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Hey, gang-
So, with COVID limiting our travel options and keeping us close close to home Nicki and I have tried to explore our own backyard and be local tourists in the Mid-South area we live in.
This post is about some of our favorite local spots and the discoveries we recently made while in downtown Memphis for my birthday. When we went on our honeymoon in New Orleans, it was kind of a three celebrations in one trip- our honeymoon, Halloween, and my 45th birthday.
Well, on my birthday (also Day of the Dead) we took a cemetery tour while in N’awlins. Since this year we couldn’t head to the Big Easy, we decided to explore the River City and try out Nicki’s new mirror-less camera.
I got to use her older digital SLR (which she bought for our wedding/honeymoon trip) and took some shots with my iPhone to post to social media. I need the practice with both!
We decided to park next to the Orpheum Theatre off Beale Street and Main Street and walk towards the South Main Historic Arts District and the train station.
We noticed a lot of construction going on- not as much as we’d seen on our last trips to Nashville or even Little Rock, but a lot. Plus there was a new hotel or two that were open now- one behind the Orpheum where we used to park! Had to park beside the Orpheum.
We put 2hs worth of money in the parking lot meter and headed south on Main Street. It was a bit windy and chilly, so we were dressed in layers (we love our Geeky Jerseys).
There weren’t many people out and about downtown that Tuesday afternoon, which we were okay with. Here to shoot locations, not people- which I know is ironic to say about Memphis.
We did see a few folks jogging or walking their dogs, and I saw a couple birds hanging out in some bushes just off the sidewalk in an alley.
We watched several trolleys go by- and I was worried about this guy trying to outrun one on his bike..!
One of my favorite things about downtown are the trolleys, and am glad they’re back up and running again after being down for a while.
The last Friday of the month is Trolley Night on South Main, and South Main and is open late with live music, great shopping, restaurant specials, art galleries, and of course trolley rides. It’s a lot of fun, but I haven’t checked out a last Friday or ridden a trolley for several years now. The last one I remember riding was when Kevin and I parked in the Pinch District near the Pyramid and rode one south down Main to Beale for the Memphis In May Beale Street Music Festival. It was storming and lightning blew a fuse on our trolley. After a bit of waiting they got it up and running again and we made it to the Beale Street stop next to the Orpheum. Just then we saw lighting strike Tom Lee Park along the riverfront and heard a loud thunder crack! Someone was wanting to buy tickets, so we sold ours, ate dinner at Blues City Cafe, hopped back on a northbound trolley, got in Kev’s car and headed home for the night.
But, like I said, as much as I love the trolleys I rarely get to ride on any. If I’m downtown I usually just end up taking pics of them rumbling and clanging down the street and honestly end up forgetting to hop on one!
As we walked we saw some fun art murals, some great architecture, and some interesting items in the windows of shops.
It was also fun to just look around off the beaten path, or up above our heads.
It’s amazing how many things around us we just don’t notice most of the time.
Once we got to the train station and Arcade Restaurant end of Main, we turned around and headed back up the other side of the street. BTW- the area of what’s now South Main was once the City of South Memphis, a separate city from Memphis, separated at Union Avenue.
We passed by WEVL (the Mid-South’s only listener-supported, independent, volunteer radio station-“WE VoLunteer” 89.9 FM MHz) and Murray Riss Photography (516 S Main St.- he came to Memphis to establish a photography department at Memphis College of Art, where he taught for almost 20yrs).
As we got to the fire station at the top of the hill we decided to hang a right and head towards the Lorraine Motel/National Civil Rights Museum.
This is the place where on April 4, 1968 the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King was killed while staying in town to support the 1968 Memphis sanitation workers strike.
I’ve been a couple times for Memphis Area Radio Stations (M.A.R.S.) awards presentations at the museum, but have only gotten to take the tour once, and that was years ago (mid ’90s).
Nicki has never been, and we really need to correct that.
There are a few other historic places around Memphis I really want to check out as well, like Stax and the Blues Hall of Fame Museum. Have been by but never ventured inside for a tour.
As we were standing in the parking lot outside the hotel room, we noticed a huge mural behind us and just up the street a bit.
It’s titled “Upstanders In Memphis History” by The Memphis Mural Brigade.
The Memphis Mural Brigade is a collaborative of artists from around the world based in Memphis, Tennessee. The Brigade was formed in 2015 to create a series of murals for the University of Memphis Fogelman College. The Brigade brings together practices in painting, printmaking and conceptual art to create meaningful, visually compelling artworks which help to create community dialogue. The Brigade is comprised of a changing, diverse team of artists and was founded by Nelson Gutierrez and Cedar Nordbye.
Just a little ways up the street we saw a building that reminded me of the Hook & Ladder Co. #8 firehouse we had visited while in NYC back in 2019 (another anniverary/birthday trip), which is one of the two firehouses featured in the Ghostbusters movies (NYC/Tribeca exteriors, L.A. interiors) and recently got a complete renovation.
Not sure who owns this one, or if it is occupied, but I wish I had the money to buy it and many other properties we saw while exploring the downtown area.
I don’t think I’ve ever seen this building before either, or if I did it had been something else. Some things have been the same for years, while other locations around town come and go and get a face-lift, or get torn down and replaced with something else. All too often it’s the latter…but I’m always thankful when I see a building repurposed/renovated than torn down. They just don’t make ’em like they used to!
So many amazing buildings die from neglect or “progress”. Thankfully these two gorgeous ones are still standing and occupied on Main.
We cut back towards Main Street and turned towards the Orpheum and Beale. Earlier we had seen a classic car parked on the side of the street on our way down Main, and as we were walking back up the owner got in it and drove off. Pretty sweet ride! Oh, on the 4th Tuesday of the month from April – September from 6pm till 10pm Beale has hot rod nights, and bike nights every Wednesday night.
Around Main we saw a couple more murals, and a few places that were available for lease. Also since we were starting to get hungry, we spotted several places we hadn’t ate at before- some were just closed for lunch while others were closed due to the pandemic.
