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SUNDAY, June 26 to THURSDAY, June 30, 1999
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On Sunday, we drove to Memphis, Tennessee and stayed downtown at an RV campground near the east bank of the Mississippi River. After settling in at the campground, we headed for an exploration of the river front, downtown Memphis, and Beale Street. |
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We were delighted with excellent views of boats, bridges, and pyramids. |
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We ate dinner at Landry's Restaurant overlooking the "big" river and took a tour of the "big" bluff city. |
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| Our travels carried us to Beale Street, home of the Blues, a very active and vibrant place. |
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A blues concert was being held in a park on Beale Street and we stopped in the shade to listen to some southern culture. |
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| BICYCLE TRAILS OF MEMPHIS |
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IMAGES
From
Nostalgiaville |
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RIVERFRONT DEVELOPMENT TRAIL MEMPHIS, TENNESSEE |
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| MAP LOCATION #1 (TRAILHEAD AT MARTYRS PARK) |
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The trailhead on the south end of the path was picked as a starting point for this adventure (Map Location #1). |
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MEMPHIS MARTYRS In August, 1878, fear of death caused a panic during which 30,000 of 50,000 Memphians fled this bluff city. By October, the epidemic of yellow fever killed 4,204 of 6,000 Caucasians and 946 of 14,000 Negroes who stayed. With some outside help, citizens of all races and walks of life, recognizing their common plight in these devastated, bankrupt community, tended 17,600 sick and buried the dead. As a result many of them lost their lives, becoming martyrs in their service to mankind. |
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YELLOW FEVER
MEMORIAL MARTYRS PARK In grateful memory of the sacrifice of the heroes and heroines of Memphis in the 1870's who gave their lives serving the victims of yellow fever. Thousands died and thousands fled during several epidemics, the last one in 1879, devastated the city leaving few survivors. The acts of love and courage far beyond the call of duty, merits the gratitude and admiration of the citizens of Memphis and of the world as history revealed the story. "Greater Love than this, no one has, that one lay down the life for his friends". (John 15:13) |
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| Martyrs Park is located in the South Bluff historic community. The pictured houses are across the street from the park entrance. |
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| MAP LOCATION #2 (SIDE TRAIL TO SOUTH BLUFF COMMUNITY) |
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For the history buffs, a short two-tenths of a mile from Martyrs Park is a side trail leading to a portion of South Bluff, an exclusive hibernating haven for the "movers and shakers" of Memphis (Map Location #2). It is less than one half mile across the pedestrian bridge into South Bluff to the real downtown Memphis, or one can easily spend a mile or more up-and-down tree lined streets enjoying the endless stream of beautiful old historic homes. |
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| Entrance to South Bluff Community from downtown Memphis |
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COBBLESTONES Cobblestone "granite ballast rock" common in street paving at the turn of the century, was found on the site during construction and reused as paving stone. |
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| At the crossroads... to Martyrs Park, to main road, to Lee Park and to South Bluff. |
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An overlook near the crossroads. |
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| MAP LOCATION #3 (TOM LEE PARK) |
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Back to the main trail from South Bluff you will proceed down the only significant mini-hill on the path (called a "huff-and puff" hill when approached from the other side). The grade will propel you into Tom Lee Park (Map Location #3). Many vistas open up from this vantage point including the Memphis skyline, Mud Island and many bridges crossing the River. |
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| In parking area of Tom Lee Park. |
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Steps across main road lead to the South Bluff residential area. |
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Mile 0.7 |
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Mile 0.8 |
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Mile 0.9 |
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Mile 1.2 |
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Mile 1.5 |
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"Wrap-around picture views" from the trail. |
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| MAP LOCATION #4 (TOM LEE MEMORIAL) |
| The Tom Lee Memorial is located at the north end of Tom Lee Park and it is selected as (Map Location #4). On the way to the next map point we pass by the famous Beale Street on the right and the famous historic paddle boats docked to the left. |
Mile 1.6 |
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TOM LEE
MEMORIAL A very worthy Negro. Tom Lee with his boat Zev saved thirty-two lives when the steamer U S Norman Sank about twenty miles below Memphis May 8, 1925. But he has a finer monument than this, an invisible one. A monument of kindness, generosity, courage and bigness of heart. His good deeds were scattered everywhere that day and into eternity. This monument erected by the grateful people of Memphis. |
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| MAP LOCATION #5 (JEFFERSON DAVIS PARK) |
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Another slight rise in the path draws us into Jefferson Davis Park and some welcome shade in the summer time. Mud Island looms large across a small expanse of water and we are overwhelmed by the under-structure of massive bridges (Map Location #5). |
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Mile 2.0 |
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JEFFERSON
DAVIS PARK When Riverside Drive was constructed in the mid-1930's, this park was built on what had been an old dumping ground for construction debris and dredge spoil. It was enlarged to its present size in 1937, using more material dredged from the river. The park was named after Jefferson Davis, the President of the Confederacy, who lived in Memphis from 1869 to 1878 and who was president of an insurance company here. |
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He lived at two houses on Court Avenue between Third and Fourth Streets, both of which were demolished in the mid-1930's. The park was improved in 1983, using City and County funds, as the connections to the parking areas north of the park and to the cobblestones to the south, the installation of the concrete walks, and new lighting, landscaping, signage, and furnishings. |
