What started out as me trying to show the differences between the poor and rich socio-economically here in Memphis, from houses and schools to churches and public parks, ended with me coming to new realizations about religion here in the South. This made me shift my focus to just churches here in the city. The amount of churches here is growing every year as more and more people are pushed from their current places of worship for different reasons. It has long been said that there is a Walgreens on every corner, but I deny that. In the South, there is a church on every corner.
Memphis Feed Center is located in a populated South Memphis area. It produces tons of feed a year.
Valero Oil company is located near MLK park and in South Memphis.
President’s Island is located in South Memphis where waste dumping is normal.
This community is located near a feed incinerator.
Riverside is infested with oil spills and trash.
This incinerator is located across the street from a populated community.
Lion Oil Company is located next to President’s Island downtown.
This oil company is located in South Memphis.
Westward park is located across the street from a feed mill.
Bunge North America is located across the street from a park.
This tire waste dump is located next to a populated community downtown.
Harbor view is located next door to a feed mill in South Memphis.
This steel is located downtown behind the University Palace apartment complex.
This feed mill is located on the outskirts of downtown in a populated area.
Kruger Products feed incinerators are located downtown in a populated area.
This is another vacant house in South Memphis located near an incinerator.
This house is vacant located near an incinerator.
This is the new redesigned basketball court for the University of Memphis Tigers inside of the FedEx Forum.
This building is in the center of downtown Oakland, Fayette County.
Broken Windows
Inside the unused building in Oakland.
Furniture store in Fayette County destroyed by a fire.
The extent of the damage from the fire forced the owners to leave everything. Nothing was salvageable. Even computers are still in the back office.
I’m not sure what kind of frame or picture this once was, but I loved that you can still read “Memphis” under all the soot.
Eads Elementary School has not been used in many years. There are still desks, chairs, school supplies, and a piano inside. It was also used as a clinic at one point.
Graffiti is often on most abandoned or vacant buildings.
The Sterick Building or “Queen of Memphis” downtown was completed in 1929 and cost nearly $3 million dollars to build. It opened right before the Depression and unfortunately went bankrupt. It has been vacant since 1987.
Homeless people in Memphis have been known to take shelter in the Sterick Building.
29 stories of the Sterick Building
Empty retail space in downtown Memphis. I loved the random toys. A few teddy bears and a mannequin head.
The Tennessee Brewery was built in 1890 and was once home to the Memphis Brewing Company. However, it has been closed since 1954.
The Brewery is still for sale if anyone is interested!
There were plans to turn the old Brewery into a museum or a condo, but they fell through.
“Invest in Good Times.” The Tennessee Brewery is filled with graffiti inside and out.
Graffiti inside the Brewery.
On top of one roof of the Brewery.
This is a view of the Mississippi River and the old bridge from one roof of the Tennessee Brewery.
The Mississippi River from the top roof of The Tennessee Brewery.
The Marine Military Hospital opened in 1884, but has not been used as a hospital in over 40 years. Today, it is known for being the most haunted place in Memphis, for obvious reasons. It has many buildings, one of which is now a Metal Museum.
Built in 1911, the old police station in downtown Memphis has been vacant for 30+ years.
The grand opening of the Sears Tower was in 1927. It is 650,000 square feet! There have been rumors about turning it into an apartment complex. It has been vacant since 1996.
Abandoned home near Highway 64 and 385.
Fayette County, TN hopeless and abandoned house.
The James Lee House is such a beautiful and unique structure. It was built in 1848 and has been vacant for 50 years, but while taking this photo I found out that it has been sold! The new owners have plans to make the house into a bed and breakfast.
Sweet Ice Tea
Sweet tea is the corner stone to any southern meal. Besides breakfast that is. This liquid gold is a must to any quality southern home.I can not remember a family meal where the drink on everyone’s place mat was this incredible creation. It has to power to to turn a bad day into a good one.
While i my self am not extremely fond of pickled okra like the rest of my family, I am a fan of other ways to prepare the southern veggie. While steaming and grilling okra are excellent there is only real way to serve this vegetable. That style is of course fried, fried okra compliments any meal, add hot sauce and the meal can take a delicious turn.
While its know that the south, and especially Memphis is famous for BBQ, but we as Memphians know some of the best BBQ comes from home. My dad has had and used this smoker to make some of the best smoked pork, chicken, and beef. While my father has taught me many tings I will be able to use later in my life, I am most thankful for the knowledge of properly smoking various meat.