Same situation while we were over on Beale Street a few minutes later.
Speaking of closings and Beale Street, I was sad to see Tater Red’s Lucky Mojos closing up shop permanently. Leo Allred, “Tater Red“, was a D.J. on Rock103 (he did the blues show on Sunday mornings) and he and the shop were a long time fixture on Beale.
Tater has said, “I’ve been on Beale Street since 1984 in one way or another. I like the feel, the history, the people.” Tater’s shop opened in 1995 (around the same time I had my t-shirt shop Animated Jack’s which started in ’92), and was not the only casualty of the pandemic. Lew’s Blue Note closed in 2020 after 7 years of serving wings and the blues on Beale. Apparently Lew’s was one of the few African American owned businesses left on the historic street.
Beale Street runs from Riverside Drive (on the west at the Mississippi River) to Myrtle Street (on the east) – a distance that’s just shy of 2mi. It features many restaurants, clubs, shops, museums, events and attractions. Beale St. (originally Beale Ave.) was created in 1841 by entrepreneur/developer Robertson Topp. After the yellow fever epidemics forced the city to forfeit its charter in 1879 and around this time, Robert Church purchased land around Beale which led to him becoming the first black millionaire from the south. 1890, Beale underwent renovation which included the addition of the Grand Opera House (after a fire in 1923 it was later rebuilt on the same spot as the Orpheum Theatre –“Born in 1890. Reborn in 1928. Revitalized in 1977, 1984, and 2015. From vaudeville to Broadway, it is a story of resilience and reinvention that could only happen in Memphis.”).
Beale has had a long history of commerce/trade (including many black owned businesses), live music, being used as movie/TV filming locations, having songs written about it, and as a gathering place. It’s also certainly had a history of crime, drinking, plus its fair share of loan/pawn shops. It’s had ups and downs, and ups and downs, and ups again…and currently a down. The pandemic has many of the businesses up and down Beale struggling these days, but the street has been known to bounce back from worse.
The oldest store in the Mid-South, A. Schwab, is located in the oldest remaining building on Beale Street. The store was founded at another location on Beale Street by Jewish immigrant Abraham Schwab, moved to 163 Beale Street in 1911, and then expanded into 165 in 1922. Both of these buildings were constructed before 1890. Before the expansion, 165 Beale housed a Piggly Wiggly.
I believe there was talk about A. Schwab looking to close its doors sometime just after 2000, but if it did it was only briefly because the Schwab family sold the business at the end of 2011 after 136 years of ownership. It now has a soda fountain, and the store boasts that, “If you can’t find it at Schwab’s, you’re better off without it.”
Shopping at Piggly Wiggly (Photo by Poland, Clifford H./Library of Congress/Corbis/VCG via Getty Images)
Piggly Wiggly started off in Memphis (at 79 Jefferson Avenue) back in September, 1916. It was the first the “self-serving store” to offer self-shopping, checkout stands, shopping carts, use refrigerated case, have employees in uniforms, and price marking for every item in the store- things we kind of take for granted these days while shopping…and it all started here in Memphis.
I miss each item being priced some days, especially with retailers like Walmart removing bar code scanners in their stores. WTF..?!
You can see a replica of the original Piggly Wiggly store at the Pink Palace Museum in Memphis (or check out my HGWT blog post when Nicki and I went).
We passed by “King” Jerry Lawler’s Hall of Fame Bar and Grille (at 159 Beale Street– next door to A. Schwab). It”s Jerry’s bar, burger, and BBQ joint. I’ve ate there before, and talked to the King about my dining experience while interviewing him at the Memphis Comic Expo a few years back. It used to be the police museum and sub-station, which I do miss- but glad Jerry’s restaurant seems to be doing well here.
My buddy Kevin and I recently ate there over the weekend so they are still operational on Beale, although it appears his King Jerry Lawler’s Memphis BBQ Company restaurant out east has closed.
Shame, I really liked the food and dug the wrasslin’ decor and videos at the BBQ location. I really enjoyed the music and burgers at his Beale restaurant, but liked the look of the Germantown Pkwy. location better. Local musician Chris Gales performed the night I dropped in on Beale after dropping off art to the Orpheum up the street. Chris currently has a solo acoustic show at Jerry’s on Beale and other locations around town (click here for show info).
While on Beale we met a few folks from out of town (one guy was celebrating his birthday, too). We saw a few more murals, lots of Beale Street Brass Note Walk of Fame brass notes, and some over-sized painted guitars like we had seen in Nashville a few years back.
These are part of the Gibson GuitarTown Public Art Display which consists of 20 giant guitar replicas of B.B. King’s legendary Lucille.
Each was painted by local Memphis artists and signed by a Memphis celebrity to celebrate the unique art and music contributions in the city. I’ve got a couple small guitars I need to paint for the Massac Theatre charity auction in Metropolis.
If there’s one thing I love about this city (next to the food), it’s the music. I’m a huge Memphis music fan and have always tried to support it and love finding out about it’s history.
Most folks think of Elvis when you mention Memphis music, but as much as I love Elvis’ he’s just a piece of that very large puzzle of performers, songwriters, producers, DJs, and more that came before and after him. The influence of Memphis music is worldwide and strong.
“Signs, signs, everywhere there’s signs…” – yeah, even though I’m not a fan of that song, I do love taking pics of signs and there are plenty downtown!
Our 2hrs of paid parking was about to be up and hunger was hitting us, so that was our sign to head back to the car.
We drove around the corner and up Front Street to have some Gus’s Fried Chicken for lunch. We normally hit the Southaven, MS location on Goodman Rd. which is closer to home, or the Wolfchase/G’town Rd. one which was closer to my old job, but this location is the one my buddy Kevin Williams and I used to always hit when we were downtown. Back then they’d let you draw on the tablecloths…and trust me we did!
I had met my friend Robbi Lepre there for lunch when she was in town for a conference a few years back. She was the Entertainment Director at Busch Gardens Tampa (where I met her in 2001 for Howl-O-Scream), and unfortunately passed away in 2020.
