West Tennessee Day Trippin'

03/01/2022

As we look forward to the tournament, let's look back at great players from the past!

Image 1 features Betty Booker-Parks, who still holds multiple points records for U Mem/Memphis State even though they didn’t have a three-point line when she played!

Image 2 includes renowned badminton player Elma Roane, for whom the Fieldhouse at UM is named!

Check out the Women's Sports History tour, a **FREE** driving tour that celebrates women's sports accomplishments around the city and across the state. Visit nashvillesites.org to learn more and take the virtual or in-person tour.

08/11/2021

Pulitzer Prize-winning author was born on this day in 1921. Please join the Alex Haley Museum and Interpretive Center this Saturday as they celebrate Haley's legacy and enjoy a variety of entertainment!

For more info, ➡️ www.alexhaleymuseum.org

07/26/2021

Tomorrow! The Summer Road Show, an event by Tennessee History For Kids, will be at the Cotton Museum. This educational event is intended for teachers but open to everyone! You don't want to miss the impressive speaker line-up discussing Memphis's history!

Limited to 32 attendees so don't wait!

For more info ➡️ http://ow.ly/bipl50Fr8Gk

07/21/2021

Mark you calendars!

The Summer Road Show, an event by Tennessee History For Kids, will be at the Cotton Museum. This educational event is intended for teachers but open to everyone! You don't want to miss the impressive speaker line-up discussing Memphis's history!

Limited to 32 attendees so don't wait!

For more info ➡️ http://ow.ly/WkFk50Fr9QV

07/15/2021

As a reminder, the Ida B. Wells Parade on Beale Street & Statue Unveiling at Robert Church Park is happening tomorrow. You don't want to miss this!

For more info ➡️ idabwellsmemphis.org

07/08/2021

This weekend!

The 37th Annual Lauderdale County Tomato Festival will take place July 9th and 10th. Enjoy crafts, entertainment, and vendors!

For more info ➡️ http://ow.ly/4eGv50FrbER

07/07/2021

Mark you calendars for the Ida B. Wells Parade on Beale Street & Statue Unveiling at Robert Church Park! This historic event is happening Friday July 16.

For more info ➡️ idabwellsmemphis.org

06/19/2021

If you want to take your celebrations a step further, consider making a donation to your favorite Black-led organizations! We suggest one of our favorite West TN institutions, the Alex Haley Museum and Interpretive Center ➡️ http://ow.ly/Lm6T50FcB8F

06/17/2021

If you're looking for another event outside the city, Davies Manor Historic Site / Hillwood Hall is hosting local author/historian Dwight Fryer to discuss slavery's "Conspiracy of Silence" and the history of Juneteenth. Details ➡️ http://ow.ly/CJYN50FcyWP

06/17/2021

You don't have to go to Memphis to celebrate ! Somerville-Fayette NAACP is hosting an event in Oakland, complete with food, fun, and a voter registration table. Details ➡️ http://ow.ly/EuFW50FcxLm

06/16/2021

This is a fantastic resource for anyone wanting to learn more about !

is a time to gather as a family, reflect on the past and look to the future.

Celebrate this African American cultural tradition of music, food and freedom with the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture with a day of virtual programming and educational resources, including our social media toolkit, Juneteenth reading list, limited edition merchandise collection, and more: https://s.si.edu/2U1L4XW

06/16/2021

06/10/2021

Looking to have some fun on the backroads this weekend? Check out the latest from I Love Memphis ➡️

Need a super chill day trip idea in the Mid-South? Check out the Rosemark-Kerrville Heritage Loop near Memphis. It's perfect for history buffs, park lovers, and picnic havers.

05/28/2021

We hope you have a pleasant and safe Memorial Day weekend. As always, check out westtndaytrippin.org for fun day trip ideas for the family!

05/24/2021

West Tennessee has everything you could want for ! Hit the trails, explore the rivers, and have fun outside the city. Check out the latest from Tennessee Vacation ➡️ http://ow.ly/t4IO50EQxEH

For more day trip ideas ➡️ westtndaytrippin.org

05/19/2021

Looking for the best hiking, fishing, and camping spots in West Tennessee? Check out the latest from Tennessee Vacation! http://ow.ly/xewM50EQu81

Find your next outdoor excursion, just a day trip from Memphis.

05/18/2021

Happy , especially to Slave Haven Underground Railroad in Memphis. This museum is truly like no other, and Ms. Elaine Turner was kind enough to take us on a special tour yesterday. Call today to make an appointment!!

For more info on the museum ➡️http://slavehavenmemphis.com/

05/13/2021

DON'T FORGET ABOUT THIS INCREDIBLE EVENT THIS EVENING!

In cooperation and solidarity with and , is hosting an exhibit of red dresses to honor missing and murdered indigenous women and girls. On May 13, Native RITES will be hosting an outdoor event where you can learn more about this epidemic and how the AAPI community would like its political leaders to help. This event will be on the Great Lawn and Outdoor Stage from 5-7pm.

For more about the event, go to https://www.facebook.com/events/482972286467111/

05/08/2021

Have you had a coke today?

Pictured is the former Coca-Cola Bottling Plant in Covington, built in 1941. While no longer operative, its architecture is still a head-turner as you pass by on US 51!

📸 nps.gov

05/07/2021

If you're looking for weekend plans, is hosting International Migratory Bird Day this Saturday! Join the park at 10 AM to watch migrating birds following the Mississippi River and talk about their yearly journey!

