(Photo) View of Elmwood Cemetery in Memphis TN.

Piece 1: Elmwood Cemetery (Memphis TN). Established in 1852, Elmwood Cemetery in Memphis TN is one of the oldest rural garden cemeteries in the South.

The property spans over 80 acres and holds many notable figures who helped shape the business, cultural, and musical heritage of Memphis.

Elmwood is also the final resting place of many Yellow Fever epidemic victims and countless soldiers ranging from the American Revolution to the Vietnam War.

The cemetery’s landscape is dotted with Victorian-era mausoleums that exhibit exquisite craftsmanship, Gothic-inspired headstones that tell tales of grief and love, and statues that capture the essence of human emotion in stone.

We got a self-guided auto tour which included a compact disk (CD) and property map. The narrative on the CD provided easy-to-follow directions to points of interest. The entire tour takes about 60-90 minutes to complete.

We were particularly interested to see the grave marker of Shelby Foote, a noted American writer and historian who was prominently featured in the Ken Burns documentary series “The Civil War.”

As fans of Memphis music history, we also wanted to see the marker for Wayne Jackson, a noted trumpeter who was part of The Memphis Horns, arguably the greatest soul horn section ever. Over his career, Jackson recorded with Neil Diamond, Elvis Presley, and Al Green (among others).

Vintage Piggily Wiggily Store Replica

Piece 2: Pink Palace/MoSH. The Pink Palace Museum in Memphis, TN, stands as a captivating testament to the city’s rich history and cultural heritage. Nestled amidst lush greenery, this iconic landmark offers visitors a unique opportunity to delve into the past and explore a diverse range of exhibits.

The Pink Palace was built as the palatial residence for Clarence Saunders, founder of Piggly Wiggly, the first self-service grocery store. Begun in 1922, the two-story, pink Georgia marble building is eclectic in style, featuring a green pantile roof.

Legal issues forced Saunders into bankruptcy, leaving his Pink Palace unfinished. The mansion was given to the city of Memphis in the late 1920s for use as a museum.

In 1975, an additional multi-story building was constructed alongside the mansion, greatly expanding the exhibit space. A giant screen 2D/3D theater and planetarium were added, and the complex was eventually renamed the Museum of Science & History (MoSH).

The main MoSH building includes a wide array of natural history exhibits, such as towering dinosaur skeletons, rare rocks, and prehistoric fossils. Cultural history exhibits include a collection of Native American tools and pottery, a reconstructed log cabin from the 1840’s, and displays describing the history of medicine, dentistry, nursing, and pharmacy in Memphis.

The Pink Palace Mansion part of the museum complex features a vintage Piggly Wiggly Store replica, the Clyde Parke Miniature Circus (a moving model of a classic big tent circus), and ornate spaces filled with artistic and cultural artifacts.

The planetarium at MoSH is an immersive visual and auditory experience. Comfortable seats are positioned below a 3,925 square foot dome screen. During our visit to MoSH, we saw an extraordinary film in the planetarium titled “Firefall” which described how impacts from comets and asteroids have shaped the Earth’s surface over time.

Dyer’s Burgers on Beale Street

Piece 3: Dyer’s Burgers. Established in 1912 by Elmer “Doc” Dyer, this iconic Memphis eatery quickly became famous for its unique method of preparing burgers. Beef patties are pounded thin and cooked in huge custom-made cast iron skillets filled with grease for a deliciously crisp exterior.

Dyer’s claims that the unique taste of its burgers comes from continuous use of the restaurant’s original grease, strained daily for over a century, carrying flavors from generations past.

The restaurant has changed locations over the years, finally settling on Memphis’ historic Beale Street. With each move, Dyer’s arranged for its famous grease to be ceremonially moved (via police escort).

For our visit to Dyer’s, we had two single patty burgers (Becky’s was regular and mine was with cheese), a shareable basket of chili-cheese hand-cut fries, and two really creamy chocolate malts. Good stuff!

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