It’s been a while since Nicki and I had both been here together, probably several years. It may have been back when we ate there when some friends and us went downtown for a ghost tour with Gail Simone and her husband Scott after MidSouthCon in 2011. We learned a lot about the yellow fever epidemics in Memphis during the tour, and didn’t actually see any ghosts but we did see a leprechaun..!
Union Station, Memphis | Library of Congress
Sound familiar..? Well, apparently a lot of Memphians didn’t learn about it and we’ve sort of been living it again.
According to the Commercial Appeal, Shelby County, the largest county in Tennessee which includes Memphis and suburbs Germantown, Bartlett, Collierville, Lakeland, Arlington, and Millington, has reported at least 2,009 deaths due to COVID-19 as of September of 2021. I saw another statistic online that we’ve had 149,ooo COVID cases here, and that’s not including DeSoto or other surrounding counties in the Mid-south area. Scary…
Anyway, back to lunch at Gus’s…we each did iced tea and had the 2pc white with mac-n-cheese, I got baked beans and Nicki got coleslaw. It was a good birthday lunch.
It seemed the chicken was a bit spicier than the other locations, but it could be we just haven’t been eating Gus’s chicken as often the last couple years. Honestly, if it wasn’t take out we pretty much cooked/ate at home during the pandemic. Was nice to get back to their downtown location.
After lunch I took a few pics of one of the buildings across the street where we parked.
I’m hoping this one gets renovated and not demolished. It’s a HUGE space and has got a lot of potential. Another one I wish I had the money to buy and save.
Just a hundred yards or so away to the right and across the R/R tracks for the trolleys are some very expensive condos, and in-between them and this building there’s a huge crater where another building once stood- not sure what it was.
Behind me is a another new hotel going up, and a newer distillery is now open directly across the street from Gus’s (Old Dominick Distillery, just out of the photo and to the right- 305 S Front St.).
After lunch we decided to head over to Martyrs Park to take pics of the Mississippi River.
While we were there we got to watch a barge flanked by an escort boat travel up the river.
It’s surprising just how fast those can get upstream..!
On the marker sign as you enter the park:
“In August, 1878, fear of death caused a panic during which 30,000 of 50,000 Memphians fled the bluff city. By October, the epidemic of yellow fever killed 4204 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 this devastated, bankrupt community, tended 17600 sick and buried the dead. As a result, many of them lost their lives, becoming martyrs in their service to mankind.”
Yep, yellow fever…and if you’ve seen the mosquitoes here it’s a wonder anyone survived it.
Martyrs Park is located south of Big River Crossing and is accessible from Channel 3 Dr. off of Riverside Dr./I-55. I think I was here back in the late ’80s, but I remember it looking a lot different- a lot of new houses there now. Plus, there’s a small public parking lot (which is open 6AM-8PM) and an amazing statue…although a bit creepy.
Oh, and apparently the park is/was a mass grave..?!! Here’s more yellow fever info…
From RoadsideAmerica.com-
5,150 people died in the Memphis Yellow Fever epidemic of 1878, and many of them were formerly healthy people who had stayed to help the sick until succumbing themselves. The city buried 1,500 of its dead in a mass grave on a bluff overlooking the Mississippi — and pretty much forgot about them until January 3, 1971, when the grave site became Martyrs Park and the Yellow Fever Martyrs Memorial became its centerpiece.
A plaque at the memorial’s base extols “the heroes and heroines of Memphis… who gave their lives serving the victims of Yellow Fever” and notes that the epidemic “devastated the city, leaving few survivors.”
The Yellow Fever Martyrs Memorial was designed by Harris Sorrelle, who at the time was the head of the University of Memphis’ sculpture department.
Did I mention that there are houses built nearby..? Yeah, that never goes well for the homeowners in the movies.
I read online that there used to be more trees/bushes along the bluff here, but on March 1oth of this year an unidentified crew with chainsaws clear-cut about 200yrds along this area. The Memphis River Parks Partnership, Corps of Engineers, and City of Memphis all claim no knowledge or responsibility.
Tom Baily with The Daily Memphian reported, “The problem is, we don’t know who they are,” (City of Memphis) administration spokesman Dan Springer said. “We have the pictures, but the pictures are not very clear,” he said. “We can’t do anything because we don’t know who they are.”
Maybe they should use Facebook’s facial recognition software..? I’ve seen worse security footage from a bank or convenience store lead to convictions- just saying…
This line by Tom Baily caught my eye-
Not sure if he was trying to put a positive spin on the story, or if that was pure sarcasm pointed at the Founders Pointe subdivision. I’m guessing sarcasm.
The weather was still chilly and windy, but the park was a great discovery for us. It’s a fantastic place to enjoy the river and the “old“(1949) and “new“(1973) bridges- which were in national news this last year when a crack was spotted on the newer 1-40/Hernando de Soto Bridge one.
The new bridge was closed for months and traffic had to be detoured to the older I-55/Memphis & Arkansas Bridge.
Yeah, as if the transportation problems during a pandemic weren’t bad enough one of the main arteries across our country had to be bypassed. Thankfully the crack was found and repaired before anything catastrophic and tragic happened.
While at the park, we saw a few joggers, cyclists, and dog walkers using the walkway trail in Martyrs Park. We wanted to do the Big River Crossing (just south located on Virginia Ave. W. off Channel 3 Dr.) but it was too cold and windy.
It’s a walkway to the Arkansas side of the river on one of the former roadways on the north side of the Harahan Bridge (1916) next to the (old) Memphis & Arkansas Bridge. It’s the longest pedestrian bridge across the Mississippi River, and the the country’s longest active rail/bicycle/pedestrian bridge. I’m not a fan of heights, but am willing to cross it for the view of the river and downtown Memphis it offers. Big River Crossing is free and open daily from 6:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. The crossing is family-friendly and pet-friendly. The Memphis Police Department monitors 47 security cameras 24 hours a day on Big River Crossing and have several emergency call boxes on the bridge.
