Historic Markers Across Tennessee
The Pinch
| Marker ID: |
THC 4E 82 |
| Location: |
Main Street, Memphis, TN |
| County: |
Shelby |
| Coordinates: |
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| Waymark: |
None
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Text:
In the mid-1800s this twelve-block area became a stepping stone for European immigrants, and is known as Memphis's first commercial district. The name "Pinch" is traced to Irish settlers who fled the great potato famine. Their "pinch-gut" appearance prompted this slang description which became synonymous with the area. In the 1890s Jewish immigrants settled here, transforming the area to a merchant community. Pinch was home and business center to most of Memphis's Jews until the 1930s.
Erected by Tennessee Historical Commission.
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