Editor’s Note: Some might tell you that Memphis is the biggest small town in America. We would say that Memphis is a patchwork of small towns — in the form of distinctive neighborhoods — stitched closely together into the form of a city. So we’re highlighting some of the city’s best towns, if you will, by spotlighting some of our classic neighborhoods. Maybe this will remind you to revisit an area you don’t call home, or to identify more strongly with the one you do.
Sometimes it’s pronounced BingHAMPton, while others call it BINGhamton (and drop the “p”). But no matter how you call or spell it, this area bounded by Poplar, East Parkway, the CSX Railroad, and Holmes has developed into a vibrant, mixed community that in recent years has shown what can be done by realizing possibilities.
It was not always so.
Binghampton was founded on the outskirts of Memphis 130 years ago. Politician and businessman W.H. Bingham saw the possibilities of developing the area around a factory that made boxcars and drew blue-collar workers. Never an affluent area, it was annexed by Memphis in 1919 and today the two-square-mile neighborhood is home to some 12,000 residents.
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There was a long decline over the years, but thanks to cultural diversity and its central location, a number of endeavors are changing the neighborhood. Sam Cooper Boulevard and Summer Avenue split the area, but between those two thoroughfares is Broad Avenue, which has transformed into a vibrant arts district with an eclectic array of shops, galleries, restaurants, and arts festivals, easily located by its colorful water tower.
Broad Avenue has also been a pioneer in being bicycle friendly, best experienced when you ride on the acclaimed two-mile Hampline, which connects Overton Park with the Shelby Farms Greenline.
A number of other remarkable developments are happening in Binghampton. Recently, the Collage Dance Collective — one of the largest Black-led performing arts and educational groups in the South — built a 22,500-square-foot center with studios and dressing rooms. The striking building on Tillman is impossible to miss by anyone traveling along Sam Cooper. The organization raised $11 million to build the facility that opened in 2020. Philanthropist MacKenzie Scott said that Collage was a significant community organization and in 2021 donated $3 million.
Another important community group is the nonprofit Carpenter Art Garden, which has been active for 11 years in programs for youth and families in the area. More than a place to grow flowers or vegetables, it provides skills training, tutoring, places for art and music lessons, and positive community involvement.
For the last 20 years, the Binghampton Development Corporation (BDC) has done much to take a dormant neighborhood and make it into a vibrant destination. Where it once saw a significant decline in home ownership, it now is building those numbers back up.
Still, Binghampton faces challenges. The median income is $26,000 and 35 percent of the residents live below the poverty level. With the recent attractions and improvements to the area, investors are taking notice of the area. More houses and apartments are being bought and flipped, but as happens with such attention, the renovations are forcing many long-time residents to go elsewhere. The BDC, however, has been working to retain residents in properties that it manages while it is also creating programs to combat blight and encourage affordability.