The Riverfront Pedestrian Path extends up/down along side the river and connects Martyrs Park to Tom Lee Park, Vance Park, Beale Street Landing and Mud Island/Harbortown.
Normally you can walk/jog/bike to Beale Street, Beale Street Landing, the Riverboats, the Pyramid/Bass Pro, Greenbelt Park/Harbortown, and the information center.
Currently Tom Lee Park is closed for construction, as is Beale Street Landing, so I don’t know how that effects the path right now. Construction for both projects is scheduled to be completed in 2023. I don’t know how Memphis in May will be able to have future BBQ Cooking Championships or MusicFests there. They’ve been very vocal about not being happy with the designs for the park and have scheduled their events at Liberty Park (the old Memphis Fairgrounds/Liberty Land) in Mid-town Memphis. That location is undergoing construction as well. According to their website MIM plan to be there for 2022, but back down on the river in 2023. We’ll see…
Tom Lee Park was a large open green space with a few sidewalks and an unobstructed view of the Mississippi River (about 30 acres and a little over a mile long), but now will be broken up into sections with shade, hammocks, concessions, misting stations, landscaping, and more- not really conducive for large crowds. I honestly haven’t been blown away by the designs I’ve seen presented by the River Parks Partnership, or what was already done at the landing (they’re already replacing the outer concrete for just over $1mil). Some things sound and look interesting like the steps/ramps on the bluff and a pavilion, others not so much- not sure how Canopy Walk and/or an observation deck that overhangs the river will be sturdy enough to survive the river, since the park was built on a landfill and has flooded and sustained damage from storms like 2003’s Hurricane Elvis. I will say I’ve never been downtown on the river and thought, “Hey, I could really use a hammock.”, not even when I had to watch our booth overnight on Beale.
I’ve I guess we’ll just have to wait and see how it all turns out in a year or two. Hoping it all turns out great, but I just don’t have a lot of faith in the powers that be in Memphis.
Mud Island looked extremely neglected when Nicki and I went to the Joe Walsh concert a few years back. The location has always had potential and a great place to catch a concert, event, or just an awesome view of downtown, but the park desperately needs upgrades and a lot of TLC.
To me, the city truly seems like it hasn’t known what to do with it, or even act like they care about the “attraction” in years.
And don’t get me started on the “pyramid bait shop”…ugh. It was a cluster from the beginning.
I really love going downtown and am glad to see more happening down there- fingers crossed it all adds to the experience of walking in Memphis.
There are a lot of fun things to do in Memphis, and many locals just don’t take advantage of if. I guess that’s true for a lot of towns.
Yeah, Memphis gets a lot of things wrong, has earned it’s reputation for violence and crime, and I felt safer walking around NYC…but the M-town also has a lot of good (and strange) things to offer if your willing to look and do a bit of research.
But like any city, be careful, mind your surroundings, and take somebody along with you- not only for safety, but to share the adventure with.
We plan to do more local tourist outings, as well as enjoy our own actual backyard a bit more before it becomes too cold!
Hope you all had a great Thanksgiving and a safe Black Friday- happy holidays, ya turkeys!
Lin
Memphis River Parks – www.memphisriverparks.org
South Main – www.gosouthmain.com
Beale Street – www.bealestreet.com
Downtown Memphis – www.downtownmemphis.com
Memphis Tourism – www.memphistravel.com
Choose 901 – www.choose901.com
Elvis Presley’s Graceland – www.graceland.com
Liberty Park – www.libertyparkmemphis.com
“Location, location, location!” Touring a cemetery in New Orleans for my birthday.
Flashback Friday: “Hey, Does This Pole Still Work..?- My Trip to Hook & Ladder Co. #8
Hey, gang-
My next few posts will be Flashback episodes- mostly about me and Nicki recently playing local tourists. The pandemic has kept us staying pretty much close to home, but have been able to get out and about in our “backyard” of Hernando, MS and Memphis, TN.
On Saturday, October 16th, Nicki and I went to check out the Hernando Skate Park 6th Anniversary competition and fundraiser event at Pidgeon Park in Hernando, MS.
The skatepark is just around the corner from us and Nicki had a new mirror-less digital camera she wanted to play with. (Sharing pics taken with my iPhone.)
There was a great “Hernando Skates” turnout- lots of spectators, many bands performed, and several skaters of all skill levels took to the bowl style concrete park and competed in the fundraising event.
There was some serious defying of gravity going on…
…well, sometimes gravity can be a harsh mistress..!
Trust me, I was reminded the first time I tried going in! Thankfully I was wearing hockey pads. I don’t bounce back like I used to.
You can read more about that time when Kevin Thorn, Greg Cravens, Mike Womack, their kids and I checked out the skatepark and it’s grand opening 6yrs ago on my Have Geek travel blog post.
That’s the board (left) I rode on that day in Hernando and the one (right) I rode on around 40 years ago when I lived in Bartlett.…it’s soooo tiny! Would have loved to skate a park back then.
I was skating out in Bartlett, TN back in ‘77/78 and mostly just had the parking lots in our apartment complex to skate around by myself- really didn’t have any friends who skated. I remember seeing some guys doing a trick demo out in front of the Raleigh Springs Mall and was blown away! I never thought about doing any “tricks” on my board. For me avoiding any rocks in the road and staying on it was tricky enough. I remember hearing about a park being built out that way and then was told it closed almost immediately due to drainage problems. I never got to try it (there is a new one in Raleigh now). I was sorry to see the skatepark area in Southaven on Rasco near Hwy 51 suddenly close. It had a plaza “streetscape” trick area and a separate roller-hockey rink. I graduated from Southaven High just up the road and would have loved having it back in the ‘80s.
The Hernando Skate Park aka “Pidgeon Park” was built in 2015 by Evergreen Skateparks (Portland, OR) in Renasant Park off Hwy51, just south of Conger Park and the courthouse square and Commerce Street. The local dog park is nearby, and the future Hernando Animal Shelter will have it’s new home there, too…someday.
