Area Code 901

Where Is Area Code 901?

Area code 901 is the area code for the southwestern corner of Tennessee, which includes Memphis and most of its inner-ring suburbs. Area code 901 is located in the Central Time Zone and covers three counties of Tennessee. When area code 901 was put into service in 1947, it covered the entire state of Tennessee and was one of the 86 original area codes created by AT&T. Area code 901 was split in 1954 to form area code 615 and was split again in 2001 to form area code 731.

Located in the southwestern corner of Tennessee, Memphis is the second most populous city in the state and the county seat of Shelby County. Memphis is situated on the fourth Chickasaw Bluff along the Mississippi River. Memphis has a humid subtropical climate, characterized by hot, humid summers and chilly winters. Going back in history, the area was first occupied by people of the Mississippian Culture and later the Chickasaw tribe. Spanish explorer Hernando de Soto visited the area in the 1540s. Throughout most of the 18th century, the area remained in a largely unorganized territory in terms of European settlement. West Tennessee became available for settlement when the Chickasaw Nation ceded the region to the United States in 1818 in what is known as the Jackson Purchase. Memphis was founded the following year as a planned city by a group of investors; they named it after Memphis, the ancient Egyptian city. During the 19th century, Memphis was a trade and transportation center and also a major cotton market and brokerage center. The numerous cotton plantations resulted in Memphis becoming a major slave market; at one point, one quarter of its population were slaves. The establishment of the Memphis and Charleston Railroad in 1857 allowed planters and cotton brokers to export cotton to the rest of the country. During the American Civil War, Memphis was a Union supply base and a center for illicit trade in raw cotton. The 1870s was a rough time for residents of Memphis due to the outbreak of yellow fever; over 5,000 people died and over 25,000 people left the city. As a result of the yellow fever epidemics, Memphis lost its city charter in 1879, but regained its charter in 1893. In 1916, Clarence Saunders founded the first true self-service grocery store, Piggly Wiggly. The Memphis sanitation strike occurred in 1968 and involved over 700 black sanitation workers; Martin Luther King, Jr. attended the strike to lend his support.

Memphis’ prime location on the Mississippi River has made it an important city for shipping and transportation. Memphis is home to the Memphis International Airport, three Fortune 500 companies, and the second largest cargo airport in the world. The Memphis in May International Festival is one of the biggest annual events in the city; it is a month-long festival that honors a specific foreign country every year. Like all large cities, Memphis is home to many attractions including the National Civil Rights Museum, the Stax Museum of American Soul Music, the Memphis Rock 'n' Soul Museum, the Children's Museum of Memphis, the Memphis Zoo, the Memphis Botanic Garden, the FedExForum, and the AutoZone Park.

Germantown is a city in Shelby County, Tennessee, and a suburb of Memphis. Germantown has a population of 38,844 and the racial makeup of the city is 89.6% White, 5.2% Asian, 3.6% African American, and 1.9% Hispanic (2010 Census). Germantown has a very low crime rate, making it one of the safest cities in Tennessee to reside in. Much of the economy is centered on retail and commercial service. Germantown is known for hosting horse shows and competitions every year; the biggest horse event is the Germantown Charity Horse Show. Another major event in the city is the Germantown Festival, one of the longest, continuously run festivals in the area. With more than 700 acres of parkland, there is a park within walking distance of every residence.

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