HYPERLOCAL NEWS HUB BY THE UNIVERSITY OF MEMPHIS DEPARTMENT OF JOURNALISM
Cooper-Young: Then and Now
By Mye Griffin/MicroMemphis reporter
April 14, 2011
A place that was once considered a 'hoppin' neighborhood, has taken on a new, more family-friendly identity. Situated in walking distance from the railroad, Cooper-Young was once home to railroad workers in the 20's and 30's. The area had a movie theater, a trolley line and then, like now, was home to many artists. Today, Cooper-Young, no longer has the trolley line or the movie theater, but local resident Ginger Spickler says that the neighborhood is the perfect place to raise a family. "It is a very close-knit community, there are a lot of young families who have moved in the area, but there are still people who have been here for years and live in their family houses." Spickler said. "There is a growing group of kids and we have the Cooper-Young Parents' Network and we have 75 families in that." Kristin Huntley, from the Cooper-Young Community Association, says that although the dynamic of the neighborhood has changed Cooper-Young continues to embody the original fabric of the area. "We are very much still an artist area, but at the same time it has maintained its own balance." She said. " We have a lot of residents who have lived here for five, ten, to 20 years, so there is definitely a longevity." |
Read about Cooper-Young HistoryFor more information about the history of Cooper-Young, visit the Cooper-Young Community Association or purchase the book entitled "Cooper-Young" from Burke's or other local bookstores. |
Dig for More Memphis History... Online
The Memphis Public Library is putting thousands of historical pictures of Memphis online. The best part - it's all searchable! Click here to see how a Cooper-Young archivist is at the center of this effort to preserve and share history.