The MS Dpt. of Wildlife and Fisheries granted Hernando a $100,000 Recreational Trails grant to construct the Hernando Skate Park/Pidgeon Park. The land was donated, and Hernando Skates group raised the remaining funds needed for Evergreen Skateparks to make it a 6,000 square-foot concrete reality.
“Landshark! We’re gonna need a bigger park…”
The non-profit group is raising money for Phase 2 of the park to add a plaza style skate park alongside the current bowl one. Look forward to seeing that happen, especially since the Southaven park was dismantled.
The new and more streetscape park will include grinding/trick items like handrails, benches, curves, and more- plus adding some new landscaping. Would love to see some seating/bleachers added (at a safe distance) for spectators.
They’re applying for an 80/20 grant of $150,000 through Mississippi Department of Parks and Wildlife Fisheries and will be responsible for the other 20 percent of the funds needed.
It’s a strong possibility that the 2nd skatepark section will be in place and operational before the animal shelter breaks ground- in my opinion the city seems to be dragging their paws on the shelter. Nicki and I try to donate to it when we can- either money or dropping off supplies at the shelter and/or farmers market table. If you’d like to help check out their Facebook page.
I didn’t know a lot about the actual origin of the skatepark (and am still learning about the park’s history), but remember being very excited hearing about it and the local grassroots movement to see it happen in Hernando. Nicki and I would donate a few bucks whenever we’d see “Hernando Skates” (a non-profit group) set up around town, and enjoyed talking to Edward Pidgeon whenever I’d run into him on the square or at Area 51 Ice Cream.
Ed was one of the spear-headers for the park’s creation, and although he passed away in 2019, he did get to see and enjoy the park before he died, as well as pass along his love of skating to a new generation of DeSoto kids.
The skateboard park can be enjoyed by anyone- from beginners to more experienced skateboarders. Skateboarding clinics are held from time to time to teach those wanting to learn.
Even though I really don’t use the skate park, I enjoy watching others skate it and am really glad it’s in our backyard.
Hernando Skate Park/Pidgeon Park
3369 Hwy 51 S #3323
Hernando, MS 38632
Hours: 8:00 AM – 8:00 PM Mon-SunHoliday hours might differ
Hours: 8:00 AM – 8:00 PM Mon-SunHoliday hours might differ
Free or Pay – Free
Inside or Outside – Outdoors, very outdoors!
Are Pads Required? No- but I recommend them, seriously.
Riding Surface? Concrete…hard concrete.
Is there a pro shop on site? N0, but there is a port-a-potty, and pop-up booths and live music at events.
City Of Hernando Parks & Recreation
Hernando Skate Park on Facebook
www.evergreenskateparks.com
Skatepark Grand Opening pics and video (click here)
News/video:
CH3: Hernando skate park opening comes after years of dedication
by: Michael Quander
Edward Pidgeon and Hernando Skatepark | Documentary by Bryan Cox
HGWT: Cleveland Rocks, And Memphis Has The Blues, But Hernando SKATES!
Skateboard gear, apparel, and info:
Mid-South Skate – www.midsouthskate.com
Instgram: @midsouthskate
Cheapskates of Memphis
1576 Getwell Rd.
Memphis, TN, TN 38111
Contact Skateboard Shop LLC (Society Memphis Skatepark and Coffee)
583 Scott St.
Memphis, TN 38112
Zumiez (Wolfchase Galleria)
2760 N Germantown Pkwy; Ste 214
Memphis, TN 38133
Zumiez (Tanger Outlet, Southaven)
5205 Airways Blvd, Ste 970
Southaven, MS 38671
Other skateparks in the Mid-South area:
Latimer Lakes Park
5633 TULANE RD
Horn Lake, MS 38637
Bowl-type skating park built for skateboards, bicycles and inline skates.
Covers a half-acre site and features ramps and slide rails.
Raleigh Springs Civic Center (Memphis Skate Park)
3384 Austin Peay Hwy
Memphis, TN 38128
Our skate parks are free and open to all ages, but skaters must play at their own risk.
Protective gear is recommended for adults, and kids under the age of 12 are required to wear protective gear (knee pads, elbow pads, and a helmet) and be accompanied by an adult.
Skaters are allowed Tuesday through Sunday, with bike use in this park allowed only on Mondays.
3384 Austin Peay Hwy
Memphis, TN 38128
Our skate parks are free and open to all ages, but skaters must play at their own risk.
Protective gear is recommended for adults, and kids under the age of 12 are required to wear protective gear (knee pads, elbow pads, and a helmet) and be accompanied by an adult.
Skaters are allowed Tuesday through Sunday, with bike use in this park allowed only on Mondays.
Tobey Park (Memphis Skate Park)
2599 Avery Ave
Memphis, TN 38112
Amenities include bowls, plenty of ramps and rails, stairs, snake runs, and Tobey Park’s infamous Memphis Wave, which allows daredevils to defy gravity.
Our skate parks are free and open to all ages, but skaters must play at their own risk.
Skaters are allowed Tuesday through Sunday, with bike use in this park allowed only on Mondays.
Society Memphis Skatepark and Coffee
583 Scott St.
Memphis, TN 38112
Anyone and Everyone who wants to enter Society skatepark area must register by filling out and submitting the proper Liability Waiver.
At this time, due to insurance regulations, HOVERBOARDS, ELECTRIC VEHICLES, UNICYCLES are NOT ALLOWED!
We have viewing lounge on the second floor with free Wi-Fi and a full service coffee bar.
Al Town D.I.Y. Skatepark
849 Roland St.
Memphis, TN 38114
Instgram: @altown_memphis
Houston Levee Skate Park
9777 Wolf River Blvd.
Germantown, TN 38139
This facility can accommodate skaters at all levels, from the beginner to the extreme.
