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Cotton has woven itself into Memphis’ history and music. From the field hollers sung by slaves that gave birth to today’s blues to the cotton tycoons who made their millions to the steamboats carrying the bales up and down the Mississippi River, cotton was “king” in Memphis.

Nestled in the center of the Cotton Row Historic District is a small museum that tells the story of this “white gold” and its impact on Memphis and the world. From 1880 to 1930, 70% of the cotton crop was located within a 200-mile radius of Memphis making it the world’s largest spot-cotton or “cash-crop” trading. Built on the original trading floor, the Cotton Museum uses video footage, oral histories, artifacts and exhibits to give you a glimpse of cotton society, technology, history, economics and culture. You can relive the days of cotton traders and see how vast empires were created and how cotton transformed culture and changed the history of a nation and the world.

Don’t forget to grab an iPod and take an audio tour of Cotton Row.