About the Graceland Estate

Graceland, Elvis Presley's beloved home, which is located at 3734 Elvis Presley Boulevard (Highway 51 South) in Memphis, Tennessee, was built in 1939 in the Classical Revival style. It's situated on 13.8 acres in South Memphis, in the Whitehaven community, about twelve miles from downtown and fewer than four miles from the Mississippi border.

Graceland, which was opened to the public in 1982, was listed in the National Register of Historic Places on November 7, 1991 and declared a National Historic Landmark on March 27, 2006.

History

The land designated as "Graceland" was originally owned by S.E. Toof, publisher of the Memphis newspaper, the Memphis Daily Appeal. The house got its name for Toof's daughter, Grace, who eventually came to inherit the estate. Soon after Grace inherited the land, it was given to a niece, Ruth Brown Moore. In 1939, Ruth and her husband, Dr. Thomas Moore, built the mansion that Elvis bought in 1957 when he was only twenty-two years old.

Elvis Presley purchased Graceland from Ruth Brown Moore for approximately $100,000. He and his mother and father had been living in a house Elvis bought at 1034 Audubon Drive, however neighbors complained because fans of Elvis drove by the house day and night, and they tended to be quite enthusiastic in their support of The King. With his growing popularity, Elvis also had concerns about privacy and security, things that could be handled much more efficiently at Graceland.

Though he had other homes, e.g., in Beverly Hills, Graceland was always Elvis' primary residence. He lived there with his mother, Gladys, and his father Vernon, and his grandmother, Minnie Mae, who managed to outlive them all. After Gladys died of hepatitis in 1958, Vernon Presley subsequently married a woman named Dee Stanley. Elvis, who had no real objection to Dee, other than her fondness for redecorating Graceland when he was away, still found it difficult to accept her due to his overwhelming love for his mother and the bond they had shared during her lifetime. Vernon and Dee lived in Graceland for a short time after their marriage, but Elvis finally asked them to move to a different house that was still on the Graceland estate.

Even though she had promised her mother and stepfather that she would live with Vernon and Dee, Priscilla Beaulieu lived in Graceland proper for five years before she and Elvis finally married on May 1, 1967. After her marriage to Elvis, Priscilla continued to live in Graceland for another five years, until she and Elvis separated in 1972.

Architecture and Modifications

Before it was a gracious estate, Graceland was a farm. During the time of the Civil War, the area on which the Graceland mansion was built was apparently part of the Underground Railroad that smuggled slaves to freedom. In 1968, a tunnel entrance was found on the grounds of Graceland. It leads approximately three hundred feet and exits the property in the southeast corner. One has to ask oneself if Elvis ever used this tunnel when he wanted to enter and exit Graceland without being seen by anyone at all.

Graceland is constructed of tan limestone and originally consisted of twenty-three rooms, including eight bedrooms and eight bathrooms. The entrance way is beautiful and formal, with its Corinthian columns and two large lions, one perched on each side of the portico.

Elvis, of course, had his own ideas of what Graceland should be, and he carried out extensive renovations and modifications to the property. He had a fieldstone wall built that completely surrounds the property. He added a wrought-iron gate with a musical motif, a swimming pool, a racquetball court, and the now-famous "Jungle Room," which features a waterfall. In February and October of 1976, the Jungle Room was converted to a recording studio so Elvis could record his final two albums, From Elvis Presley Boulevard, Memphis, Tennessee and Moody Blue.

One of Elvis' most well known additions to the grounds of Graceland is the Meditation Garden, which was designed and built by architect and designer, Bernard Grenadier. During his lifetime, Elvis would often go to the Meditation Garden when he had a problem to solve or when he just wanted to think. Today, Elvis' parents, Gladys and Vernon, his grandmother, Minnie Mae, and of course, Elvis, are buried in the Meditation Garden. There is also a small stone commemorating Elvis' twin brother, Jesse Garon, who was stillborn.

When Elvis became the owner of Graceland, the house boasted 10,266 square feet of living space. Elvis expanded this to 17,552 square feet.

Elvis at Graceland

Elvis adored Graceland. He felt perfectly relaxed and at home there. According to Mark Crispin Miller, Graceland became for Elvis "the home of the organization that was himself, was tended by a large vague clan of Presleys and deputy Presleys, each squandering the vast gratuities which Elvis used to keep his whole world smiling."

When traveling and staying in hotels, Elvis would have furniture shipped from Graceland to the hotel so he could relax and unwind after his performance in surroundings that were not only familiar to him, but ones that brought him peace as well.

Graceland was Lisa Marie Presley's first home after her birth on February 1, 1968, though her main residence would be in the state of California after Elvis and Priscilla Presley divorced in 1972. When Lisa Marie reached her twenty-fifth birthday, she inherited Graceland, though she sold eighty-five percent of the estate in 2005. Priscilla Presley and Lisa Marie still make frequent trips back to Graceland.

