Take a short but immersive drive through the heart of Midtown Memphis as we follow Tennessee State Route 1 westbound along North Parkway. This 3-mile journey offers a diverse glimpse into the city’s historic and cultural fabric, tracing a route that runs just north of Overton Park and winds its way into the architectural grit of Crosstown. From elegant homes and green spaces to active urban corridors, this stretch of TN-1 serves as a snapshot of a city in motion—past, present, and future converging on pavement.
Our drive begins at the intersection of Parkway Boulevard and US-70/79/64 on the northeastern edge of Memphis. Here, TN-1 pivots west and becomes North Parkway, forming the northern arc of the city’s historic Parkway System—a three-sided loop conceived in the early 20th century by landscape architect George Kessler. As we head west, the road glides past Overton Park, one of Memphis’s premier green spaces. On our left, the expansive woods, trails, and golf course of the park unfold, while to our right, the classic facades of early 20th-century homes peek through tree-lined streets. This section of the drive is quiet, stately, and distinctly residential—a living gallery of Colonial Revivals, Tudor-style houses, and Prairie School designs that speak to the city’s golden age of development.
Continuing west, we pass the Memphis Zoo, whose entrance lies just within the park’s boundaries. It’s a major local attraction, drawing families and tourists alike to see pandas, big cats, and more amid a historic setting. As the road bends gently through the park’s western edge, the residential ambiance begins to give way. We cross Stonewall Street, and soon the visual texture begins to shift—stately homes blend into the denser, more eclectic landscape of Crosstown. This neighborhood, once defined by its rail-centered industry and Sears distribution hub, is undergoing a renaissance, marked by mixed-use revitalization and a thriving arts scene centered around the Crosstown Concourse, just a few blocks to the south.
As we cross over Interstate 40, the road subtly narrows, and North Parkway enters its final phase. The grandeur of the early parkway gives way to tighter urban spaces where warehouses, mid-century apartment blocks, and corner businesses line the corridor. This segment, leading into the northern edge of downtown Memphis, still holds echoes of its industrial past while bearing the signs of future change—renovations, new construction, and grassroots renewal efforts are in motion. Finally, at the intersection with Danny Thomas Boulevard (US-51), TN-1 bends south to follow the old U.S. Highway 51 corridor, but our drive continues straight onto Willis Avenue, the edge of North Parkway’s westbound course.
This brief but richly layered segment of Tennessee Route 1 encapsulates Memphis’s evolution—from carefully planned parkways and genteel suburbs to resilient urban neighborhoods alive with renewal. It’s a route that rewards a slow roll and a curious eye, tracing the lines between eras in one of Tennessee’s most iconic cities.
🗺️ Route Map
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