Google Street View images of Memphis not updated |

(WMC-TV) - You do not need a time flux capacitor to travel back to some relatively old and inaccessible spots in Memphis. All you need is Street View on Google Maps. 

As you probably know, Google Maps with Street View lets you explore places around the world through 360-degree street-level imagery by placing a little pegman on the map's streets. (And recently, in some oceans.)

But here, in Memphis, some street views are quite a blast to the past or blast to 2008, at least. That is when most of these photos where taken.

Let's start with Midtown.

Remember the corner Union Avenue and Cooper a few years ago? Well, Google Maps sure does, take a look here.

According to Street View, Playhouse on the Square is still under construction, but the state-of-the-art facility was fully functional in 2010 after the grand opening performance of "Pippin".

Across the street is a boarded up BP gas station, which is now a working gas station called Ballingers.

If you rotate your Street View, you can also see Union Avenue Methodist Church standing tall and proud.  After much controversy and protest a couple of years ago, it was demolished and replaced with a CVS drugstore.

Speaking of CVS drugstores, for all the Bartlett residents out there, I'm sure you are familiar with the old Blue Plate Cafe on the corner of Stage Road and Kirby Whitten Road?  Yep, you guessed it, on Street View it's still there. The restaurant was also replaced with a CVS drugstore not too long ago. Click here to see it on Street View.

If you continue down Kirby Whitten, you will land on a Blockbuster at Christmastime. See the Big yellow letters on that memorable and nostalgic sign complemented by a green wreath? (Click here to see it.) That location is now a Five Guys Burger and Fries. If you rotate around on Street View you can also see a Hollywood Video, which is now a Verizon Wireless store. We can thank Netflix and Redbox for those video stores' inevitable doom.

Here are a few more memories found via Google Street View:

• The Bellsouth Building (Now, it's a big grassy field now. Also, if you rotate around don't expect to see Minglewood Hall - on Street View that building is a vacant music store called Strings and Things.)
• The University of Memphis Law School still in construction (The Grand Opening in 2010 and class is now in session.)
• Ramesses II has not made it to the University of Memphis main campus (The statue was transferred earlier this year from the pyramid.)
• Kwik Shop in Oveton Square (Now replaced with the popular frozen yogurt establishment YoLo.)
• The Greenline's Main Entrance is nonexistent (It was completed in 2010, hooray for livability!)
• Le Bonheur’s Children’s Hospital before major construction a few years ago

Ok Google Maps, it's evident that you cannot regularily drive down to Memphis in your Street View car, trike, or trolley, but, Memphians know quite a few changes and developments have happened over the years.

For clarification, Google Street View is different than Google Satellite. Aerial and satellite views are usually updated every two weeks. If you look at the Satellite View of the Union & Cooper corner mentioned early, you can see everything in its modern state (mini-pumpkin patch outside of Ike’s and all).

Google Maps does not have a schedule available on how often Street View images are updated. 

Tell us what gems you found on Google Maps Street View in the comments below!