Munford Skate Park (located in Poplar Park)
63 College St.
Munford, TN 38058
All users are required to wear helmets, and all users under the age of 13 are required to wear knee and elbow pads.
Skate boards and in-line skates only; i.e., no bicycles are allowed. No motorized vehicles or other wheeled devices allowed within the skate park.
Hey, gang!
I’m back for another Flashback Friday featuring my trip to NYC and the Ghostbusters filming locations.
So far we’ve gone to the library, and firehouse– this time it’s another 1984 movie location. We’re visiting Dana Barrett and Louis Tully‘s Central Park apartment building at 550 Central Park West…
…the Shandor Building, also known as Spook Central!
Okay- who brought the dog..?
The exteriors of the building (and church next door) were shot in Manhattan at 55 Central Park West, between 65th and 66th Streets and directly across the street from Central Park. The building has 19 floors, is a housing cooperative, was designed by the firm of Schwartz and Gross and built back in 1929. It’s had some pretty famous tenants over the years, and the penthouse has sold several times for between $1-30,000,000. Don’t know how much orchestra musicians or C.P.A.s get paid, but let’s just say that in the movie Dana and Louis are doing fine for themselves.
In the movies it was designed and built by Ivo Shandor, an architect and doctor who lead a cult of around 1000 Gozer the Gozerian worshipers that performed doomsday rituals up on the roof.
The Gozer temple above the penthouse apartment and extra floors (as well as a gargoyle or two) were added with special effects. In the movie Dana and Louis live on the 22nd floor (Dana’s apartment is 2206, Louis’ is 2202).
The original building the producers wanted was 1 Fifth Avenue (near Washington Square Park). It was much taller (27 floors) and had a cool top that could easily double as a temple, but the residents of the building decided they didn’t want the movie crew filming there. The one on Central Park West was chosen instead and became the one Ghostbusters fans know and love.
The production also made another apartment building on the Columbia lot to shoot the finale scene where the road breaks apart. It’s seamless when you’re watching the movie- at least it is to me! Some GB trivia- there are two different doormen because one was filmed in NY at the actual apartment building entrance and the other in L.A. on the set.
While walking around the library, we spotted this spooky building from Bryant Park (see my Library blog post to learn more about it and the surrounding Bryant Park). This building on 5th Avenue wasn’t 1 Fifth Avenue, but would have worked well, too! It also would have made more sense why Louis was walking around Times Square– it’s just around the corner..!
Nicki and I got up early on Saturday morning and caught a subway to Central Park. I was a bit worried about the NY subways, not only because of potential crime or strange passengers, but because they seemed a bit confusing and I hate crowds and confined spaces. Luckily I had my wife Nicki with me to help navigate, and a couple Guardian Angels to help keep it safe. We really only had a could subway rides that were crowded. I could definitely see how the virus spread so quickly up there.
Like most we had that weekend, it was a short ride and we only had a few strange encounters the whole time we were there. We exited at the 72nd Street/Central Park West stop, and made our way up the stairs and back outside into sunlight.
Once we were above ground again we could immediately see Central Park across the street. We crossed there and began to explore the park. It’s strange to encounter so much green in the middle of NYC.
The weather was amazing, and we just kind of followed the trails that snaked through the trees. We found a great spot to sit and watch folks row around the lake (apparently there are 8 lakes and ponds in Central Park). We took lots of pics, and listened to a couple folks perform live/acoustic. Also saw a wedding party taking pics by the lake. It was kind of weird to feel safer walking around Central Park and Manhattan than I do in most of Memphis. If you ever want to visit Memphis, I’m more than happy to give you some tips on what to do/don’t do or see while in town.
After getting some more steps in we found an info booth, got a map and headed out to see Strawberry Fields.
We found the IMAGINE mosaic- which was a very popular spot for tourists. Was tricky trying to get a photo without someone sitting in the frame. We listened to a musician sing and play some acoustic Beatles tunes (including Imagine) and some of his own original songs. We heard a lot of live music throughout the park, and saw lots of folks biking, too.
Bit of advice- when crossing any roads or paths, watch out for anyone on a bike or jogging in the park…those folks are fast, serious, and crazy! Definitely keep your head on a swivel. The streets around the church/apartment building are very busy, too.
After spotting a snack cart, we got a pretzel and some water, took a breather while doing some people watching, and then headed off to find Tavern On The Green. It wasn’t too far of a walk from where we had stopped to eat and rest. It was a bit off the main road we were walking on but fairly easy to find.
The restaurant had closed for a few years, but was back open while we were there. Unfortunately it’s closed again due to COVID-19, as is a lot of New York. So thankful we went when we did.
I was really surprised at just how close the restaurant was to the apartment building, and how much bigger the building behind it was. You can see both behind me. Didn’t realize Louis didn’t really have all that far to run when trying to get away from the Terror Dog/Vinz Clortho.
The restaurant has changed a bit since the movie was filmed here. As we walked back up the road beside the restaurant it looked like this area in the movie was now outdoors.
We turned right and followed a paved path that curved back some and before we knew it we could see the apartment building and church to our left.
I have to admit, I completely geeked out. I love cool, Gothic architecture, and not only was I at Spook Central- an iconic Ghostbusters filming location, but the church was still standing!
In the movie the Stay Puft Marshmallow Man walks up Central Park West and steps on the church before scaling the apartment building next door and really ticking off Peter Venkman.
The actual church is the Holy Trinity Lutheran Church, and is located at 3 West 65th Street at the corner of Central Park West. Construction on the church took almost 2 years and was completed in 1904.
The church was amazing to see in person. Unfortunately we didn’t get a chance to see inside, but I took a ton of photos with Nicki’s nicer Nikon camera.
Well, I also took a bunch with my iPhone, too! I’m not super religious, but love Gothic architecture and enjoy touring old churches. Definitely want to see the insides of this one.
When I walked next door to the apartment building I talked a bit with the doorman. It was obvious that I was a tourist and that he sees a lot of ghostheads at work each day.
