Beale Street in Memphis, TN

History The Wingate by Wyndham - Hotel Beale Street

World famous Beale Street in downtown Memphis, Tennessee is well known for its musical history, but the story of Beale Street began well before the area gained the notoriety it boasts today. During the Civil War, Beale Street was the headquarters of General Ulysses S. Grant and legend has it that the street was named after an unknown military hero in 1841.

History of Beale Street. Beale Street wasn’t always the carefree entertainment district it is today. The area has a decidedly shady past, with many stories that would horrify the visitors that grace the street today. In 1910, the Monarch Club opened at 340 Beale Street. Known as the 'Castle of Missing Men,’ the Monarch gained this nickname from the gunshot victims and dead gamblers that were so easily disposed of by the undertaker that shared the back alley.

Beale Street’s heyday was in the 1920's, when the area took on a carnival atmosphere and gambling, drinking, prostitution, murder, and voodoo thrived alongside the booming nightclubs, theaters, restaurants, stores, pawnshops and hot music. Medicine shows, wandering bluesman, big vaudeville acts, corner cafés, and a red-light district to rival New Orleans’ Storyville were all available on Beale Street and its famous residents included Machine Gun Kelly, pickpocket Little Ora and the creator of the Zoot Suit, tailor Louis Lettes, among others.   [Top]

Beale Street Today. In 1977, the U.S. Congress officially declared Beale Street to be the 'Home of the Blues.’ After years of abandonment and deterioration, the City of Memphis bought much of the property along three blocks of Beale Street, and the Beale Street Management Corporation was formed in order to create an entertainment district and revitalize the area. In 1983, the first club opened, and today Beale Street has over 25 clubs and shops offering something for everyone. What was once dilapidated, vacant property has been transformed into the number one tourist attraction in the State of Tennessee and is one of the hottest destinations for live entertainment in the country. http://www.bealestreet.com  [Top]