Overton Park

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Overton Park may also refer to the U.S. Supreme Court case, Citizens to Preserve Overton Park v. Volpe

Overton Park is a large public park in midtown Memphis, Tennessee. Within the area of the park are the Memphis Brooks Museum of Art, the Memphis Zoo, and the Memphis College of Art.

[edit] History

Founded in 1906, the forest in Overton Park is one of the oldest forests in Tennessee. In the 1960s and 1970s] it was the subject of much controversy when 26 of its 342 acres were slated to be demolished in order to build Interstate Highway 40 through it to make it easier for suburban commuters to get to downtown. However, many residents of midtown formed a group known as "Citizens to Preserve Overton Park" and challenged the plan in court. Ultimately, the United States Supreme Court ruled in their favor in the landmark case Citizens to Preserve Overton Park v. Volpe.^[1]

Overton Park Shell

Overton Park also includes the famous Shell Theatre, where Elvis Presley gave his first paid concert. Among others, bands that have played at the Shell include The Allman Brothers Band, The Grateful Dead, and Neil Diamond.

The Overton Park Zoo began in 1906, when a resident of Memphis couldn't keep his pet black bear in his backyard. He had it put in a pen in the park, which attracted many people, inspiring the want for more animals on display. The Overton Park Zoo is now one of the largest in the United States, attracting 700,000 visitors per year. The zoo houses two pandas, who are local celebrities, as well as three polar bears, brought in to the Northwest Passage exhibition which opened in March 2006.

Overton Park is an urban park likened to Central Park in New York City. It further contains the Old Forest Arboretum of Overton Park, a natural arboretum with labeled trees.