(Photo from Elvis Presley Birthplace website)
- More than 129,000 visitors from all around the world tour the Elvis Presley Center each year.
The Elvis Presley Birthplace is an iconic stop for tourists and locals alike in Mississippi. Situated on a 15-acre park with multiple attractions related to Elvis’s childhood, the birthplace is meticulously cared for and is the epicenter of Tupelo culture. The focal point of the grounds is the modest two-room shotgun-style house where Elvis was born.
The Presley home was built by his father, Vernon Presley, with a loan of $180 during the Great Depression. Although the original furnishings are not present, dedication and tremendous effort from the Tupelo Garden Club have been made to recreate the interior as it would have appeared during Elvis’s early years.
Did you know that before the birthplace of The King of Rock-n-Roll became a popular tourist attraction, it was a park for children? The park was a gift from Elvis Presley himself to his beloved East Tupelo.
The city purchased the house and surrounding land in 1957 with money donated by Elvis Presley from a benefit concert. Elvis wanted to create a park for the children of East Tupelo.
“This has always spoken volumes about who Elvis Presley truly was and his character. He was 21 when he donated the funds for the park. Most of us are pretty selfish at that age, but Elvis never forgot his hometown,” shared Roy Turner, Executive Director of the Elvis Presley Birthplace.
Roy Turner is one of the East Tupelo kids who benefited from Elvis’s generosity and shares his connection to the birthplace.
“The building that is now our museum was the youth center, where I had my very first dance in the ninth grade.”
“When Elvis died in 1977, the park received money from fans worldwide who wanted to do something to honor him. In 1978-79, the chapel was built and dedicated as a peaceful place for people to meditate. We do not charge for people to visit the chapel; it doesn’t seem right,” Turner shared.
Over the years, the park piece of the birthplace closed, and it has evolved into an impressive experience honoring Elvis Presley.
Now, more than 129,000 visitors from all around the world tour the Elvis Presley Center each year. This tour includes the Elvis Birthplace, the Elvis Presley Museum and Memorial Chapel, and Elvis Presley Park. The grounds are open 24 hours a day, and the gardens and chapel have become a place of peace for many—just as they were intended so many years ago.
“Many people don’t realize that Elvis is from Tupelo; they think he is from Memphis. People will often come through town and see the sign that marks the birthplace and think it will be a fifteen-minute tour–when in reality, it is a three-hour adventure,” Turner said.
Roy Turner has been a local Elvis historian since 1981 and served on the board of the Birthplace for several years before becoming the Executive Director.
“I am an East Tupelo boy, and it makes me so proud to see a native son not only succeed but rise to stardom and attain worldwide fame,” Turner shared.
After retiring from manufacturing, the Elvis aficionado took the position he calls his “dream job.”
“I rise every morning excited to meet the fans, talk about Elvis, and join our wonderful staff, making a visit to the Birthplace the experience of a lifetime.”
Of the 129,000 visitors to Elvis Presley’s Birthplace, 60 percent are international travelers, which continues to drive the message that even decades later, Elvis was larger than life no matter where you are in the world.
The grounds feature beautiful gardens and statues representing different chapters of Elvis Presley’s life, from childhood to international stardom and his title as “The King.”
Guests can walk the paths to several stunning overlooks Elvis favored as an adult and find tranquility at the Reflections Pond behind the museum. The beautiful pond allows guests to reflect and enjoy the beauty around them, fostering a sense of peace and serenity and inviting them to experience a moment of calm during their visit.
“We often hear visitors saying they can feel Elvis here, and they talk a lot about the peace and serenity they feel,” Turner shared. “We want people to feel that. We are proud of Elvis here in Tupelo.”
Meredith Biesinger
