Regarded as one of the biggest and most significant cultural figures of the 20th century, the King of Rock and Roll, Elvis Presley has definitely left a mark in the entertainment industry.
Through his strong music lyrics and highly acclaimed stage performances, Presley gained huge success and fame, not only in the United States but all over the world.
Even years after his demise, Elvis Presley is considered an icon in the field of Rock and Roll and he was praised not just for his music but also for his charisma, his stage presence, his looks, and also his musical genius.
With the popularity and fame of Elvis reaching sky-high, everything associated with him also gained popularity. Things associated with the music star like his costumes, musical instruments, and other such items attract a lot of tourists.
Amongst such possessions, Graceland, which was once owned by the singer stands at the top of the list.
Currently, the house is open to the public as a museum and it is calculated to attract almost 650,000 visitors annually. The number comes in with strong competition with other historically important attractions like the Hearst Castle and the White House.
Graceland found its way onto the National Register of Historic Places in 1991. Later on March 27, 2006, it also was listed as a National Historic Landmark. Graceland became the first of its kind place on these lists and also for being recognized for its significance in rock music.
Graceland – Location
Once owned by the king of Rock and Roll Elvis Presley himself, the Graceland mansion still stands as a reminder of the successful career and the dream-like life of the superstar. Graceland is a huge mansion that stands on a 13.8-acre estate and is located in Memphis, Tennessee, USA.
The exact location of Graceland is at 3764 Elvis Presley Boulevard and is located in the Whitehaven neighborhood. The location is easily accessible as it is located just around 14 kilometers south of central Memphis and just around 6-6.5 kilometers north of the Mississippi border.
Elvis Presley bought the mansion in 1957 and he used to live there. After the death of the star in 1977, the estate and the mansion were inherited by his daughter Lisa Marie Presley.
As of now, the estate is owned by Elvis Presley Enterprises Inc. which is a corporate entity created by the Elvis Presley Trust to manage the business and assets of the trust. The mansion built in a typical colonial revival style was built in 1939.
Graceland And Elvis Presley
Elvis Presley bought Graceland on March 25, 1957, a time during which he was at top of his popularity and fame. The idea for him to buy the mansion was given by his parents.
His parents Vernon and Gladys were the first ones to notice it before Elvis and it was his parents who placed the first down payment of $1,000 on Mach 1957 for the property.
Even though the mansion was bought in March of 1957. Elvis did not spend a night at the mansion until June. It was on June 26, 1957, that Elvis stayed at the mansion for a night for the first time.
During the purchase of the mansion, Elvis was busy filming the movie ‘Jailhouse Rock’ and it was his parents and his grandmother who moved into the mansion first.
It is said that the price that Elvis paid at the time of purchasing Graceland was $102,500. Along with the house. The deal also included around 13.8 acres of farm around the house.
The mansion was 10,266 sq ft when Elvis purchased it. The farm and the mansion went through different changes over time and currently, the house is around 17,552 sq ft big.
After purchasing the mansion, it was Elvis who installed a kidney-shaped pool on the property. He bought the mansion from Dr. Thomas Moore and his wife Mrs. Thomas Moore.
Dr. Moore worked as a professor at the University of Tennessee where he taught Urology. The name Graclena was given by the couple in respect to their aunt whose name was Grace, the daughter of the original owner Stephen C. Toof.
Graceland is also the place where Elvis takes his final rest. The grave of the singer is located near the property at the Meditation Garden.
Graceland – Brief History
The farmland property was originally owned by Stephen C Toof. He was the founder of the oldest commercial printing firm in Memphis, S.C Toof & Co.
After the death of the original owner, the property was inherited by his daughter and then later by the owners Thomas Moore and Ruth Moore. Ruth Moore was related to the family of Toof and that was how she gained possession of the property.
The Moore couple were the ones who planned the construction of the mansion on the property. The area which was situated away from the urban area attracted the attention of their parents of Elvis as he had advised them to look for a ‘farmhouse-like’ property with buffer space around it.
As the popularity of Elvis grew day by day, it was becoming a nuisance for Elvis and his neighbors at his previous residence with his fans and media. That was how Elvis came to Graceland.
Graceland – Architecture
The mansion was designed by the Memphis architectural firm Furbringer and Erhman. It is a two-storey five-bay renaissance completed in a colonial revival style. The house is located on the top of a hill and is surrounded by pasture land and oak trees, which makes it even more beautiful.
The mansion is around 17,552 sq ft and includes bedrooms to bathrooms, the mansion holds around 23 rooms. The first floor includes many attractions like the furniture used by the family and Elvis himself and also many framed pictures of the family from their time there.
An adjoining building was later added by Elvis during the expansion of the house in the 60s. Now that wing is known as the Trophy building and it holds different exhibits that were used by the Presley family like the wedding tuxedo of Elvis and many other things.
There is a white stair that leads to the second floor of the mansion but the second floor is closed to visitors out of respect for the Presley family. The restriction is also a measure to keep the site of his death, the bathroom on the second floor, from the unwanted attention of people.
The mansion also has a basement, which was converted into a tv room from where Elvis and his family used to watch TV and spend their free time.
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Graceland – Today
Graceland is one of the most visited cultural sites in the United States and is said to attract around 650,000 visitors annually. The property is managed by the trust which was formed under his name but the sole owner of the property is still his daughter Lisa Marie Presley.
Special programs and processions take place at the mansion during the anniversary of his death. Many celebrities including the former United States president and members of the British Royal family have visited the mansion.
The recent major visit was by actors Tom Hanks and Austin Butler for the 2022 movie Elvis, which told the life story of Elvis Presley from the perspective of his manager.
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