1888 Map of Memphis

1888 Map of Memphis Tennessee showing rail connections in North Memphis. The full map is online at : http://www.loc.gov/item/2012593690/

Broadway - An Early History

Broadway's Early History

Map of Fort Pickering Area 1858 (http://www.loc.gov/item/2012586237/)

In 1823, Andrew Jackson, one of Memphis' founders, sold his one eighth interest in Memphis to John Christmas McLemore. McLemore named the tract Fort Pickering,¹ after a United States Army fort established in the area in 1801 by General James Wilkinson. The fort was named after Secretary of War Timothy Pickering². It remained as an Indian trading post until after the end of the War of 1812.³

McLemore saw Ft. Pickering as a rival to Memphis. In pursuit of this dream, he reached an agreement with Judge John Overton, another one of Memphis' founders, to establish a ferry landing in Ft. Pickering in competition with Memphis ferries.⁴

He deeded 208 acres of his property to the La Grange and Memphis Railroad with the understanding that the railroad would lay out a town on the land. One entire block 300 by 400 feet was set aside and designated as the site for a depot. A street one hundred feet wide running from the depot to the river on the west and Bayou Gayoso on the east was named “Broadway”.⁵ Broadway east of the depot was intended to be a street and a railroad right of way combined.⁶

McLemore also owned the land east of Bayou Gayoso and granted the railroad a “right of way” (later to be judged an easement) over this property to connect with the railroad at the point where the railroad diverged toward Memphis⁷ (KC Junction)

No work was ever done on the right of way by the La Grange & Memphis with the exception of some grading on the right of way and for the most part the land remained vacant and unimproved until 1871 when the Selma, Marion and Memphis Railroad Company did work preparing it for laying railroad track. This company failed and in 1881 the Memphis, Selma and Brunswick took up the task of preparing the right of way for track and in 1882, the Kansas City, Ft. Scott and Memphis, successor to the Memphis, Selma and Brunswick, finally laid track the length of the right of way.⁸

The authority for occupying Broadway by the Selma, Marion & Memphis, the Memphis, Selma & Brunswick and the Kansas City, Ft Scott & Memphis railroads was presumably granted by the City of Memphis or the the Taxing District of Shelby County by agreements similar to one dated December 5, 1881, between the Taxing District of Shelby County and the Springfield & Memphis Railroad Company⁹ The Taxing District of Shelby County was the governing body for Memphis from January 29, 1879 until April 9, 1891, Memphis' charter having been revoked as a result of the yellow fever epidemic.¹⁰

By virtue of the agreement between John C. McLemore and the La Grange and Memphis Railroad, the Memphis & Charleston Railroad claimed ownership of Broadway and sued the Kansas City, Fort Scott and Memphis. The suit was settled with the Memphis & Charleston acquiring one half of the right of way.¹¹ The City of Memphis, however, held that Broadway was a dedicated street and was owned by the City of Memphis. On January 31, 1890, an agreement was reached between the City of Memphis, the Memphis and Charleston and the Kansas City, Ft. Scott and Memphis/Kansas City, Memphis and Birmingham (called the “Kansas City Companies” in the agreement) as to the division of Broadway. The southern 25% was “quit claimed” to the Kansas City Companies, the center 50% was “quit claimed” to the City of Memphis and the northern 25% was “quit claimed” to the Memphis and Charleston. Interestingly, none of the parties waived their claim to the ownership of Broadway, calling the agreement a “compromise adjustment of differences.”¹²

1 History of the City of Memphis, Tennessee by John M. Keating, page 124.

2 Standard History of Memphis by A.R. James, Page 50.

3 History of the City of Memphis, Tennessee by John M. Keating, page 102.

4 History of the City of Memphis Tennessee by John Keating, page 186

5 The Southwestern Reporter, Volume 69, page 339, West Publishing Company, 1902

6 IBID Page 341

7 IBID Page 339

8 IBID Page 340

9 Digest of the Acts Repealing the Charters of Certain Municipal Corporations" ,Appendix, Page 62, S. C. Toof & Co, 1898

10 Ibid, Page 1

11 A History of the Legal Development of the Southern Railway Company, Felix Harrison, Page 728, 1901

12 Digest of the Acts Repealing the Charters of Certain Municipal Corporations" ,Appendix, Page 251, S. C. Toof & Co, 1898

