Memphis, an Architectural Guide

Book excerpt: Memphis is a city whose rich architectural heritage dates back to before the Civil War. This lucid, lively book, the first guide to Memphis architecture, invites readers to explore a very special urban environment, savoring its triumphs and mourning its crucial losses. Descriptions of some 550 buildings, together with 250 photographs and detailed maps, are organized to facilitate touring the city section by section. Brief histories of Memphis and of its architectural development introduce the text, while entries sketch the origins and characters of particular neighborhoods, suggesting the contexts within which individual structures were created. Of special interest are descriptions of important buildings no longer standing. With this book in hand, one can imagine a specific urban scene as it once was, then compare it with the same scene today. -- cover