Memphis' Cotton Museum

[sleepy]

The Memphis Cotton Museum in the Cotton Exchange Building is expected to open early in 2006. According to the website, it sounds pretty interesting. Not sure how much importance cotton plays in the Memphis economy, but I believe the Memphis cotton exchange is still the largest in the US.

http://memphiscottonmuseum.org/

Memphis Cotton Exchange:

[Rural King]

Cool! Something me to check out when it opens.

[Clobber]

I forgot which business magazine I saw it in, but like 4 of the top 5 traders of cotton are based in the metro area. Not just Dunavant. Is Anderson Tully a cotton trader? Anyway the article was kind of a negative piece on the cotton lobby. Rats, I can't remember the magazine.

Anyway, this is great news. Cotton has had an incredible impact on Memphis's growth in the past, and it's nice to see us honoring it. Hopefully it's a comprehensive assessment that includes frank acknowledgement of some of the negatives that grew out of the 1800s (which obviously weren't limited merely to cotton harvesting, but all kinds of farming). Such honesty could breed a valuable interrelationship between this museum, some of the music institutions, and the Civil Rights museum.

[sleepy]

^Yup, my middle-class East Memphis mom grew up picking cotton in East Arkansas--by hand of course. Around Thanksgiving break, she and her siblings would always go back in the fields after they'd been picked over to try and pick the remnants for Christmas money.

[memphian]

Didn't they convert part of this to condos or apartments?

[sleepy]

Didn't they convert part of this to condos or apartments?

I really don't know. Maybe you're thinking of the Shrine Building?

I always confuse the two--they look alike.

[mandrws1]

Didn't they convert part of this to condos or apartments?

No, the entire building is office space.

[ricky_the_great]

ya, that building was the one that was used in the Tom Cruise movie, The Firm. I believe in the novel it was as well. but its been about 6 years since i read that book.

[Clobber]

Isn't Archer/Malmo, a leading ad agency, based there? I remember seeing one of their signs on the corner of the building. Or maybe they're working ont he museum publicity... But the sign was brass, anchored to the building's exterior...