Free admission today & Tomorrow (Oct 25th & 26th) due to River Arts Fest. If you're not interested in the Arts Fest, you can enter through the Amtrak ticket office upstairs and use the museum side door. Be advised that parking is limited. http://riverartsmemphis.org/

Norfolk Southern Exhibit Car

 The Norfolk Southern Exhibit Car will be open on Friday, October 3rd from Noon until 5  PM, from 10 AM until 5:00 PM on Saturday, October 4th and from Noon until 5 PM on Sunday, October 5th  .
Norfolk Southern's Exhibit Car illustrates how people and technology support the company's vision to be the safest, most customer-focused and successful transportation company in the world. A restored passenger coach, the Exhibit Car has been in operation on Norfolk Southern since 1971. More than 1.5 million people have been aboard in 300 communities.

Part of the Central Station 100th Anniversary Celebration. The Museum Gift Shop will be open prio to the show at 6:00 PM and immediately afterward!

Husband and wife musical duo "The Grahams" culminated their "On The Tracks" tour of the United States via Amtrak with a free concert at the Memphis Railroad and Trolley Museum on July 6th.
Alyssa and Doug gathered  inspirtion for their previous album "Riverman's Daughter"by traveling the "Great River Road" from Minnesota to Louisiana, ending up on a houseboat on the bayou, where they  holed up to work on the project.

This was the template for the "On The Tracks" project, but instead of the Louisiana swamps, the project is returning to Memphis and Hudson Hall in Memphis Central Station with a free benefit concert (contributions accepted)/ recording session for their new album. Cody Dickinson of the North Mississippi All Stars will reportedly be the producer of the new album and several of the All Stars are rumored to be back up musicians for the performance.
The concert is being held as part of the Central Station 100th Anniversary celebration on Thursday, October 2nd. We will be opening the museum gift shop from 6:00 PM to 7:15PM prior to the concert and from 9:30 PM 'til 10:15 PM after the concert. The concert itself will be from 7:30 PM 'til 9:30 PM.

Central Station 100th Anniversary Activities

Ever been to a recording session? The Grahams will be recording the concert in Hudson Hall at Central Station on Thursday, October 2nd at 7:30 PM for inclusion in their upcoming album. The museum gift shop will be open prior to the concert from 6:00 PM 'til 7:15PM and after the concert from 9:30 'til 10:15 PM.

Reminder: Strating today we open at 10:00 AM on Friday and Saturday. Still open at noon on Sundays.

We have been advised that we will NOT have Amtrak equipment on display. We will, however, have engines from all FIVE railroads serving Memphis on display. The cab of the CN locomotive will be open for visitors to examine.

National Train Day, May 10th 2014

National Train Day

May 10, 2014

10:00 AM - 4:00 PM

Central Station

545 S. Main 

Memphis, TN 

National Train Day 2013 at the Memphis Railway and Trolley Museum was a huge success and we are working to make it an even bigger event for 2014. Amtrak has committed to a display of their equipment which visitors will be able to examine both inside and out. 

The MRTM is in contact with the railroads serving Memphis and should also have some of their equipment on display. Last year the CN and BNSF both had freight locomotives on display.  Visitors were allowed to board the CN locomotive and check out the cab. We are hopeful in repeating the experience this year.

Best of all FREE ADMISSION to the Museum and Exhibits

• Planned  activities* include:
• Free admission to the Memphis Railroad and Trolley Museum
• Two train layouts in the in the Central Station's Mezzanine area
• Amtrak passenger equipment
• Locomotives from ALL FIVE railroads serving Memphis on display (BNSF, CN, CSXT, NS an UP)
• Railroad Motor Car (Speeder)
• Food. 
• Representatives from the National Railroad Historical Society and Tennessee Association of Railroad Passengers
• Free Activity Books and paper engineer hat for the kids
• More
• *Subject to change without notice

Come on out and enjoy the nice weather, explore Central Station and  discover the South Main Art District. Take a ride on the trolley and visit the Farmers Market right next door to the station.  

HAPPY EASTER!

Happy Easter everyone! We will be open this afternoon. Come on down an pay us a visit!

Illinois Terminal Heritage Unit in Memphis Tenn.3/25/2014

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