thumb|Intersection of Cooper Street and Young Avenue in the Cooper-Young District in [[Memphis, Tennessee|Memphis (2008)]]
Cooper-Young is a neighborhood and historic district in the Midtown section of Memphis, Tennessee, named for the intersection of Cooper Street and Young Avenue. The entrance to the neighborhood is marked by the Cooper-Young Trestle, a long steel sculpture which depicts homes and businesses found in the neighborhood. Created by metal artist Jill Turman, the sculpture was dedicated in 2000, and has become a source of community pride and identity. In 2012, Cooper-Young was listed on the American Planning Association's 10 Great Neighborhoods in the U.S. list.
Parks and recreation
Spanish War Memorial Park
thumb|Statue in Spanish War Memorial Park
Spanish War Memorial Park is a 2-acre public park located at the intersection of East Parkway and Central Avenue dedicated to honoring the American volunteers who served in the Spanish–American War and its associated conflicts. The park is in the Cooper-Young neighborhood.
The memorial was conceived in the 1930s, but due to various delays—including the onset of World War II—it was not completed until 1956. The central feature of the park is a bronze statue known as The Hiker, which stands approximately 8 feet tall on a blue granite base. This statue represents the American soldiers—frequently referred to as "hikers"—who fought in Cuba, Puerto Rico, and the Philippines. The Hiker was designed by sculptor Theodora Alice Ruggles Kitson and was first installed in 1906 at the University of Minnesota. Memphis' version was erected in 1956, funded by local Spanish War veterans under the leadership of Fred Bauer, a veteran who had stowed away at age 14 to serve in the war. Volunteers and regular troops from across the country, including Tennessee, played key roles. The park was officially dedicated on December 2, 1956, with several dozen veterans in attendance. There have been proposals to purchase adjacent land from Union Pacific Railroad to enlarge the park, potentially creating more space for memorials, gatherings, and public events.
Economy
The neighborhood is known for its eclectic mix of shops, bars and restaurants. Java Cabana, Cooper-Young's coffeehouse, was once host to the Elvis Impersonator shrine, as well as the Viva Wedding Chapel, where hundreds of people were once married in the backroom by Elvis impersonators. Other restaurants such as Cooper's, Fawn Memphis, Soul Fish Cafe, Nagoya House, Celtic Crossing, Aldo's Pizza Pies, Hammer and Ale, La Roche Lebanese, Kitchen Laurel, Wild Beets, No Comment Wine Bar, Hammer and Ale, Cooper House Project, Imagine Vegan Cafe, Bar DKDC, Central BBQ, The Beauty Shop, and Young Ave Deli represent diverse cuisines (sometimes several within one establishment) and reflect the creative spirit of the neighborhood.
Also in Cooper Young, one will find The House of Mews (a shelter for homeless cats), Goner Records, a local record label, Jay Etkin Gallery and Burke's Book Store. Cooper Young is home to Memphis Made Brewing. Cooper Young is also where Memphis' only hostel, Pilgrim House Hostel, is located.
Cooper-Young Festival
Each fall, the neighborhood hosts the Cooper-Young Festival, starting with an Art Invitational on Thursday, a 4-mile run on Friday, arts and crafts vendors, and live music performances on Saturday. The Cooper Young Festival is always the second Saturday after Labor Day each year from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. The neighborhood is considered one of the more artistic and "hip" areas of the city, and shows evidence of successful urban revitalization in Memphis' core. The Cooper Young Festival, hosted by the Cooper Young Business Association (CYBA), is a popular outdoor celebration in Memphis, Tennessee. It is one of Memphis' most highly attended festivals in Tennessee bringing in over 130,000 attendees and is continuing to grow. The festival is the largest single day event in the city where people pack into the neighborhood. It is free admission. 400 artisans from around the country go to sell their music, arts, and crafts along Cooper Street and Young Avenue. The festival came about in 1977 when a group of 500 residents from the area organized and decided to have it. November 5, 1977 was the date of the first festival. It was a community flea market with a stage and playground activities in the parking lot of Galloway United Methodist Church. It turned into a three-day festival called Cooper Young Business Association Street Fair. Starting with 7,000 visitors, the festival grew to entertaining 100,000 visitors. Every year the festival is kicked off with a neighborhood art invitational. An artist from the Cooper Young neighborhood designs a poster to represent the unique style of the Cooper Young area.