| Memphis is a city in the southwestern part of the state of Tennessee. With a population of 680,000 it is the nineteenth largest city in the United States. Memphis was established as a city in 1819. The city is located in Shelby County, Tennessee at an elevation of 330 feet. It is within the Central Standard Time Zone and the Memphis area code is 901. Memphis weather ranges from winter low temperatures around 31 degrees to summer highs in the low 90s. Rainfall averages about 4 and half inches per month and about 5 inches of snow annually. The median family income is about $37,000. Memphis things to do include visits to Graceland, the Brooks Museum of Art, the Children's Museum of Memphis, the Memphis Walk of Fame, and the Cotton Museum as well as the Memphis Zoo and the Pyramid. Memphis festivals and events include Memphis in May, Carnival Memphis, the Memphis Greek Festival, and Memphis Italian Festival. Performers who got their start in Memphis include Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, B.B. King, Issac Hayes. Many large companies and corporations have a presence in Memphis including International Paper, AutoZone, Fedex, ServiceMaster, Medtronic, Baker Donelson, Smith & Nephew, Brother International, GE Capital Aviation Services, and Harrah's Entertainment. Movies filmed in the Memphis area include Great Balls of Fire, The Firm, Walk the Line, Castaway, and Mystery Train. Higher education institutions include University of Memphis, Baptist College of Health Sciences, Memphis College of Art, Southern College of Optometry, Memphis Theological Seminary, University of Phoenix, and Victory University. Local main highways include Interstate I-40, I-55, and I-240. The Memphis International Airport serves the area. The area is a leader in healthcare with the presence of Memphis Medical Center, Methodist Healthcare, Baptist Memorial Hospital, and St Jude Children's Research Hospital. Local sports teams include the University of Memphis, NBA basketball's Memphis Grizzlies, and baseball's Memphis Redbirds. |
