2016 Map of Northwest Memphis

About this map

The Mississippi River carves a complex path between Tennessee and Arkansas in this 2016 survey, defining the industrial and urban character of Memphis and West Memphis. The landscape is dominated by the river's dynamic hydrology, evidenced by features like Mud Island, Robinson Crusoe Island, and the Loosahatchie Bar. The map illustrates the critical infrastructure connecting the two states, including the Hernando-Desoto Bridge and the historic Harahan Bridge. On the Tennessee side, the urban grid of Memphis is densely detailed, featuring institutions such as the Southwest Tennessee Community Coll and the Southern Coll of Optometry. North of the city center, the community of Frayser sits near the Loosahatchie River Drainage Canal, while the Arkansas side remains more alluvial and less developed, showing the small settlement of Briark and the rural roads around Saint Claire. This modern topographical record highlights the ongoing relationship between the river's shifting bars and the permanent steel of the trans-Mississippi railroad bridges.