MEMORIAL PARK-Memphis

I want to thank all of my faithful readers for tuning in and sending me comments.  Interestingly, one of my most popular blog entries featured Elmwood Cemetery.  I assumed that it was because it was one of my more obscure and morbid attractions but, fans sent me comments that they have been to Elmwood and love it there. So as everyone seems to like cemeteries, I decided to visit Memorial Park.  Memorial Park was once out in the country but is now conveniently located in my backyard.  Many years ago, friends of mine had professional family portraits taken there because of its beautiful setting.

While Elmwood is a cemetery with in-your-face crypts and tombstones, Memorial Park is much more understated.  Nearly all of the grave markers are flat against the ground, really sanitizing the graveyard experience and also allows for easy lawn care.  Memorial Park is a super upscale resting place; garbage cans are camouflaged in plastic tree- trunk containers.   

While we were there on a Sunday afternoon, a hotel van drove up with some tourists.  The driver said that it was “the best tourist attraction in town”.  Although it is not advertized, there are some notable entertainers buried in Memorial Park.  Isaac Hayes and a member of the Bar-Keys chose this East Memphis location over Elmwood, which is closer to Stax.  Charlie Rich is also buried in Memorial Park. It appears to shake out like this; if a celebrity wants people to visit his/her grave they choose Elmwood, if they want to rest in peace, they choose Memorial Park. 

Memorial Park is on the National Register of Historical Places.  This is because the park’s founder commissioned the Crystal Shrine Grotto.  The inside of this structure resembles a cave with stalactites and crystals hanging from the ceiling.  The “cave” is kept at the constitutionally mandated 60* for all caves in the USA.  The displays in the cave artfully depict different events in Jesus’ life.

For those new to the area, beware, taking a shortcut from Poplar to Yates through the cemetery property will not save you any time.

Recommendation:  Memorial Park is ok for a stroll in the park, but Elmwood reigns as the supreme cemetery experience.       

DANNY THOMAS PAVILION- Memphis

St. Jude Hospital and ALSAC are located in north downtown Memphis.  As you approach St. Jude on the northern loop of the expressway, you may be asking yourself “Is that the Dome of the Rock?”  The campus is fully gated and is insulated from the surrounding slums.

The Danny Thomas Pavilion keeps the hours of a 7/11.  When we went on a Sunday afternoon there were three other visitors.  

When Danny Thomas was a young upstart struggling to break into show business, he prayed to the patron saint of lost causes, St. Jude.  After attaining a measure of success, Danny did not forget his promise and built St. Jude Hospital in Memphis.  It is a bit murky, but appears that randomly, Cardinal Samuel Strich, of Chicago, who confirmed Danny, was from Memphis and suggested putting the hospital here.  Danny knew that this was going to be an expensive project.  To help his funding problem, Danny who was of Lebanese decent turned to his fellow Americans of Arabic heritage, thus ALSAC was born.

Although Danny was a Christian, the building looks like a mosque.  The Pavilion is broken into four sections; Danny the entertainer, Danny’s career mementos, history of St. Jude and history of ALSAC.

Danny Thomas fans will be thrilled as the Pavilion is chock full of memorabilia and awards from his career thus freeing up his home for more decorative items.  The family generously supplied three of his Emmys and his
Congressional Medal of Honor. There is also a computer mounted on a wall where fans can watch reruns of “Make Room for Daddy” 

As far as I was concerned, the two sections devoted to Danny were fine, let’s face it not much has changed. However, the sections devoted to ALSAC and the hospital itself appeared to be stuck in the early 1990’s and a bit dated and faded.  It would be nice if St. Jude Hospital could freshen things up a bit as I am sure that things have changed a bit since 1990.

On a final note, Danny and his wife, Rose Marie are laid to rest in back of the Pavilion.

Recommendation: Best appreciated by those who actually remember Thomas in his heyday or are late- night TV devotees.