GRACELAND, TO GO OR NOT TO GO, THAT IS THE QUESTION.

 

Graceland, Elvis's Home

As I see it, you have three choices in answering the question of whether to make the effort to see Graceland or not. They are:  

(1) If you are a diehard Elvis fan, visiting Graceland is a no brainer.

(2) If you are one of those who are on the fence about it, you probably won’t go anyway.

(3) Or, if you are already in Memphis, you might as well go since you are in the neighborhood.

And, speaking of being in the neighborhood... My friends and I were in Memphis on the last leg of our trek across the Appalachians and Tennessee. We were there mostly for the Beale Street Musical Festival but wanted to see the other sights in the area as well and, of course, Graceland was on the list. To tell the truth, I had to be cajoled into going. “But it’s history!” my friends reasoned. Yeah, but I got over my crush on Elvis a long time ago when Bobby Darin took his place in my heart. But I eventually caved into peer pressure and went to see the famous Graceland.

(Now, the following account is just my impressions and not meant to sway anyone from going. Just bear with me and read all the way to the end.)

Our GPS guided us down a wide street that appeared to be on the wrong side of town. The views on either side were of run-down buildings, thigh high weeds and general dilapidation. I first thought it was unfortunate that we had to go through this to get to Graceland when all of a sudden, the entrance to the attraction was right in front of us. It took us by surprise and we sailed right by it and had to turn around. This time I saw Elvis’s planes parked along the street looking just as sad and neglected as the area it was in. They were dirty which I thought was odd for a tourist attraction. I felt that they could at least keep their exhibits hosed off. And, as we entered the main complex, although clean, felt tired and dated. Not a good first impression.

I learned that the property is split in two: museum, gift shop and food concessions are on one side of the street, the house is on the other and the only way to get to the house is by shuttle from the entrance side. Like most attractions these days, we had prepaid our tickets for a specific time to see Elvis’s home. We were early and since there were very few people around, we were allowed to get in line early. We stood there waiting for over an hour, way past the time we were supposed to be taken to the house. Shuttles came and went but not for us. No explanation given.

There was only one attendant overseeing the queue for the shuttles and was about as friendly and helpful as an underpaid receptionist with hemorrhoids.  It was very evident that Graceland was in serious need of new management and extensive customer service training. It had been neglected and was way past it’s prime. You could feel it in the attitude of the employees.

Finally, we were taken across the street to tour the house. Elvis was only 22 years old when he purchased the several acre estate to build a home for himself and all of his family. It is now on the National Register of Historic Places. When entering, the dining room is on the right and the living room is to the left, with a tv room down the hall, a bedroom that had been Elvis’s grandmothers and a large family room, all as they were when he lived there.

Stairs to the second floor. The public is not allowed access. Possibly because family members will stay occasionally.

Since we weren’t allowed upstairs we were in and out in only a few minutes. The house is set on several acres of land and is quite pleasant. There were horses in the back pasture, and a large building Elvis had built for a racquetball court and music room. A small detached room off the house had been added to showcase his trophies and gold records.

On the right of the house, is the Presley family burial garden.

Elvis's twin brother is not buried here, however this memorial plaque honors his short life.

In the end, what made Graceland worth seeing for me was the lovely family burial garden which reflected his deep spiritual beliefs and love of family. Even in death, he is surrounded by his family. Elvis, his mother, father, and grandmother are all buried in a circular arrangement around a fountain with his daughter, Lisa Marie and her son on the other side. Standing by his grave, I felt compassion, not for the King of Rock and Roll, but for the unsophisticated young man from Mississippi who was made into something he wasn’t.

I’m glad I went.

(P.S. Lisa Marie's daughter, Riley Keough, became sole owner of the Elvis estate. With only 500,000 visitors a year, that may not be enough to keep Graceland updated. It's to be seen what the future holds.)

Remember to be kind to one another. It's what it is all about.

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