Again, I realize that this photo is not technically something you can actually eat, but it represents southern tradition. Venison (deer meat) is a a beautiful thing. While it is not the easiest meat to come by, it is quite delicious if prepared right. Along with being just great in flavor, it is a much leaner meat that beef or pork. My dad and I frequent our hunting spots and with luck we can harvest enough deer meat to fill an entire freezer. My family over the years has filled a small cook book of different recipes of deliciousness.
Grits. What is more southern than grits in the morning? I am not the most traveled person around, and the few northern cities i have visited do not have a good place to acquire this delicious southern dish. Add some cheese to grits and you my firned have a fine meal, that is easy and extremely cheap to make.
What is more down home than preserves? They are some what like jam and jelly, but better. My grandmother, for as long as I can remember, has not been able to resist the urge to jar and preserve fruit for later dates. I can not remember the last time i have needed to actually buy jelly or jam.
I find myself always coming back to fried food, and that is in no way a bad thing. I don’t know what it is that drives us southerners to throw all kinds of food into the frier. Out of everything that has found it way into the frier, pickles have proven to be one of the best one of the greatest appetizers around.
What more needs to be said about fried catfish and hush puppies? if you do not hve someone that is willing to make this for you there are multiple restaurants in the city of Memphis who would be happy to. Soul Fish being my personal favorite.
Still hungry after that delicious fried or smoked southern dinner? What better way to continue to gorge yourself than pie. What kind of pie you ask? Pecan Pie, that’s what kind. I can not imagine a finer way to end a meal.
With Thanksgiving right around the corner you will most likely come into contact with these puppies.
Cobbler. Peach, cranberry, cherry, blackberry, strawberry cobbler. It is a butter based desert, anyone with a soul knows that is the best kind of desert. If you have saved room from that pecan pie (we all know you did) grab a slab of this next a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
Ah cornbread. Just another picture perfect side dish to any southern cuisine. Accompanied with a good stew (venison of course) any innocent by-stander could find themselves polishing off an entire pan of the maize inspired bread.
Biscuits may be the best breakfast food in the world. As mentioned before i am not a travel guru, but one question I have for northerners is what is the big deal with toast? If i had been subjected to toast breakfast for my entire life I am sure i would be rude all of the time as well. The family I stayed with claimed to have never purchased grits and had never thought to buy biscuits. We did not get along much after that early morning conversation.
What can i say that already has not been said about fried chicken? Not a lot is the answer, forgive my french, but it is damn good. If you can find man woman/man who can fry chicken marry them immediately. Until you find that special someone, Gus’ World Famous Fried Chicken will do the trick and then some.
Some of the places that you should visit if you ever decide to visit Memphis,Tennesee. Also these are some places you should visit if you live in the city and never visited them beofre and looking for something to do especially on a day that you bored and want to get out the house.
Red Bird Stadium Downtown
W.C handy house downtown off Forth street
lorraine Motel (National Civil Rights Museum) The Motel that Martin Luther King Jr was assinant
The Car that the Man(James Earl Ray) That Killed MLK drove at the extended builded they added on across the street from the civil right museum
The bathroom that James Earl Ray was in when he killed MLk. This is window he looked out to watch the motel. this bathroom was across the street from the motel.
The favorite Place everybody love to visit when they come to memphis and the place memphians love to hangout. Beale Street. I took the picture bacause the Great Dane this is a Huge Dog
Another beautiful Place you should visit the Mississippi river. downtown on the river front watching the sunset
Bored One day and want to get out the house take a trip to riverside drive. beginning of the semester bored one weekend and took my son and my friend kids to play
The All time favorite place that people love to travel to memphis to visit. Elivis Presley House
Elvis Presley Car
Elvis Presley Plane
Elvis Presley hotel. HeartBreak Hotel
Elvis Gift Shop… All these place can be Located on Elvis Presley Blvd
The Memphis Zoo
The Memphis zoo. a place me and my son love going when the weather is nice. I think every Summer we go to the zoo every Tuesday. Pictures Taking the beginning off the semester when it was hot outside
Memphis Zoo
zoo
Off subject but i included this pictures because it is part of my south. I work at this health and rehab center in arlington and this resident family member found this baby deer at our front door. Took a picture of him in the back seat of the police car. Thought it was cute and wanted to share it. Baby bambi