05/05/2021

We want to share this important upcoming event. May is Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month and is also a month of remembrance and education for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, or MMIW.

In cooperation and solidarity with Shelby Farms Park and Center for Transforming Communities, Native RITES is hosting an exhibit of red dresses to honor missing and murdered indigenous women and girls. On May 13, Native RITES will be hosting an outdoor event where you can learn more about this epidemic and how the AAPI community would like its political leaders to help. This event will be on the Great Lawn and Outdoor Stage from 5-7pm.

For more about the event, go to https://www.facebook.com/events/482972286467111/

05/04/2021

We hit snooze until spring and it is in full bloom! 🌷

We've made some changes to our website to feature more adventures, just a day trip from Memphis!

For trip ideas, go to westtndaytrippin.org

04/03/2021

As a reminder, our region is full of history! Let Paul tell you what he loves about working with the Rural Heritage Trust of Southwest Tennessee for today's

"I thoroughly enjoy working with the RHT Board to help research and write narratives for the tours and markers and to find appropriate photos and illustrations to make the information come alive for the reader. I grew up in north Shelby County and have always been interested in local history. But the most fun has been finding out what I didn’t know about the area and particularly learning those “fun facts to know and tell.” A good example is how Shake Rag Road west of Millington got its name. According to Dr. Rita Hall, “Shake Rag” originated during Prohibition, when men would gather at the Thweatt Store to gamble in the back room. A sentry was posted to watch for "Johnny Law" and, when necessary, would silently alert the players by sticking his arm through a hole in the wall and shaking a rag at them. When the gamblers got the signal, they would scramble to hide the evidence. There are countless other examples of “local color” in the Crescent!"

Thank you Paul for helping share that history and giving us the phrase "shake a rag!"

To learn more about RHT and see the tours they've created, go to http://ruralheritagetrust.com/index.html

For more safe day trip ideas, go to https://westtndaytrippin.org/

03/31/2021

Located in Fayette County, the Immanuel Episcopal Church was organized in 1832 by the efforts of Mary Hayes Willis Gloster. According to community history, Gloster rode horseback from LaGrange to Franklin to appeal to Rev. James Hervey Otey for help in organizing an Episcopal Church. The Immanuel Episcopal Church was built and consecrated a decade later. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1972.

For more stops along Civil War Trails ⬇️
https://www.civilwartrails.org/

For safe day trip ideas ➡️ https://westtndaytrippin.org/

📸 nps.gov

03/25/2021

Annie Cook was a prominent Memphis s*x worker who operated a brothel on Gayoso Street called Mansion House. When the Yellow Fever epidemic hit the city in 1873, Cook used her home as a hospital for the sick, and did so again during the 1878 wave of illness. She succumbed to Yellow Fever herself in September 1878. Her grave was moved to the Howard Association plot in Elmwood Cemetery to honor her sacrifice, and Cook was lauded as a converted sinner.

To learn about other women who have left their mark on Memphis and Shelby County, check out the Memphis Women's Legacy Trail ➡️ http://womenofachievement.org/

For safe day trip ideas ➡️ https://westtndaytrippin.org/

📸 findagrave.com

03/22/2021

A native of Flint, Michigan, Myra Finsterwald Dreifus moved to Memphis in 1936 and soon became involved in a number of benevolent organizations, including the Memphis Junior Red Cross and the National Council of Jewish Women. She eventually turned her focus more towards childhood hunger and nutrition, and successfully worked to increase enrollment in the Free Lunch Program. Often referring to herself as a "professional volunteer," Dreifus changed the lives of thousands of children throughout Shelby County and the country.

To learn about other women who have left their mark on Memphis and Shelby County, check out the Memphis Women's Legacy Trail ➡️ http://womenofachievement.org/

For safe day trip ideas ➡️ https://westtndaytrippin.org/

📸 womenofachievement.org

03/17/2021

Gladys “MaDear” Bennett established Gladys’ School of Domestic Arts in the 1940s, one of Memphis’s early schools for African Americans to learn professional skills. She later moved her business into the home she and her husband bought in 1955, along with her sister Cora's “Subway Beauty Salon.” The home serves as a physical link to Memphis’s history of Black entrepreneurship during the Jim Crow era. The Gladys "MaDear" Bennett Home was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2020.

For safe day trip ideas ➡️ https://westtndaytrippin.org/

📸 nps.gov

03/15/2021

Marion Keisker was a pioneer for women in broadcasting. She got her start as assistant to Sam Phillips at Sun Records and was reportedly the first to have contact with Elvis Presley. She went on to have a lengthy career, and hers was the first voice viewers heard on WHER, the country's first all-female radio station. She later founded and served as president of the Memphis Chapter of NOW and continued working for women's equality in the media and society.

To learn about other women who have left their mark on Memphis and Shelby County, check out the Memphis Women's Legacy Trail ➡️ http://womenofachievement.org/

For safe day trip ideas ➡️ https://westtndaytrippin.org/

📸 womenofachievement.org

03/12/2021

We've profiled the Canaan Baptist Church before, but did you know that the first African American Girl Scout Troop in Covington was established at the church? The exact date of its creation is not known, but the National Register nomination for the church asserts that a mid-twentieth century photograph of the group in front of the church exists somewhere.

For safe day trip ideas ➡️ https://westtndaytrippin.org/

📸 tnsos.org