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THE RIVER
BANK The plants and wildlife found along the riverbanks at Memphis are a product of the climate and the rise and fall of the river. Most visitors are surprised to learn of the tremendous fluctuations in water level, which has varied in recent years over a vertical range of almost 48 feet. Plants which occur naturally on the banks will therefore survive according to their ability to withstand inundation. |
| At the bottom of the bank here you will see (unless the river is too high) several varieties of trees which were planted as part of the park improvements, or which have "volunteered" below the mowing line. To your right, beyond the park vegetation on the steeper banks shows more of the variety of plants which can occur here. |
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The vegetation provides food for wildlife. There are approximately 87 species of birds which might be found along the river at Memphis. A partial list would include permanent residents such as wood duck, red tailed hawk, bobwhite, screech owl, hairy woodpecker, mockingbird (the Tennessee State Bird), and Eastern meadowlark. Summer-only residents include yellow-crowned night heron, Mississippi kite, chimney swift, gray catbird, Kentucky warbler, and orchard oriole. In the winter, herring gull, cedar waxwing, American goldfinch, and sparrows are seen, among others. Transients include several species of thrush and warbler. |
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MUD ISLAND Mud Island, across the old Wolf River channel before you, began to be formed by the Mississippi River around 1900. By 1916 there was concern that it would grow so far south that it would block access to the harbor, so the island was connected to the mainland and the Wolf River was diverted to run between Mud island and the mainland to keep the channel open. |
| In 1958, much of the western portion of the island was removed to make way for the new Hernando DeSoto Bridge (Interstate Highway 40), and the Wolf River was cut through the north end of the island, creating the present still-water harbor you see. |
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Mud Island Park, directly in front of you, is owned by the City of Memphis. Construction began in 1977 and was completed in 1982 at a cost of $63 million. It celebrates the history and the culture of the lower Mississippi River and contains a museum, an amphitheatre, shops, restaurants, play areas, and a scale model of the Mississippi River which runs the length of the park. Access is by the pedestrian bridge/monorail to your right. |
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COBBLESTONE
WHARF There were several boat landings in this general area during the nineteenth century. An 1827 drawing shows a public landing approximately one-half mile north of this spot, but changed in the "batture" or built-up bank caused by the river moved the desirable landing areas further south. These included Center Landing at the west end of Poplar Avenue (near the Convention Center), the Court Street Landing immediately in front of you, and Hart's Landing at the foot of Beale Street. |
| Concessions were granted by the City to minor wharf boats and ferry slips on the landings. Ferries operated from landings at Washington Avenue (slightly north of here) and Monroe Avenue. Other spots reserved for wharf boats... floating docks that adjusted their mooring cables with the rising and falling river levels. Until 1860, everything from old boat gunwales to gravel was used to pave the surfaces of the landings. In that year, the City authorized stone paving between Adams and Jefferson and between Union and Beale, as well as the installation of 14 anchoring rings (many of which are still visible, as is the former official river gauge set into the stones at Beale Street). Other paving in the area was contracted for as late as 1896. |
| MAP LOCATION #6 (START OF UNPAVED PATH) |
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Approximately two-tenths of a mile beyond the Jefferson Davis Park the path turns to gravel and a slight down grade plunges the trail into... the "depths" (Map Location #6). |
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| It is a good bet that few trail trompers venture beyond this point, but for the adventurous "damn the torpedoes... full speed ahead" types it is a must see quest to press on... and on we go. The gravel turns to grass... then to bigger bumpier gravel as we become enveloped by massive bridge structures and emerge to an over whelming pyramid wall reaching for the sky on our right (the great pyramid of... Egypt... no the lesser pyramid of Memphis). |
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Mile 2.5 |
| MAP LOCATION #7 (TRAIL END AT COST GUARD STATION) |
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And finally at trails end... we are under whelmed by the chain length fence and gate of the U S Coast Guard Station at Memphis (Map Location #7). The bicycle odometer tells a tale of enchanting travel across a universe of a million plus personal visions covering... a mere three miles. |
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Mile 3.0 |
| MAP LOCATION #8 (ACROSS THE RIVER FROM ARKANSAS) |
| The day after the historic ride along the Memphis Waterfront Trail, your Chief Explorer decided to cross the "big water" and check out the Memphis skyline from the western side of the big river. Let me tell you.... it's not easy to navigate the flood plain of the Arkansas side of the river. After many miles of gravel, dirt, and ruts-in-the-grass roads a likely access was found under the I-40 bridge (Map Location #8). |
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Many bird's nests were spotted under the Interstate bridge. |
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From the parking place under the bridge it was about a half mile over a road, not made for walking, to get to the chosen destination... the river bank |
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The view from the river bank turned out to be worth the effort. |
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| A LOOK at
the SMALL... and the STRANGE Assuming my position on the river bank, taking pictures of the Memphis scenic sky line... I got an overwhelming feeling of being watched. Looking in every direction didn't locate any other presence. It was only when I glanced at the ground did I locate the source of my intuitive worry. The ground was littered with all manner of the "Small... and the Strange". |
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| SAND GATOR | LION KING | MUD DAUBER | PHYSOTARIUS | CUDDLE KITTEN | 5th OF JULY FIREWORKS |
| On Monday we left Memphis, and because we were so
close, headed for one of our favorite spots... Coleman's Crystal Mine near Hot Springs,
Arkansas. We spent a hot day searching for the clear mystical rocks that have so
captivated our attention and bagged a "bunch" of the quarry. Wednesday night we made the long trek back to Nashville and arrived about 2:00 AM Thursday morning. |
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