Graceland!

What Is Graceland?

This was the home of Elvis Presley and his family for twenty years, from 1957 until 1977!

What Makes It Historical?

When Elvis Presley bought Graceland from the family of Dr. Thomas Moore, he’d already attained the nickname of “The King of Rock and Roll” while contracted with RCA Victor! He had the means to buy himself and his parents a larger place to call home, and this Neoclassical Revival mansion by Max Furbringer and Merrill Erhman, on a 13.8-acre estate, was just the ticket! It was called Graceland, after Dr. Moore’s daughter, Grace, and Elvis loved the name so much that he kept it! That year, Elvis had topped the charts with four songs: “Don’t Be Cruel,” “Hound Dog,” “Teddy Bear,” and “Jailhouse Rock!”

Born in Tupelo, Mississippi, Mr. Presley’s musical career had launched right here in Memphis at Sun Studios, and he would call the Bluff City home for the rest of his days. At first, he was gone so much, touring, recording, even being deployed in the Army, that his mom, Gladys, was in charge of most of the early decoration. All that changed in 1974, after marrying Priscilla Beaulieu, having their only child, Lisa Marie, and then divorcing amidst affairs in 1973. He had the foyer remodeled with custom-cut mirrors and custom stained glass, installed a pool room and a TV room where he could watch three shows at a time! He even installed an entire outbuilding dedicated to racquetball the next year!

In his fast 42 years, Mr. Presley had a major impact on music and culture, from his controversial early stage performances to his association with Las Vegas! His unique style drew from gospel, country, and the up-and-coming rock and roll to churn out 41 albums, which earned him 200 gold and platinum records! He’s been both a superstar and the butt of jokes in his later years, but he also gave away lots of money to charities like the American Library Association, St. Jude Children’s Hospital, and the USS Arizona Memorial! A major car collector, he also famously gave away more than 200 Cadillacs in his lifetime!

How Can I #HelpTheHelpers?

Pay the entrance fee to help maintain trails, signs, structures, and other visitor services!
Donate to Elvis Presley Charitable Foundation!
Be a responsible visitor! Please respect the signs and pathways, and treat all structures and artifacts with respect. They’ve endured a lot to survive into the present. They’ll need our help to make it into the future!