Memphis: The Keeley (Location Key)

"The Keeley" in Memphis, where Willy is treated for his addiction, was part of a real chain of for-profit rehabilitation centers specializing in therapy for alcoholics ("Uncle Willy," 238). The first Keeley Institute was founded in 1879 in Illinois by Dr. Leslie Keeley; in time there were over 200 branches in various places around the U.S. The last Keeley Institute closed in 1965. The Keeley Cure, as it was called, was most popular around the turn into the 20th century. The center outside Memphis opened in the 1890s. Both Faulkner's grandfather and, during the author's childhood, his father were treated in this facility more than once. The young Faulkner got his first exposure to Memphis during his father's rehab visits.