According to Billy Smith, a cousin of Elvis', Elvis often spent the night at Graceland with Smith and his wife, Jo. Billy has said, "…we were all three there talking for hours about everything in the world! Sometimes he (Elvis) would have a bad dream and come looking for me to talk to, and he would actually fall asleep in our bed with us."

While Priscilla lived at Graceland, the mansion reflected her decorating scheme, which included lots of white, greens, and blues. Later, after the Presleys' divorce, and during the time Elvis was dating Linda Thompson, at least part of the mansion was redecorated in vivid, and very gaudy, reds. Some ascribe this color scheme to Elvis, but his grandmother, Minnie Mae said it was Linda who redecorated the house in vivid red. Minnie Mae also went on to say that Elvis, himself, did not like all the red, and even started using the back stairs when he entered his home so he would not have to see all the red in the living and dining rooms. Minnie Mae said it was a shame that all the beautiful white and blue furniture was "being wasted" in storage. After Elvis' death in 1977, Priscilla Presley restored the mansion to it's earlier decorating scheme, discarding the vivid reds entirely.

Graceland Becomes a Tourist Destination

After Elvis' death in 1977, his father, Vernon Presley served as executor of his estate. Vernon chose Priscilla Presley to serve as the estate executor for Elvis' only child, Lisa Marie, who was only eleven when Vernon died in 1979.

The upkeep for Graceland was very expensive, totaling approximately $500,000 each year. When Vernon died, Lisa Marie's inheritance from her father had dwindled to only $1,000,000, and in addition, taxes and other expenses were due on the property that totaled more than $500,000. Clearly, something was going to have to be done, or Graceland was going to have to be sold.

Priscilla Presley, acting as guardian for her daughter, knew that Elvis would never want Graceland to pass out of the Presley family. She studied other famous houses/museums, and finally hired Jack Soden from Kansas City, Missouri to turn Graceland into a tourist attraction and moneymaker, so it would be, not only self-supporting, but would generate income as well. As a result, Graceland was opened to the public in 1982, and within a month, the estate made back all of the money that had been invested. Priscilla Presley became the chairwoman and president of Elvis Presley Enterprises, or EPE, stating that she would retain the offices until Lisa Marie was at least twenty-one years of age. As visitors and fans of Elvis flocked to Graceland, the enterprise's fortunes soared. Eventually EPE grew to be worth more than $100 million.

"Elvis Week" is held every year on the anniversary of Elvis' death - August 16th. On the 20th anniversary of Elvis' death, 50,000 people visited Memphis, many of them also visiting Graceland. Several hundred media groups from around the world were also present. On the 25th anniversary in 2002, 40,000 people visited Graceland despite heavy rain.

Touring Graceland

Graceland is now open to the public, and tours are available. Still, there are limitations to what one can do and see in The King's beloved home. No flash or video photography is allowed, though people can take snapshots. The rooms, themselves, are roped off, and visitors are confined to the hallways. This is a disappointment to many, but it would be impossible to maintain the house if people were permitted to run around in it wherever they chose.

The upper floor of Graceland is not open to any visitors at all. Only three people are welcome to visit Graceland's upper floor: Priscilla Presley, Lisa Marie Presley, and the Curator of Graceland. Some people attempt to find some "mystique" surrounding this restriction, but were the upper floor to be opened to the public, the Presley family feels Elvis' privacy would be violated, and there would be undue and improper focus on Elvis' private bathroom, which was also the room in which he died. Even when Elvis was alive, access to the second floor was very restricted.

We do know that when visitors enter Graceland, they are standing almost directly below Elvis' private bathroom and the scene of his tragic death. As one faces the house, Elvis' private bedroom, with its nine-foot square bed, occupies the entire front half of the house to the right, while the rest of his private suite, which includes an office/study is directly behind his bedroom and its windows overlook the back grounds of the house. Elvis' private rooms have remained untouched since the day of his death. The padded, double doors leading to his private suite are not only not open to the public, they are padlocked.

Graceland is set far back from the road, and is nestled among many towering trees. Visitors to the mansion park across the street from the mansion, then board shuttle buses that ferry them to Graceland, itself. Tour guides issue each visitor headphones for the taped, audio tour of the house. The tour buses drive across Elvis Presley Boulevard, then through the music gates and down the long, winding drive, finally coming to a stop in front of the stone lions that flank the red brick front steps.

Those who have only seen photos of Graceland, will usually find the house much bigger than they expected it to be, though as we previously stated, many are disappointed at being confined to the hallways and the lower floors.

