In the 1930's, the Great Depression had come to Beale Street and would take its toll on the area until the late 1960's, when talk of urban renewal discussed bulldozing down the once bustling neighborhood.

"Anything that was pawnable, they'd pawn. One fellow came out of a taxicab with an artificial leg and wanted to pawn the leg. I wouldn't take it. -- Lou Rafael

Some of the old buildings were lost, but in 1966 Beale Street was placed on the National Register of Historic Places, and by the early 1980's a full tilt renovation was taking place. Community and government investment in the Beale Street area spawned new businesses -- such as clubs, theater renovations, shops and restaurants, to return to the area, resulting in a wonderful entertainment district, changing once again from its past days of seediness back to glory.

A park was dedicated to the street's most famous resident, W. C. Handy, and Handy Park is the center of many of the open-air happenings that take place in the area today. A bronze statue of the man, holding his trumpet, stands as a monument to the man and his music.

Today the Blues can still be heard on Beale Street, but there are also newer sounds to hear, like Reggae, Rock, Fusion Jazz, Soul, and Gospel as well. The entire downtown area of Memphis is undergoing an amazing, massive, and long-overdue renovation which reflects positively on Beale Street.

Reprinted from The Memphis Guide