I didn’t ask if there was a no pets policy. He was very friendly, but I didn’t want to push my luck to see if I could look around the lobby. I did get a peek as I walked by. 😉
Directly across from the apartment building is a yellow square on the wall where Louis climbed over while being chased by the Terror Dog/Vinz Clortho.
It’s a bit of a drop, but a quick run to Tavern On The Green- especially with a Terror Dog hot on your heels!
Again, it was so surreal to be there. I’d always wanted to go to NYC, but didn’t think I would get the chance, much less visit some famous movie locations like this. But with New York/Manhattan, there are sooooo many movie locations for sooooooo many different productions.
I really have to thank Nicki for making this trip happen, and being so willing to see some of my Ghostbusters bucket list locations with me. I’ve got a couple more locations to share with you, and one non-Ghostbusters bucket list location of Nicki’s that I was surprised to get to visit.
Hope you enjoyed reading this HGWT blog post on Ghostbusters locations and NYC.
We definitely had a blast being there at Spook Central!
Lin
If you’d like to explore more on your own, here are a few sites that might be of some help-
SoutingNY(dot)com – pt1
SoutingNY(dot)com – pt2
Hey, gang- got another Ghostbusters/NYC trip blog for you. Last week we checked out the NY Public Library.
This time Nicki and I visited the movie headquarters of the Ghostbusters which is an actual working New York City firehouse– Hook & Ladder Company #8.
It was built in 1903 and is located at 14 North Moore Street at its intersection with Varick Street in the Tribeca neighborhood of Manhattan.
The building, which originally had two vehicle doors, was halved in size in 1913 after Varick Street was widened.
That’s the street the Ecto-1 turns onto beside the firehouse and screams down when they get their first call in the original 1984 movie.
Ghostbusters (1984), Ghostbusters 2 (1989), and Ghostbusters: Answer The Call (2016) have all featured the exterior of the famous firehouse. It has showed up in other movies and TV shows, and there are several toy versions of it, too.
The interior of the Ghostbusters firehouse headquarters was shot in a Los Angeles studio and Fire Station No. 23, a decommissioned firehouse in L.A. It was built in 1910 and closed in 1960. The station was declared a Historic Cultural Monument by the Los Angeles Cultural Heritage Commission in 1966. The first film shot there was Hammett (1982), then followed by Ghostbusters in ’84. The Mask, Flatliners, and Police Academy 2 also used that firehouse. Like the NY Public Library scenes, the Ghostbusters are in New York when they are outside, and in Los Angeles whenever they are inside. Cool movie magic!
We got up early and caught a subway down to the Franklin Street stop.
There were a few must see places on my bucket list while in NYC and the firehouse was definitely one of them.
Riding a New York subway was another one, and we got to do that several times while we were there. I enjoyed it and only had a couple strange encounters…
It was a quick and uneventful subway ride from Times Square to Tribeca and the subway let us off just down the street from the firehouse. We immediately saw it on our left after topping the stairs from the subway.
When we got closer we saw that the ladder truck was parked out in front of the firehouse’s truck entrance with its ladder extended all the way up to the roof.
Yeah, I totally geeked!
The crew were doing drills up the ladder to the roof and wearing their full equipment.
It looked like fun, but I’m sure looks are deceiving when you’re wearing all that gear!
I was lucky enough to get a lot of shots of the firetruck while it was in use. It was parked in the middle of the street that Louis and Janine are talking to each other in GB2 when he almost gets run over and then decides to direct traffic.
Here is the passenger side of the firetruck.
Front of the truck with some serious bling- which I’m guessing has holes like that to let air pass through and cut down on wind resistance. Firetrucks aren’t very aerodynamic to begin with.
I loved the Ecto-1 licence plate on the back of the firetruck. The Ghostbusters love was all over the vehicle!
The driver’s side of the truck had a mooglie ghost logo and a memorial bronze plaque for one of their own- Lieutenant Vincent Halloran. Hook & Ladder No. 8 were among the first responders to the 9/11 attacks and he was the only firefighter that Hook & Ladder 8 lost on 9-11.
Once they were finished training, we even got to watch the ladder lowered back down into its position along the back of the truck before putting it away.
It was amazing to watch them squeeze the large truck through the now small looking doorway..!
We and the small crowd that had gathered to watch were all astounded at how the driver and crew worked to maneuver back into its home.
That took some serious skill and obviously not this driver’s first rodeo- awesome parking job!
Before they parked the truck back inside the firehouse, Nicki and I were able to get a few shots of the interior.
It’s fairly open now, but once that truck is parked inside it’s a pretty cramped working space.
Oh, notice something familiar on that left wall..?
Yep- it’s the sign from Ghostbusters 2!
I love movie props and filming locations, especially ones as iconic and famous as these.
Some other interior shots…and there’s a fireman’s pole. Since it’s a working firehouse we didn’t get to try sliding down one of those. I’ve been a fan of those since the ’60s Batman TV show.
I really loved the logos painted on the sidewalk just outside the door. Not sure how long they’ve been there. I know we don’t see them in the movies and I have seen shots of them with some serious wear. I had heard that the firehouse had been renovated so maybe they got repainted then- not sure.
You can’t really tell in the movie but there’s a small alleyway that goes beside and around the other side of the firehouse. My friend Kevin asked me to be sure and get a shot of that for him, so there ya go.
Here are a couple shots of the street that runs behind the firehouse (it’s the one you see the Ecto-1 turn left onto after tearing down the street after leaving the firehouse for the first time) and the other is across the street and behind the firehouse about a block. You can see the Franklin St. subway stop entrance where we got off/on the subway.
Not sure what building this is down the street from the firehouse but think it’s a safe bet that it wasn’t built way back in 1903..!
While we were there I got to meet a fellow Ghostbusters fan- Nate! He and his parents Hannah and Mark were visiting from Liverpool. They were hitting all the GB movie locations, too- and had been here before back when Nate was 7.
