November 6th Street is an often-overlooked alley in downtown Memphis, but don't let its current obscurity fool you. This right-of-way is full of history. Formerly known as Maiden Lane, in 1934 it was christened November 6th Street to commemorate a historic city victory over its corrupt power supplier. On this date, the city held a referendum that decided whether to allow or forbid the city's purchase of electricity from Memphis Power and Light Company, which then held a monopoly. The referendum passed and set the stage for the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) to begin supplying less-expensive electricity to the Depression-ravaged city. Officials chose "November 6th Street" so that each time someone gave an explanation of the odd name, people would remember a day Memphis triumphed over corruption.

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