When one enters Graceland, one immediately sees the large white staircase, filled with its reflective mirrors. To one side is the living room and adjoining music room, the first rooms to be presented on the tour. The living room contains a fifteen-foot white sofa that overlooks Graceland's front lawn. Facing the sofa are two white chairs and a white fireplace. The painting that was Elvis' last Christmas present from his father, Vernon, hangs in the living room. Beyond the living room, the music room can be seen, with it black baby grand piano and 1950s TV, though the room is partially hidden behind two doorways framed by large, vivid peacocks set in stained glass. It was in this doorway, in front of the stained glass, that Elvis' casket was placed for the funeral that was held in his beloved home.

After a glance into the living room and the adjoining music room, one is then guided to the bedroom of Elvis' parents, Gladys and Vernon. As with the other rooms on the tour, one can only view this room from the hallway.

The predominant color in Vernon and Gladys' room is white. A dark purple bedspread that appears to be velvet covers the queen-sized bed. The walls, dresser, bed, and carpet are brilliant white. In the closet, which is sealed with clear glass, can be seen four or five dresses that were favorites of Gladys. To the left, almost out of sight, is a full bathroom, which is pink in color.

The next rooms visited on the tour are the dining room, which is decorated in blue and white, and the kitchen, which has a very 70s look. The tour then continues to the basement of Graceland, to Elvis' media room, with its bank of three televisions, then to the bar and the billiards room. The tour then continues upstairs, through the famous "Jungle Room," the room Elvis called his "den." The Jungle Room has been said to be the only room in Graceland that Elvis decorated all on his own.

Elvis loved animals and he kept many animals in the Jungle Room. Some of the animals that lived with Elvis at Graceland and other places include Baba, a collie; Sweet Pea, a dog Elvis gave to his mother, Gladys in 1956; Honey, a puppy given to Priscilla for Christmas in 1962; Fluff, a cat given to Lisa Marie; Stuff, a black poodle, Snoopy, a Great Dane; Sherlock, a basset hound, Muffin, a Great Pyrenees, Getlo, a chow, Edmund, a Pomeranian, Boy, a mutt, Scatter, a chimpanzee, and Foxhugh, a Maltese terrier given to Linda Thompson. Besides the animals who actually lived in Graceland, there was a stable of at least seventeen horses, including Bear, a prize Tennessee walking horse; Domino, a quarter horse; and Rising Sun, a palomino that was Elvis' favorite, as well as several peacocks and a mynah bird.

Poor Mabel

Even the "King of Rock 'n' Roll" liked stuffed animals as well as live ones. Most know that "Teddy Bear" was one of Elvis' most loved songs, and Elvis, himself, while young, had a teddy bear he loved. Her name was "Mabel." Mabel was made in 1909 by the German manufacturer, Steiff. After Elvis' death, Mabel came to be owned by English aristocrat, Benjamin Slade, who bought it at an auction of Elvis memorabilia in Memphis. Mabel was on loan to the Wookey Hole Caves museum near Wells, England. The bears in the museum were so valuable that its insurer insisted the museum have guard dogs, something that was to be poor Mabel's undoing. One night, a Doberman named Barney, went berserk and chewed up hundreds of teddy bears beginning with poor Mabel. Mr. Slade was "not happy" with the situation, and Barney was eventually retired to a farm where he could unleash his energy chasing chickens.

After viewing the Jungle Room, visitors exit the house into the backyard, past Lisa Marie's childhood swing set, to a small white building that served as Vernon Presley's office. There is also a small room containing a scale model of the home in which Elvis was born in Tupelo, Mississippi. The tour continues to what seems to have been an old smokehouse, but housed Elvis' shooting range. Visitors then continue down the sloping lawn, past horses grazing behind neat, white fences, and finally enter the "Trophy Room." The Trophy Room was originally a sidewalk behind the house that Elvis enclosed to store his many awards. Today, in the Trophy Room, its walls display records, movie posters, old time memorabilia of lipstick and shoes, personal copies of Elvis' own movie scripts, cancelled checks Elvis wrote to the many charities he supported, and even a 1950s Elvis doll.

After touring the Trophy Room, you find yourself outside once again, and you move past Elvis' still fully functioning stable of horses. The racquetball court is next up on the tour. The entrance to the racquetball court is reminiscent of that of an old country club, and is expensively furnished with many dark leather chairs and sofas. A fully functional bar is on the right, and to the left is a sunken sitting area with a stereo system, something that can be found everywhere in Graceland. There is also a dark brown upright piano, and it's on this piano that Elvis played the last song he ever played, Willie Nelson's Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain. The sitting area has a floor-to-ceiling shatter-proof window designed to watch the many racquetball games that took place while Elvis was still alive and living at Graceland. In the early hours of the morning Elvis died, he, his girlfriend, Ginger Alden, his first cousin Billy Smith, and Billy's wife, Jo, played a game of racquetball, ending the game with the song on the piano before Elvis walked into the main house to wash his hair and go to bed.