Gave Nate a Memphis Ghostbusters pin, business card, and a couple of stickers. Nate says he wants to start his own Ghostbusters franchise when he gets back home, and Nate’s mum said that she’s going to make him his own Ghostbusters franchise patch. I told her I’ve be happy to trade patches when she does. They bought a firehouse patch, too. That reminds me- need to order more patches! Like me he wasn’t able to bring all of his gear and flightsuit, but he had his PKE meter with him and was wearing this awesome firehouse tee his mother made for him. “I like that shirt, friend..!”
I made sure to leave behind one of our Memphis Ghostbusters patch and sticker as a gift to the firefighters for their collection at the station.
Nicki bought a LADDER 8 tee and got patches for both of us to take home for our collections.
We had a blast visiting the firehouse, but needed to hop back on the subway and head down to the Financial District to catch the Staten Island Ferry. I’ll share that adventure next.
Can’t thank my wife enough for this trip. Hope we can do it again sometime. “New York, New York..!”
Firehouse, Hook & Ladder Company 8
14 N Moore St, New York, NY 10013
(718) 999-2000
Need more info on the firehouse and other Ghostbusters filming locations?
Hey, gang- back for more of my trip to NYC. Last blog post was about Watchmen. This time it’s about Ghostbusters and the New York Public Library. I’ll be doing several Ghostbusters filming locations blog posts, so here’s the first of those.
If you’re a Ghostbusters fan (aka “ghosthead”) like myself, you probably remember the library’s exterior and iconic lion statues from the opening shots at the beginning of that 1984 movie.
Unfortunately when my wife Nicki and I stopped by last October we didn’t get to see them.
They were being cleaned and restored. Apparently the maintenance to the lions happens about ever 10 years, and just our luck it was that time again during our visit.
We did get to read a lot about the lions and the library from the walls they had constructed around the lions during the restoration process.
Pretty interesting stuff. (You can find out more about the history of the library by clicking here.)
Our hotel was just down the street from the library- about a block or so closer to Times Square, so we were able to walk over to it easily and got to see a lot of it. We noticed there were some restorations going on with the steps and main entrance of the library, too. With as many folks that enter/exit that building I wasn’t surprised.
We had been all over the outside of the library and the surrounding Bryant Park, but didn’t get a chance to go inside until our last day in New York. I do regret waiting until the last day to see inside it. The line to get in moved pretty quickly.
After going through the security check we made our way around the lobby and then upstairs to see some of the larger reading rooms.
The interior was gorgeous, and massive! There were amazing details everywhere.
The rooms were HUGE, and eerily quiet. I loved all the wood, high ceilings, and large windows. Like the interior firehouse scenes in Ghostbusters, the interior of the NY library wasn’t shot in NY.
It was actually filmed on the opposite side of the country at the L.A. library (the Los Angeles Central Library – 630 W. 5th Street, Los Angeles, CA to be exact) and was edited to look like the same location.
Ah, the Hollywood magic of being in two places at once..!
We had great weather while we were in town so we did a lot of walking and exploring inside and out. We shopped at the book store and souvenir stand inside the library before we left. Picked up some pins, postcards, stickers, and a book on the library. I always like to pick up a book about the town or something in the towns we visit- any interesting any history ones. I love any roadside attractions types of books, too.
One thing we found interesting outside the library was a gaming area with tables and a games carts.
Folks can enjoy board games, chess, checkers, and more in Bryant Park.
Bryant Park is small and only a few acres of public park (privately managed), but is jam packed with amazingly cool- and FREE stuff. It’s open to the public, has restrooms, free wi-fi, and even outlets so you can recharge your phone or laptop while you sit and recharge yourself.
The park is located around the library between Fifth Avenue and Avenue of the Americas, and between 40th and 42nd Streets. The library itself actually extends under the grassy area of the park and has escape hatches that lead outdoors to safety in case of an emergency in the library. (Check out this video for some more info about Bryant Park.)
We loved visiting the part of the park courtyard that was at back of the library. Again it was very close to our hotel and within walking distance of so many other great NY attractions. Inside the park there was an awesome fountain, carousel, landscaping, and great views of the city- both day and night. It was definitely was one of the places we saw most of while we were there. It was a lot more relaxed and less crowded than the time we spent on Times Square.
There was also a restaurant, bar, and a few places to get some coffee and deserts, and plenty of seating to just chill and take in the view of the surrounding trees and buildings. There was a Whole Foods store directly across from the park that came in handy for snacks for us that weekend.
One night got very chilly after dark so the coffee available in the park hit the spot for us. If you get a chance to try some Wafels & Dinges with your coffee I definitely recommend it. (So according to W&D “dinges” apparently is a Belgian slang word that means “whatchammacallit”, which is what Wafels & Dinges calls their toppings- of which there were several.)
The park workers were setting up a temporary outdoor ice skating rink and some seasonal holiday shops for the upcoming Winter Village. The ice skating rink is free and open to the public. We would have loved to have seen that operational and enjoyed some ice skating while we were there. We’ve enjoyed skating at The Mid-South Ice House near us and at the Bridgestone Arena– home ice of the Nashville Predators.
Can’t imagine what New York is like around Thanksgiving and Christmas, but would love to experience it at least once- although I’m not all that interested in being there for any New Years activities- especially around Times Square. Nope- WAAAAY too many people and tourists for me. I’m really not a crowds kinda guy. October was nice, and wouldn’t mind visiting in early November. I imagine spring in Central Park could be great, too.
I really enjoyed seeing the library lit up after dark. It had such a spookier feel to it. I honestly felt safer walking around New York than I do Memphis, which can be very scary at times.
The library building has so much character, and the lighting helped to bring out a lot of the details you might miss during the day.
I definitely want to see some museums and take a tour of the library the next time we visit NYC. Even though we weren’t lucky enough to see the lions in person, we were there before the pandemic struck, so we did get to at least get to visit some great places like Bryant Park and the library.
Check it out if you get a chance.
Lin
New York Public Library
5th Avenue and East 42nd Street
Manhattan, New York
