Historic Memphis Clearpool

         ...and The Eagle's Nest
 

 

The Clearpool entertainment complex was located just south of the Memphis City Limits on Lamar Avenue from the 1940s to 1960s.  Included was a large circular swimming pool, a restaurant, a ballroom, and other entertainment facilities.  Built by the Garavelli family, the complex was sold to Joe and Doris Pieraccini, who also owned the Rainbow Lake complex a few miles west on Lamar.

The Eagle's Nest was part of the Clearpool complex.  It was a nightclub located above the restaurant and the swimming pool's changing room and catered to a country and western swing dance crowd.  Elvis Presley played some of his first paid shows here and it was a regular gig for him, Scotty Moore, and Bill Black through 1954.  Elvis performed 16 times at the Eagle's Nest in 1954.  The club burned down in the late 1960s.   Most recently the Clearpool complex corner was occupied by The Americana Club

 Click on small photos to enlarge them. 

   

Clearpool Postcard 1950s

John Klompenhauwer at The Eagle's Nest Bar

Elvis 1954

Elvis - 1954

       Eagle's Nest Ad

Eagle's Nest Ad

Clearpool  Ash Tray

Eagle's Nest Ad

The Americana

Americana - John Klompenhouwer

Elvis Poster 1954

Elvis - Eagle's Nest

Eagle's Nest Ad

John Klompenhouwer, of the Netherlands, has a website about the history and music of Memphis Sun Records.  706 Union Avenue

 

Credits
 

The Historic-Memphis website does not intentionally post copyrighted photos and material without permission or credit.  On occasion a "non-credited" photo might possibly be posted because we were unable to find a name to give credit.  Because of the nature of our non-commercial, non-profit, educational website, we strongly believe that these photos would be considered "Fair Use.  We have certainly made no monetary gain, although those using this website for historic or Genealogy research have certainly profited.  If by chance, we have posted your copyrighted photo, please contact us, and we'll remove it immediately, or we'll add your credit if that's your choice.  In the past, we have found that many photographers volunteer to have their works included on these pages and we'll  also do that if you contact us with a photo that fits a particular page. 

 

The "Historic-Memphis" website would like to acknowledge and thank the following for their contributions which helped make this website possible:  Memphis Public Library, Memphis University Library, Memphis Law Library, Memphis Commercial Appeal, Memphis Press Scimitar, Shelby County Register of Deeds, Memphis City Schools, Memphis Business Men's Club, Memphis Chamber of Commerce, Memphis City Park Commission, Memphis Film Commision, Carnival Memphis, Memphis Historical Railroad Page, Memphis Heritage Inc, Beale Street Historic District, Cobblestone Historic District, Memphis Historic Districts, Vance Lauderdale Family Archives, Tennessee State Archives, Library of Congress, Kemmons Wilson Family, Richard S. Brashier, Lee Askew, George Whitworth, Woody Savage and many individuals whose assistance is acknowledged on the pages of their contributions.  Special thanks to Memphis Realtor, Joe Spake, for giving us carte blanche access to his outstanding collection of contemporary Memphis photos.

We do not have high definition  copies of the photos on these pages.  If anyone wishes to secure high definition photos,  you'll have to contact the photographer  or the collector.  (To avoid any possibility of contributing to SPAM, we do not maintain a file of email addresses for anyone who contacts us).
 

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