Since it’s spooky season, I thought we could talk a little about a Memphis urban legend… What do you think is one of the most well known urban legends? I’d probably say, Voodoo Village. That’s exactly what I was thinking. And I think pretty much everyone who grew up here or has lived here for … Continue reading Season 2: Episode Eight: Memphis Hoodoo & St. Paul’s Spiritual Holy Temple
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Season 2: Episode Seven: Lorenzo Pacini & Pee Wee’s Saloon
This episode came from an idea in a book I saw at Novel, our wonderful locally owned and operated bookstore. While browsing in the Local Memphis section, I saw this book, “Memphis Castles - Former Homes and Stories of Prominent Memphians.” And as I was flipping through the pages, I saw my sister’s house. I immediately … Continue reading Season 2: Episode Seven: Lorenzo Pacini & Pee Wee’s Saloon
Season 2: Episode Four: History of Memphis Breweries
Most Memphians will agree on one fact about their home city. Memphis has great tasting water. The water supply in Memphis comes from natural reservoirs hundreds of feet below the ground, and most of that water lies in sand aquifers that sit between layers of clay. The sand acts as a natural filter, slowly removing … Continue reading Season 2: Episode Four: History of Memphis Breweries
Season Two: Episode Three: Memphis’s Oldest Eateries
Opening in the 1890s, the Bon Ton Cafe has been operating in some form or fashion in downtown Memphis. Apparently the cafe was originally a saloon in the late 1800s, but was then turned into a restaurant in 1904. Tony Angleos and Charlie Skinner, two cousins who immigrated from Greece, opened the first manifestation of … Continue reading Season Two: Episode Three: Memphis’s Oldest Eateries
Episode Nine: Ratifying the 19th Amendment
It was August 18, 1920 and America had only secured 35 states that were FOR ratifying the 19th Amendment. Tennessee was the last state that was going to vote and it wasn’t looking good. They called it the “War of the Roses” with pro ratifiers, aka “suffs” donning yellow roses and the antis donning red … Continue reading Episode Nine: Ratifying the 19th Amendment
Episode Eight: Clara Conway & the Clara Conway Institute
Clara Conway was born in New Orleans, LA, August 14, 1844, to poor Irish immigrants, Margaret Riordan Conway and Thomas Conway, who came to America in the early 19th century. (I’ve read she came to Memphis in 1846, that she was brought to Memphis in 1855 when her parents died, but also that she simply … Continue reading Episode Eight: Clara Conway & the Clara Conway Institute
Episode Four: Firsts in Memphis
This episode is about Firsts in Memphis. It occurred to me, after several tours of our favorite place, Elmwood Cemetery, that our city has numerous things that happened for the first time, here in our city. We’re going to talk about a few of them today. We’ll revisit this topic periodically, we’ve got a few more … Continue reading Episode Four: Firsts in Memphis