Today, big screen TVs are scattered over all of Graceland. In the racquetball court, there's a big screen TV that continually shows Elvis' movies and recordings of his Las Vegas concerts.

Outside again, past the pool area, is the Meditation Garden where Elvis, his mother Gladys, his father, Vernon, and his grandmother, Minnie Mae Presley are buried, and his stillborn brother, Jesse Garon, is honored. The Meditation Garden was opened to the public in 1978.

Across the street, the Elvis Automobile Museum houses twenty-two vehicles that Elvis either drove or rode in during his lifetime, including his 1955 pink Cadillac, his 1973 Stutz Blackhawk, and his Harley-Davidson motocycles. In addition to the twenty-two vehicles, the museum also houses two Elvis-themed racecars: an Elvis NASCAR that was driven by Rusty Wallace, and an Elvis NHRA car that was driven by John Force. Also in the auto museum is the Highway 51 drive-in theater where visitors can sit back, relax, and watch a film about The King.

Those who wish to see Elvis' two planes, the "Lisa Marie" (a Convair 880) and the "Hound Dog II" (A Lockheed JetStar) will find the tour begins in a mock retro airport terminal where a video history of the airplanes is shown. After that, visitors are permitted to step aboard Elvis' planes and see things first hand and close up.

Sincerely Elvis

The Sincerely Elvis exhibit features memorabilia showcasing Elvis' personal life. At this exhibit, visitors are given the opportunity to experience an in-depth look at what life was like for Elvis during the height of his career. The contents of the exhibit change yearly, showcasing a different time in Elvis' life. To learn about the theme for this year's exhibit, visit www.elvis.com.

Elvis After Dark

Elvis After Dark is one of the newest exhibits at Graceland. It includes the King's clothing, personal items, and photography that help visitors to experience a typical night in the life of Elvis Presley, both while at home and while at work in the studio. One particularly interesting exhibit is a 25-inch television at which Elvis fired a gun. The old RCA now sits on display with a bullet hole in its screen. Appropriately, Elvis After Dark is indeed open after dark, even after the other tours have ended.

National Historic Landmark

Graceland was listed in the National Register of Historic Places on November 7, 1991. On March 27, 2006, Gale Norton, United States Secretary of the Interior, designated Graceland a National Historic Landmark, joining the White House, the Alamo, Pearl Harbor Naval Base, Dealey Plaza, and Mount Vernon.

Recent Developments

In early August 2005, Lisa Marie Presley sold eighty-five percent of the business side of Elvis' estate. She did, however, keep the Graceland property, itself, as well as the bulk of the possessions found inside the estate, and she turned over the management of Graceland to CKX, Inc., an entertainment company.

In February 2006, CKX Chairman Bob Sillerman announced plans to turn Graceland into an international tourist destination on par with Disney World or the Universal theme parks. He also announced plans to spruce up the Graceland mansion and double or possibly triple the 600,000 annual visitors to at least 2,000,000 each year. Sillerman's goal is to enhance the "total fan experience" at Graceland to compel visitors to spend more time at the Graceland complex and more money. CKX is working closely with Bob Weis, recently named CEO of Disney Imagineering, based in Orlando, Florida, to improve the tourist area around Graceland, which is located in an economically depressed area of Memphis, while keeping Graceland, itself, intact. Graceland officials envision a three-mile strip of Elvis Presley Boulevard transformed into a beautiful entertainment district from East Brooks Rd. all the way down to East Shelby Dr. EPE has purchased more than 120 acres of land, both commercial and residential, around the mansion both north and south, to make way for the expansion.

Sillerman plans to spend between $250 and $500 million on redeveloping the area surrounding Graceland. Included in his plans are a new luxury hotel of more than 500 rooms, a convention center, an amphitheater for live concerts, restaurants, and retail, plus a new 80,000 square foot visitors' center and museum adjacent to the Graceland mansion. Work should begin sometime this year, after approval by the Memphis City Council. Once the changes are approved and work begins, the current visitors' center, souvenir shops, museums, and the 128-room Heartbreak Hotel will all be torn down and replaced with the new facilities. The project will take approximately three years to complete.

In 2005, the number of visitors to Graceland grew to more than 700,000, however this number declined to about 600,000 in subsequent years, in part due to the negative impact on US tourism of 9/11.

Information for Those Wanting to Visit Graceland

If you would like to visit Graceland, and if you're an Elvis fan, you're either dreaming about your first visit or planning a subsequent one, please note that Graceland is located at: 3734 Elvis Presley Boulevard (Highway 51 South), Memphis, Tennessee 38186. You can obtain more information by calling 901-332-3322 (local) or 1-800-238-2000 (toll free), or by visiting the official site of Graceland, www.elvis.com.