Memphis:
I took in lots of things today that I won't bore you with. I'll just list them in a second. I just want to say that Memphis has so many historic sites bursting in their scope. A good share of them are music-related, of course. Blues...and later, white blues...dominate this city. Their histories are all kept in excellent condition with the exception of Slave Haven, a stockyard once owned by Jacob Burkle, who secretly protected runaway slaves on course with the underground railroad.
I expected something glorious. The marker on the streets had nice arrows pointing to the house. When I got there, I had to do a double take. The house was in disarray, there were metal bars on the doors and windows, and their sign was a bad fit for such a weighty subject. If anything, this historic home surpasses the historic importance of Graceland, but the dollars just aren't there.
My Today List...
+ Sun Studios
+ Pyramid Bldg
+ Orpheum Theater
+ Slave Haven
+ Giant Dog
+ Graceland (eeesh! expensive, too!)
+ Riverboat ride
+ Confederate Park (I just had to see this one)
+ Dinner at Beale Street (Like 3rd Street Promenade but with really good musicians)
I'm exhausted so I'm going to shut up. Bright and early I'm driving to the other end of Tennessee to the old courtroom from the Scopes Trial, in which Clarence Darrow defended the high school biology teacher who taught evolution in school. I'm a Clarence Darrow fan, so I'd better get some rest to properly get my admirin' on.
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