Visit Our America

For some, the wonder of Elvis Presley is not just his handsome good looks or his velvet voice, but it is the story of a small town boy who made it to the top. Whatever the attraction, millions of people have traveled year around to see his home — Graceland, in Memphis, Tennessee.

Graceland is a 13-acre estate located near the Mississippi border on a street named after the singer. Elvis bought the property at the age of 22. It is also the place of his death on August 16, 1977, and sightseers can visit his grave as well as those of his mother, father and grandmother.

The property upon which Graceland mansion sits was part of a Toof family inheritance and was named after Grace Toof. The mansion was built in 1939 and it was not until 1957 that Elvis purchased it for $100,000.

Hounded by the public, his choice had as much to do with privacy as his love of the house and there his parents lived with him. His mother died in 1958, Elvis married Priscilla Beaulieu and they had one daughter, Lisa Marie. Many have speculated on the exact cause of Elvis’s death. He died in his bathroom at Graceland possibly from problems with his heart or with drugs. Naturally, there are those who believe the place is now haunted.

Graceland has twenty-three rooms. Of those, eight are bedrooms with baths. To the original property, Elvis added an outside wall, wrought-iron gate, a swimming pool and a racquet ball court. The year before his death, Elvis converted one room into a recording studio where he recorded his final two albums. Fans will find his grave in an area he named “The Meditation Gardens.”

Graceland has its share of critics. Some say Elvis Presley’s flare for the color red and trimmings of gold are over the top, and perhaps they are. However, visitors can see conservatively decorated mansions all over the world if that is their interest. Tourists come to this mansion to see how Elvis lived.

Today the second most visited house in America has a visitor’s center, a museum and a souvenir shop. It is expensive to maintain the property and at one point was almost lost. Thus the doors were open to visitors in 1982.

Some 40,000 people attended a gathering on the 25th anniversary of his death.

The estate offers regular tours year around. However, visitors should not expect to see the bedrooms on the top floor. They can, however, see his private plane, a Lockheed Jetstar, and cars on display not far away. Or visit his trophy room where records, posters and many other items including Priscilla’s wedding dress are on display.