Another reason to celebrate Memphis

Happy anniversary, Memphis.

On this date 198 years ago — May 22, 1819 — the “founders” of Memphis conveyed the town’s first official lot to a Dutch guy named Benjamin Fooy.

Fooy, who lived across the river, got Lot 53 “in consideration of valuable improvements.”

Lot 53 was the southeast corner of what is now Front and Jackson. There’s an MLGW substation there now.

So Memphis was founded in May in a cashless real estate transaction for a city-owned lot that now provides us with light, gas and water. How perfect is that? If you didn’t know any of this, don’t feel bad. Almost no one does. I didn’t know any of it either until I talked to Don Hassell.

Hassell, a souvenir salesman and a member of the West Tennessee Historical Society, is on a mission to give Memphis an official Founding Date.

“I think it would build civic pride and unity,” Hassell said. “Everyone needs a birth date to celebrate.”