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The City of Memphis, Tennessee became popularly associated with blues music because of W C Handy´s song "Memphis Blues" (1909) in Pee Wee´s saloon, a musicians hang-out, on Beale Street (now there is a Hard Rock cafe on the site). As this section of town continued to grow it became popularly associated with good times and great music. Memphis´s Beale Street was often visited by a young Elvis Presley who was obsessed with the blues music and later went on to pattern his style around the many blues greats he heard on Beale Street. The historic Beale Street light poles are fabricated from 28 foot tapered fluted steel. The steel shafts are 4 times thicker than the standard steel light poles would normally be specified. As you can see from the recent biker rally on Beale Street these poles need to be tough. 3 gauge steel was sourced for the sheet stock and each 28 foot section of sheet was roll formed to make a tapered tube. Next the tapered blank pole has a fluted mandrel die forced through its center. Hydraulic roll formers run the length of the pole to press in the flutes 8 at a time. The pole is then shifted and the next 8 flutes are rolled in completing the poles 16 flute design. Next an ornately designed heavy cast aluminum base wraps around the bottom of the pole to complete the historic design which dates back to the early 50´s.

This 3 gauge thickness became so popular that the City standardized on its use specifically because of its durability in the field. When the new Fed-Ex Forum stadium was constructed Niland also secured the contract for the poles for this new Memphis project. Niland is again proud of its role in preserving Memphis´s unique past and excited about participating in the Cities future growth.

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