Memphis, Michigan straddles the boundaries between Richmond Township in Macomb County and Riley Township in St. Clair County. It is just below, or sometimes considered part of the Thumb Region of the Lower Peninsula.
The Belle River flows through the northern portion of the city and along its eastern border.
The chief route through the city is M-19 (Memphis Ridge Road), a north-south highway that is also known as Main Street within the city.
Cities and villages within twenty miles of Memphis include Richmond, Emmett, Armada, New Haven, Capac, New Baltimore, Almont, St. Claire, Marysville, Romeo, and Yale, although the unincorporated communities of Belle River, Lambs, Riley Center, Columbus, and Wales Center are ten miles or less from the city.
The first European-American settlers in the area that was to become Memphis were the Wells family, who came from Albany, New York in the early 1830s. Anthony Wells came in 1834, and James Wells came in 1835. That year, Oel Rix built a sawmill in the area. The settlement that grew up there was first known as Wells Settlement until December 8, 1848, when a post office was established, with Henry Rix as postmaster. The post office, and the community, were named for the ancient Egyptian city Memphis, the City on the Nile.
Memphis was incorporated as a village on April 4, 1865, although it did not become a city until 1953.
The early industry of Memphis was based on agriculture, as its early settlers were farmers. As lumber became a major industry in Michigan, log rafts were floated down the Belle River to the St. Clair River and, from there, south to Detroit, although some lumber was processed in Memphis and in Marine City, where an important shipbuilding industry had developed.
After the decline of the forest industry, Memphis experienced a slight lowering of its population between 1900 and 1920, but its history since has been largely one of steady growth, although there was a decline in 2000. The current population of the city is above one thousand.
The focal point of this portion of our guide is on the city of Memphis, Michigan, including online resources for the municipal government, local businesses, industries, schools, places of worship, organizations, attractions, events, sports programs and activities, and recreational opportunities.
 
 
Recommended Resources
Settled in the 1830s, Memphis, Michigan is in both Macomb and St. Clair counties, about halfway between Detroit and the Thumb Region of the Lower Peninsula. The official municipal website. Contacts for the city's administrative offices, departments, and council members are set forth, although with meeting agendas and minutes, a municipal calendar, a map, job openings, and other public notices and announcements. Links to area schools, civic organizations, and public facilities are posted.
https://sites.google.com/site/cityofmemphismich/
A member of the Merciful Love of Jesus family of parishes, the Holy Family parish is in Memphis, Michigan, and is part of the Archdiocese of Detroit. Its location, Mass times and directions, Livestream Masses, and an overview of its ministries and programs are set forth, along with its policies and schedules for Baptisms, the Eucharist, Confirmation, Reconciliation, Anointing of the Sick, Marriage, Holy Orders, and The Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults are included.
https://holyfamily-online.org/
Offering a K-12th-grade curriculum through an elementary school and a combined junior-senior high school, both of which are highlighted here, the district covers the city of Memphis, Michigan, and portions of the surrounding region. A district calendar, employment opportunities, and contacts for its business offices, the board of education, faculty, and staff are included. Its campuses, athletics programs, food service, and transportation departments are included.
http://www.memphis.k12.mi.us/
Memphis Drugs has locations in Memphis and Armada, as well as other satellite locations in Michigan, as it maintains an organized delivery service able to serve clients anywhere in the state. Headquartered in Memphis, its addresses, phone numbers, and email addresses are provided, and its services to the assisted living communities in Michigan are highlighted. Its Green Gold original formula nutritional supplements are also marketed on the site, with store hours and contacts.
https://memphisdrugsusa.com/
Established in 1925, the Memphis, Michigan fire department covers an area of 61 square miles. Contacts are posted, along with statistics from recent years, as to the number of total alarms, rescue alarms, fire alarms, and average response times. General information about the department, information about burns, and a roster of officers, firefighters, and medical personnel are set forth. A photo gallery depicts group photos, vehicles, training, and historical photos relating to the department.
https://memphis-fire.com/