Founded                                                                      
1819

Incorporated
1826

Altitude
Airport - 331 feet above sea level
Mississippi River - 188 feet above sea level.

Area/Location
296.35 square miles (as of August 1992)
35.10' North by 90.00' West at Madison and Front

Official City Flower
Crape Myrtle

Official City Tree
Dogwood

Climate
Temperature (Fahrenheit degrees): Average annual: 61.9
January average: 41.2
July average: 81.2
Record High: 108 on July 13, 1980
Record Low: -13 on Dec. 24, 1963

Precipitation:
Average annual rainfall 48.6 inches

Bridges -- Dates opened
Frisco - May 12, 1892
Harahan - July 14, 1916
Memphis & Arkansas - Dec. 17, 1949
Hernando De Soto - Aug. 2, 1973

Rail and Air Terminals
Central Station
(Built 1914; Amtrak service began 1971)
Memphis International Airport
designated an international airport in 1969; terminal completed in 1975)

Buildings, Tallest
100 North Main - 430 ft., 37 stories
Commerce Square - 396 ft., 31 stories
Sterick Building - 365 ft., 31 stories
Clark Tower - 365 ft., 32 stories
Morgan Keegan Tower - 341 ft., 23 stories

Largest Colleges & Universities
Christian Brothers University - founded 1871
LeMoyne-Owen College - founded 1871
University of Memphis - founded 1912
Rhodes College - founded 1848
Shelby State Community College - founded 1972
State Technical Institute - founded 1968
University of Tennessee College of Medicine - founded 1911

Government
Mayor and Council form established in 1966.

Population
1820 - 364
1830 - 663
1840 - 1,799
1850 - 8,841
1860 - 22,623
1870 - 40,226
1880 - 33,592
1890 - 64,495
1900 - 102,320
1910 - 131,105
1920 - 162,351
1930 - 253,140
1940 - 292,942
1950 - 396,000
1960 - 497,524
1970 - 623,530
1980 - 646,356
1990 - 610,337
2000 - 650,100