MEMPHIS, Tenn. (localmemphis.com) – One Memphis historian says the last 20 years of Memphis’ history is, in many ways, some of the most important years.
In the past 20 years, we have seen a lot. AutoZone Park and the FedExForum opened up. Peabody Place opened as a mall, closed, then reopened as Service Master.
20 years ago, Overton Square was not thriving like it is today, and Crosstown Concourse was still an abandoned building.
Broad Avenue is now a busy arts district, but 20 years ago, Sam Cooper literally ran right through this neighborhood. Broadway Pizza was open then and still is today.
“When Sam Cooper moved, it was a really high drug and human trafficking area. Lotta prostitution and drug dealing going on,’ said owner Adrian Ishee.
29 years ago there wasn’t much on South Main. Now the South Main area is full of businesses and residential development.
North Main hasn’t faired so well. The Pinch district has struggled since the Pyramid closed. Of course, that Pyramid is now a giant Bass Pro Shop.
From growth downtown to vast improvements at Shelby Farms, the list of new things that have been built or opened or created in the past 20 years is long.
Memphis Historian Wayne Dowdy explains why he thinks the most recent years have been some of the most important years.
“It’s the last 20 years where we have embraced the culture of creativity, broadly speaking, not just music, not just art,” said Dowdy.
Dowdy says after Dr. Martin Luther King Junior’s murder, we tried to walk away from the city’s history. Dowdy says when Memphians attitudes changed, changes began happening.
“There is a realization in the city now that we can solve these problems. I think in the past, pre-20 years ago, there was a belief Memphis couldn’t win, Memphis couldn’t solve any problems. We are just stuck in this and we are going to be like this forever. But there is a new generation of Memphians that have come along that don’t buy into those old ways and want to see the city succeed.”