Memphis. So many things pop into my head when I hear the word Memphis.
Home. Music. Food. Community. The “M” bridge. The Pyramid. Egypt?
Why is our city named Memphis? Our founders – James Winchester, John Overton, and Andrew Jackson – named our city after Memphis, Egypt. While Memphis, TN had some similar features two hundred years ago, this namesake is something that Memphians have embraced over the past two centuries, and it shows. Our Memphis of today features several icons of Egyptian influence.
The Mississippi River
Just as the ancient Egyptians decided to establish their Memphis on the mouth of the Nile, our founders chose to create our city on the great Mississippi.
Memphis, Egypt was established over 5000 years ago. It became a thriving success and was the long-time capital of Ancient Egypt. Along the Nile, the land was prime for both farming and trade. Those that lived there prospered.
Similarly, our founders strategically chose to found our city along the Mississippi atop the bluffs. The bluffs protected them from flooding, and the Mississippi provided an opportunity for trade. In the early, 1800s the Mississippi was used heavily to transport both goods and people between St Louis to New Orleans. John Overton and Andrew Jackson, law partners at the time, purchased the land that is now downtown Memphis and promoted it as a new community. Joined in their venture by the Winchester family, it was their patriarch, General James Winchester, who proposed naming the city Memphis. Due to recent discoveries in Egypt at the time, it is no surprise that it was on his mind.
Soon after, the government started charging passing ships to dock in Memphis for a fee. As the river flooded every year, it also conditioned the soil for growing cotton. Several affluent families – including the Fontaine and Overton families – began to purchase the cotton, store it, and resell it for a profit.
Whether on the Nile or the Mississippi, Memphis founders identified opportunities and flourished by the river.
The Memphis Zoo
Memphis, Tennessee is proud to be home to a #1 ranked zoo in the country. Created in 1906, The Memphis Zoo, is now set on more than 70 acres of land that is home to more than four and a half thousand animals.
The architecture of the Memphis Zoo’s facade is notably designed to resemble the Temple of Ptah. In Ancient Egypt, this temple was dedicated to Ptah, his wife Sekhmet, and his son Nefertum. In Egyptian mythology, Ptah was the god of creation and is credited with creating the universe. As Memphis rose to become the capital of Egypt, Ptah’s popularity and fame rose as well. Not only does the facade of the Memphis Zoo look very similar to that of the temple, but the walkway up to the temple is lined with many sphinxes just as the walkway up to the zoo is lined with several statues of various animals. Both sites also feature several flags flying over the entrance. Someone even went as far to make sure the front of the zoo is marked with hieroglyphics and the colors conjure images and feeling of Ancient Egypt.
It is no accident that the zoo contains all these Egyptian motifs. This is one of many ways in which our city has enthusiastically welcomed its namesake.
The Pyramid
Built in 1981 as an arena, the Memphis Pyramid was modeled after the Great Egyptian Pyramids. Once again, we embraced our namesake and chose to build our city around another unforgettable aspect of Ancient Egypt.
Originally proposed in 1954, the plan was to build three Pyramids by the river. Just like the Egyptian pyramids, there would be one large main pyramid and two smaller pyramids. The main pyramid would be two thirds the scale of the main Pyramid in Egypt, and the smaller pyramids would be two thirds the size of the main pyramid. After thirty years, the idea was presented again and eventually a decision was made to build just the one pyramid that would become the Pyramid Arena.
Ramesses the Great
Ramesses II, also known as Ramasses the Great, ruled over Ancient Egypt for many years, and he is believed to be the Pharaoh that is noted in the story of the Exodus as told in the Old Testament. In November 1986, a 60 ton, 33-foot-tall statue of Ramesses the Great was discovered in Egypt. In 1987, Memphis, TN brought the item to town to be part of a local exhibition of Egyptian history and artifacts. The statue was displayed in Memphis, TN for the first time ever outside of Egypt. After being on display from April 15 until August 31 of that year, it was moved to be displayed in Denver, CO as part of another exhibition.
A few years later, Memphis, TN obtained permission from the Egyptian government to commission a 25-foot-tall replica of the Ramesses II statue. When the replica was completed circa 1991, it was placed outside The Pyramid to watch over and protect it. The Pyramid Arena was closed in 2004 when the FedEx Forum opened and became home to the local sports teams and various events. In 2012, the statue was moved to the University of Memphis, which is well known for its permanent Egyptian exhibits. The statue, which was previously overshadowed by The Pyramid, now stands tall and guards the University on Central Avenue.