Overton Park’s Old Forest fence formally falls: ‘The Old Forest is whole again’
Memphis Mayor Paul Young, U.S. Rep. Steve Cohen, Overton Park Conservancy executive director Kaci Murley and Memphis Zoo CEO Matt Thompson try to cut through the ceremonial gold fence at the opening of a new trail in Overton Park’s Old Forest Nov. 13, 2025. (Patrick Lantrip/The Daily Memphian)
The Thursday, Nov. 13, formal opening of the new Old Forest acreage served as an epitaph for the conflict over what to do about overflow Memphis Zoo parking on the Overton Park greensward.
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Overton Park Old Forest State Natural Area Memphis Zoo Overton Park Conservancy Kaci Murley Matt Thompson Paul Young Steve CohenBill Dries on demand
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Bill Dries
Bill Dries covers city and county government and politics. He is a native Memphian and has been a reporter for almost 50 years covering a wide variety of stories from the 1977 death of Elvis Presley and the 1978 police and fire strikes to numerous political campaigns, every county mayor and every Memphis Mayor starting with Wyeth Chandler.
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