Memphians. Among the subjects and luminaries captured on film by the Hooks Brothers were Booker T. Washington, W. C. Handy, Robert R. Church, the beginning days of the Memphis NAACP, the Lincoln League, early high school and college graduating classes from Howe Institute, LeMoyne College, and many other activities of black society and ordinary people." There is parking nearby but this is along the pedestrian zone of Beale Street. Stop by while you're enjoying the town and think about what's been and gone here. [Review 2070 of 2024 - 543 in Tennessee - 23089 overall]

This statue was commissioned by UNICO, an Italian American organization, in 1984. It was moved from…read moredowntown Columbus Park to Marquette Park, the site of the annual Memphis Italian Festival. Since being relocated to the park, it has been vandalized twice and had received calls for its removal. The 12-foot bronze statue depicts Columbus with a sword hanging from his left hip and his right hand over his brows, as if he is looking out yonder. The statue is perched upon a concrete pedestal and sits upon a map of the Mediterranean region made out of concrete. The makers used Google Maps to create an accurate layout of Italy and the surrounding islands. Visitors are encouraged to climb on and around the concrete pieces. You will also find cement/brick benches around the small plaza's perimeter with the names of donor's on it. A flag pole with the American and Tennessee flag on it and another flag pole with Italy's flag, serves as the backdrop to the plaza. Additionally, the park has a lot of plaques, most of them look relatively new. Some of the plaques include the names of gold and silver sponsors, a dedication to Louis Franceschini, Jr, a WWII vet and UNICO supporter, facts about Columbus, Columbus quotes, and regions of Italy. Regardless of the controversy surrounding the statue it is located in a nice little plaza area and is well maintained my UNICO. The statue and it's associated plaza are well done and exudes Italian pride. I am not sure if there will come a day that this statue will succumb to the calls for its removal, but enjoy it while it is here. UNICO has been the savior of many other Columbus statues from across the country, including one that was decapitated in Waterbury Connecticut, and it has been their mission not to give in. Anyway, this is not a long stop. I was there less than 5 minutes. So, you may want to consider planning out additional stops at many of the other attractions in the area, or making this stop part of a larger itinerary to maximize your time and trip. Most victors of this statute will probably be visiting Marquette Park, in some capacity anyway, so that would be a great start to any itinerary that include a visit here.

Danny Thomas' St Judes is here in Memphis. A marketer acknowledges his impact on the city of…read moreMemphis. As a "starving actor", Thomas had made a vow: If he became successful, he would open a shrine dedicated to St. Jude Thaddeus, the patron saints of hopeless causes. In 1962, Thomas founded the St. Jude Children's Research Hospital in Memphis. Since its inception, St. Jude has treated children from around the world, continuing his mission of finding cures and saving children free of charge.

Danny Thomas, born in Deerfield, Michigan, on January 6, 1912, was a well-known entertainer and…read morephilanthropist who left an indelible mark on Memphis, Tennessee. He is most recognized for establishing St. Jude Children's Research Hospital in 1962, a groundbreaking hospital dedicated to the treatment of catastrophic diseases in children. In addition to his charity activities, Danny Thomas was an accomplished actor and comedian who starred in the popular television show "Make Room for Daddy," later renamed "The Danny Thomas Show." Thomas's dedication to helping others and his remarkable career have left an indelible mark on Memphis and this historical marker points out one piece of that. On the front, "Thanks to entertainer Danny Thomas, who founded St. Jude Childrens Research Hospital in Memphis, this road bears the name Beale Street. Created as an avenue in 1841, locals began calling it Beale Street after the African-American blues legend W.C. Handy, who wrote Beale Street Blues in 1917. By 1955, Memphis changed the names of east-west streets to avenues. Unhappy with the decision, Thomas recorded a song, Bring Back Our Beale Street, as an appeal to Mayor Frank Tobey to keep the streets name. 'Memphis don't own Beale Street,' read one lyric. 'It belongs to the world.'" And on the reverse, "2000 copies of the record were distributed to jukeboxes and proceeds from the song benefited St. Jude, where families never receive a bill for services. Because of Thomas' efforts, Mayor Tobey changed the name back to Beale Street. In 1960, when Thomas was in town to lay the cornerstone for St. Jude, he visited Beale Street for the Handy statue dedication and played a few notes from his song on Handy's trumpet. In 1962, St. Jude opened a mile from Beale street, on a road later renamed Danny Thomas Boulevard, in honor of its founder." The marker is on Beale Street in front of Handy Park. Stop in while you're enjoying being a tourist! [Review 2076 of 2024 - 544 in Tennessee - 23095 overall]