President's Island
35°06′15″N 90°07′55″W / 35.1043°N 90.1319°W
President's Island is a
History
The name President or President's Island appeared as early as 1801 or 1802 in a river guide called Cramer's Navigator.[1] The name referred to the island's size, then the largest on the Mississippi River.[1] At that time President's Island was an actual island. Some old river maps identify the northern third of the present island as Vice President's Island.
The
The development plan devised in the 1940s called for closing the
The flood control and industrial development project in the late 1940s dammed the section of river between the island and the eastern bank and created a peninsula. Prior to that time, the island was surrounded by the river and subject to its power. Floods interfered with various attempts to raise crops and endangered the lives of those who had settled there. The island's relative isolation and untamed landscape made it a favored location for illicit activities, including
Four Memphians were most responsible for transforming President's Island into an industrial center: businessman Frank C. Pidgeon,
Today
The 7,500 acre peninsula is home to a diverse wildlife habitat with 1,200 acres zoned for industrial development. 95% of the industrial land is already occupied with an annual economic impact of $7.1 billion. The industrial park supports about 200 companies with 4,000 employees.[3] Most of the land is in the flood plain with several thousand acres of undeveloped woodlands.
References
- ^ a b c d e f g h Vrettos, N. Story of Presidents Island. Presidents Island, Industrial Association, 2005.
- ^ Charlier, Tom (April 6, 2016). "Temporary repairs should stem sewage leak blamed for high E. coli levels". The Commercial Appeal. Retrieved 8 April 2016.
- ^ Ashby, Andy (September 6, 2013). "Smaller Presidents Island expansion plan moving forward". Memphis Business Journal. Retrieved 8 April 2016.