Graceland

Graceland

Graceland is a mansion on a 13.8-acre (5.6 ha) estate in Memphis, Tennessee that was home to Elvis Presley. It has become one of the most-visited private homes in America with over 650,000 visitors a year, only behind the White House.

Graceland Farms was originally owned by Stephen C. Toof, founder of S.C. Toof & Co., the oldest commercial printing firm in Memphis, who was previously the pressroom foreman of the Memphis newspaper, the Memphis Daily Appeal. The "grounds" (before the mansion home was built in 1939) was named after Toof's daughter, Grace. She inherited the farm/grounds from her father in 1894. After her death, the property was passed down to her niece Ruth Moore, a Memphis socialite, who together with her husband, Dr. Thomas Moore, built a 10,266 square feet (953.7 m2) Colonial Revival style mansion in 1939.

After Elvis Presley began his career he bought a $40,000 home for himself and his family at 1034 Audubon Drive in Memphis. As his fame grew, especially after his appearances on television, the number of fans that would congregate outside the home multiplied. Presley's neighbors, most of whom were happy to have a celebrity living nearby, soon came to find the constant gathering of fans and journalists a nuisance. After several complaints, Presley decided it was necessary for him to move to a property more suitable.

In early 1957, Presley gave his parents, Vernon and Gladys Presley, a $100,000 budget, and asked them to find a "farmhouse" type property to purchase. At the time, Graceland was located several miles beyond Memphis's main urban area. In later years Memphis would expand with housing, resulting in Graceland being surrounded by other properties.

Location

3764 Elvis Presley Boulevard
Memphis, Tennessee
USA

Getting There

Graceland is located in Memphis, Tennessee, and can be reached by public transportation. Visitors can take the Memphis Area Transit Authority (MATA) bus route 56, which stops at the Graceland Mansion. The bus route starts from the Memphis Central Station, which can be accessed by the MATA trolley system or other bus routes. There are also several tour companies that offer transportation to Graceland from downtown Memphis, including Gray Line Tours and the Memphis Hop Bus. Additionally, there is a shuttle service provided by Graceland that runs between various hotels in the Memphis area and the mansion.

Nearby Airports

This is a list of primary airports in Tennessee that have scheduled passenger service on commercial airlines.