The magnificent mansion in Memphis, Tennessee, known as Graceland was the pride of singer and actor Elvis Presley. He spent his first night there on June 26, 1957, opening the gates to an amazing era of music history that remarkably lives on to this day. Over the 20 years he spent there, the property was “Elvis-ized,” with myriad changes to suit the eclectic taste of “The King of Rock ‘n’ Roll.”
Today, it’s part museum and shrine, a bucket-list destination for millions of fans, as well as Elvis’ gravesite. With more than 600,000 annual visitors, it’s the third-most visited house in the U.S., behind the Biltmore Estate and the White House.
Ready to take a peek inside? Slip on something comfortable (we recommend “Blue Suede Shoes”), and join us for this Graceland virtual tour!
First-Floor Map
Elvis’ parents, Vernon and Gladys, and his grandmother, Minnie Mae, actually lived with him in the 17,552-square-foot dwelling, which served as Elvis’ headquarters for two decades until his fatal heart attack there on Aug. 16, 1977.
The first floor features a luxurious living room and the adjacent, slightly understated music room. On the other side of the first floor is a formal dining room, with the kitchen tucked just behind it. A ground-level bedroom, accessed from the back of the foyer, was occupied primarily by Elvis’ parents.
Shall we take a look?
The Smokehouse Turned Shooting Range
A one-story, two-room brick structure was a part of Graceland Farms before Elvis’ ownership. It was used as a smokehouse by Vernon Presley to cure and smoke pork. At one time, he even raised hogs on the property.
Later, the humble smokehouse structure was converted into a Shooting Range for Elvis and his gun-loving cronies. At the rear of the building were four thick wooden posts, with a target hung in front of them.
One of those paper targets, loaded with bullet holes from Elvis’ many firearms, fetched $27,000 at auction.
