Graceland

What a day ! !   This was really fun.  Our RV park was right at the edge of the Graceland parking lot.  We just had to walk through the huge parking lot.

Spent about five hours looking at all the different parts of Elvis' life that are on display.  It starts at the front of the mansion, which is only a little over 1700 square feet.  Very small by today's mansion standards.

The planes were very interesting. Ken thinks that the big plane is a Boeing 737 and named after Elvis's daughter, Lisa Marie.  The small one is an early Lear jet.

 All the seats made into full size beds for the "crew", however Elvis had a bedroom!!! 

The entire property of Graceland takes up just over 13 acres and includes racquetball courts, stables, pastures, trophy rooms, memorial gardens, archive building etc.  However, the estate owns property on both sides of Elvis Presley Blvd. I have never seen so many gift shops in such a small area and all selling just about the same things. I bet that there were at least 20 stores and no less than five restaurants.  All that were only able to be accessed by ticket paying guests.  

 Elvis was known to be a very generous man.  He readily gave money and gifts to family, friends and fans.  He also was very generous to the charities he supported.  He is the reason that the Arizona became a monument in Hawaii as there wasn't enough money originally to open it to the public.  He made it happen.

Vernon Presley's office. He paid all the bills and took care of the fan mail.

 

This is the famous Safari room. Fabric on the ceiling.

What would be called the media room today.

 We were told that Lisa Marie still comes to the house and will use this kitchen when in town.  She stays on the upper floors that are closed to tours.

 The formal dining room with the china that was Elvis and Priscilla's wedding china.  Gosh, we sure didn't have wedding china ! ! !  LOL  We were told that Christmas was Elvis' favorite time of year.

 

 This was Gladys Presley's bedroom.  She even designed the poodle wall paper in the bathroom.

 This stairway leads to the area of the house that Lisa Marie stays in when in Memphis.

Living room right inside the front door.

The horse pastures, not a lot of room for them. He did have a ranch in Mississippi for a while.  Maybe they were there most of the time.

Halls of his costumes were everywhere, fun seeing them as they were so weird, all jumpsuits and went from straight legged to bell bottoms.  

The memorial garden is really a nicely done area of the yard that includes stained glass and a fountain.  It is located very near the swimming pool.  His mother and grandmother's bodies were moved there from a nearby cemetery because of fear of public maybe doing something.  There is a plaque to his twin brother who died at birth but his body was not moved to Graceland.  Vernon, his father, and Elvis are also buried there.

This monument was moved to Graceland when Elvis's grandmother was moved there.  It had been on her grave in the cemetery

The car museum was great. He had Rolls, Limo's, Cadillacs, Lincoln.  Toys such as golf carts, motorized trikes and snowmobiles too.

Over at the Graceland Harley store I took this picture for Gary to see. Can't really see it in this picture but Elvis Presley is painted in gold on the gas tank.

Of course, we had a late lunch at a Graceland restaurant.  All southern comfort food. Yummy...