...in Vintage Postcards and Photos

It wasn't long after the growing settlement on the bluffs above the Mississippi River was named Memphis, that Main Street began to represent its "heart and soul."  Along Main, one could find all types of shops and businesses, as well as numerous hotels, restaurants, and theatres.  It was the place to see and to be seen.  As the town grew into a major city, most Memphians thought of Main Street as the section from Court Square down to the Orpheum-Malco or Beale Street.  These 12 blocks were an easy walk.  Going downtown became a dressy occasion  and an "event".  One would generally spend the whole day - shopping, lunch, and then the theatre or a movie, and possibly, dinner.  But by the late 20th century, Main Street had fallen on hard times.

1906 Looking South-Court Square   

1906 Main-Union

1907

       1907 Looking South-Court Square

    1907 Main-Gayoso

1907 Main-Gayoso

1907

1909 Main-Union

Suburban flight took a major toll on downtown Memphis and most businesses began deserting Main Street.  Soon the grand shops, hotels, and theatres closed and boarded up their windows.  Even the famous Peabody Hotel closed and was sold.  Main Street became a virtual ghost town where no one wanted to be seen.  

1914 Main-Madison

1915 Main-Madison

1915 Main-Gayoso

1917

1918 Main-Madison

To lure shoppers back to the city, Main Street was converted into a pedestrian mall between Poplar Avenue and Peabody Place.  This was inaugurated in 1976 with great fanfare by President Gerald Ford.  Since that time, new restaurants, shops and condos have sprung up in renovated historic buildings and this is indeed revitalizing downtown.  The trolley system, a mainstay of downtown transportation, was reinstated in 1973.  The vintage trolleys were purchased mostly from Melbourne and Lisbon - two cities noted for their trolleys.  It has taken time, but Main Street is beginning to become the busy street it once was.  Sadly, this Renaissance was not soon enough to save more of the classic Memphis architecture.  In 1982 the Memhis Main Historic District was placed on the National Register of Historic Places.

1921 Main-McCall

Main-McCall

1920s - Looking North

1937 Warner Theatre

    Birdseye - Looking North        

Looking North

Looking North

Main Street - Waldorf Cafe

Cotton Carnival Parade

Looking South-Convention Center     

  Looking South - Looking North

Cotton Carnival 1955    -    1910

Main - 1907

 Loew's State                 

 Grand Opera House 1910

 1906

1950

1952

Check out the Parking Meters

1907 Cotton Bale Arch

1908

<>   Main Street in Vintage Photos  and Recent Photos  <>

Thanks  to the Memphis Public Library and the University of Memphis Library for many of the  photos on this page.

These three very rare circa 1902 photos (above) were discovered on eBay in 2013.  The buildings are at the corner of Main and St. Paul, directly across from Central Station.  A row of similar one story buildings still exists on this corner.  Riser's Grocery is listed in the 1902 Directory at 664 Main and that number is on two of the photos (By 1920 that number was changed to 570 S. Main).  Notice on one of the horse-buggies in front that they have "Express" delivery.   L. S. Cowles Drug Store is listed in the 1902 Directory at 664 Main, which places it next door.  There is a third building partially showing, which is a Saloon.  The address appears to be 662 1/2.  All three photos were taken minutes apart, for the owner of the property John and Barbara Spang, whose names are on the back of the photos.  They are also listed in the 1902 Memphis Directory.

1860s - Earliest Photo                  

1910  Main-Gayoso

Year ?

Main - Union

Year ?

Old Orpheum

Year ?

1908 looking South

1915 Main at Beale

1913 N. Main

1906                       1906         

1950

1910 Main-Gayoso

1951 Main-Gayoso

c.1940's  South toward Malco              

Main - 1902

Main - at Madison c.1900s

1950 - Goldsmiths

1940

Main c. 1940s

Main - Courtsquare

1883:  These 4 vintage photos depict a parade down Main Street at Court Square.  Notice the buildings - the floats - and the by-standers.

Main - 1902              

Main -1940 (Easy Way Store)

Main -2000 (Easy Way Store)

Main - Calhoun 1943

Main - Union 1905

Main - c. 1880s

Main - Madison 1912

UCV Parade 1924            

UCV Parade 1924

CMT under Construction 1924

Main Street Parade

Main-Christmas Parade 1951

Main Trolley 1931

Main Street Trolley - Vintage

Claridge Hotel Building               

Main - Beale

Trolleys

Queensware Bldg. on right 

Court Square on Left         

Trolleys    

Trolleys    

Across from Court Square               

Lawrence Furniture - Kress Buildings

Lowenstein's - Goodman Bldg

Lowenstein's

       Warner's 1933

1919 - Armistice Parade

Peabody on Main - 1920s

      1899 - Peabody on Main

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