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Mid-South ride, eat, and meet

Big Band, Blues, Soul, Rock&Roll,Rockabilly in West Memphis, Ar.

Memphis was the hub for all that in the earlymid 1900's. The hard life of the South with cotton pickin and hoeing and the related hardships of the lower class whites and blacks, sharecropping, and tenent farming led to music being a way to lift the spirits and way out of poverty. Music was big in post WWII in the Mid South. One problem was the iron fisted rule of one man, Boss E.H.Crump. He ruled Memphis and most of Tn. from 1910 to 1950. All the legitimate niteclubs closed at 12:00. The Clubs in West Memphis stayed open till dawn. On the east end of West Memphis their were 4 or five clubs that accomadated the Memphis clientele. Country Western, Big Band, Blues Clubs ruled the nights with song, dance, gambling etc. Along the Miss. River, there was an epicenter of music that became the heart and soul of American music. Memphis got famous, Helena was well known, somehow the fame never reached West Memphis, but the music did in those years from 1945-1960. :groovy
 
Harrahan Bridge Memphis, Tn.

The Harrahan Bridge was the 2nd or 3rd railroad bridge crossing from Memphis to Arkansas, I think the marker reads 1916. The steel girders out side the railroad track was the first auto, truck, motorcycle, wagon, pedestrian bridge. That bridge was used for that untill the Memphis/Arkansas bridge in 1948. The view with all the green growth is on the Arkansas side of what's left of it. It hooked up with Hiway 70. The fancy name was the Broadway from West Memphis to little Rock. Basically a narrow 2 lane half sunken, pot holed, somewhat paved road. The outrigger road at the Memphis end was covered in wooden planks, and caught fire quite a few times. The road would be closed and ferry service would restart till it was repaired. Ah the good old days.
 
The Arkansas end of the auto access part of the Harrahan Bridge, just east of West Memphis. Must have been something coming thru here on a 36 Knuckle or a 46 Chief. Or a BMW R5.
 
Just a little down from the welcome center is this view of Mud Island, Wolf River, and the Mississippi River in the background. The River Cruise boats docked at the end of the cobble stones. A good friend of mine Captain Jake Meanly owned the cruise line for many years and personally built many of the ships. Jake was pretty famous in the downtown scene and quite the character. He's not with us anymore, I kinda miss him. Just not the same downtown with him gone.
 
Riding thru West Memphis the last few days on the combined I-40/I-55 stretch I saw quite a few BMW's headed west and north from the RA National. Singles and groups, good for them. Sigh, maybe next year. :brow
 
Flash Market/ Shell Gas Station West Memphis, Ar.

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Mural on I-40/I-55 Flash Market on Service Road just west of the Dog Track/Casino and Arkansas Welcome Center. Also highlighted was the radio station KWEM early years during the late 40's and 50's. A lot of local talent got there start in West Memphis at that radio station. :groovy
 
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New Sultana monument in Marion. Located between city hall and the library. Good stop for you Civil War buffs and disaster fans. If you visit let me know and I'll try to come down for the stop.
 
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New Sultana monument in Marion. Located between city hall and the library. Good stop for you Civil War buffs and disaster fans. If you visit let me know and I'll try to come down for the stop.
 
Cessna's are Cool

Your absolutely correct, sir. Thx for the correction. Luv the brake job y'all did on it last week. :brow
 
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