Mud Island, Memphis

Mud Island is a peninsula in Memphis, Tennessee. It is bordered by the Mississippi River to the west, the Wolf River to the north, and Wolf River Harbor to the east. The peninsula contains Mud Island River Park and the Harbor Town residential neighborhood. The park is managed and operated by the Memphis River Parks Partnership.

Harbor Town includes mansions, single-family homes, and apartment complexes. The total population of Harbor Town is 14,648. Harbor Town offers various trails and ponds, as well as a shopping district and a private school.

Mud Island had been formed by a buildup of silt, gravel, and sand by 1899. It was originally referred to as City Island until the 1950s. Mud Island became the location of the Memphis Downtown Airport in 1959 and was used primarily by wealthy businessmen to access Downtown Memphis. In 1960, the Wolf River Levee was used to divert the flow of the Wolf River. The airport was shut down in 1970 due to the construction of the Hernando de Soto Bridge. In 1976, the architect responsible for the Memphis International Airport and Memphis College of Art came up with a project to turn 50 acres (20 hectares) of property owned by the city into a destination designed to attract locals and tourists alike. The proposed name for the park was Volunteer Park, but it was later named Mud Island Park when it was opened on July 4, 1982.

The park has been run Riverfront Development Corporation (RDC) since 2000.