When Elvis Presley purchased Graceland in 1957, he sought a family home. Little did he know that he would leave a legacy for millions of fans with a place Priscilla Presley calls his “heart and soul.” The estate, which welcomes millions of visitors worldwide, is a mecca for Elvis fans. It connects them to the king of rock and roll and his rich family history.
Graceland was more than just a home for Elvis Presley
In an interview for the web series Gates of Graceland, Priscilla explained the home’s importance. Elvis purchased Graceland, a 13.8-acre estate, for just over $100,000. When he made the purchase, Presley was busy working on his second motion picture, Loving You.
Elvis placed a $1,000 deposit down as collateral. He quickly sought to secure the property with a stone wall and the home’s infamous music gates.
The mansion was in a mild state of disrepair when Elvis bought it, according to the Phoenix New Times. Presley’s parents eventually hired interior decorator George Golden to renovate it. He brought in the dramatic touches that Elvis desired, including rich, jeweled colors to create an illusion of even more wealth.
At Graceland, he lived with his parents, mourned the loss of his beloved mother, Gladys, married, raised his only daughter Lisa Marie, and died in August 1977. The home seemed to ebb and flow with the many personal changes Elvis experienced and has since been preserved in time.
It is this preservation that Elvis fans adore, returning to the home time and again to look at all the details in each viewable room. This wish to be close to Elvis causes Graceland to hold a special place in fans’ hearts.
Graceland has become the ‘heart and soul’ of Elvis Presley’s legacy, says Priscilla Presley
In an interview for Gates of Graceland, Priscilla Presley explained how important it was to preserve Graceland’s legacy. She called it the “heart and soul of everything” at the above video’s 3:57 mark.
“Oh my gosh, that’s the heart and soul of everything,” Priscilla said of Graceland. “People come here not once or twice but keep coming back. They can’t get enough.”
She continued, “I’ve had letters from fans worldwide saying they can’t wait to come back. They’re saving to come back.”
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“There’s something people connect to. And I feel that is the spirit of Elvis Presley there.
“I mean, they don’t want to leave the meditation garden. It’s a sanctuary. It was that way when Elvis would ever come home. That’s where he felt safe and felt like he could be who he was, and I think fans get that,” she concluded.
Priscilla Presley said when Graceland opened to the public, she never expected over 20 million people to visit
After Elvis Presley’s 1977 death, Graceland was in turmoil. In his will, he left his fortune to his father, his grandmother Minnie Mae, and Lisa Marie, who was only nine years old at the time.
Vernon Presley, the executor of Elvis’ will, tried to maintain the property. However, after Vernon died in 1979 and Elvis’ grandmother in 1980, Priscilla was left in charge of the estate.
Due to taxes on Graceland and other expenses, the King’s fortune had dwindled to $1 million. Per Celebrity Net Worth, Priscilla’s years as the chairwoman of Elvis Presley Enterprises elevated his fortune from $1 million to $100 million.
However, that only occurred after opening up Graceland’s doors to the public. This shrewd business move allowed the home to become the second most visited private abode, second to the White House.
In the 2018 interview, Priscilla admitted, “I never thought about it. I was just happy they were experiencing Graceland. The joy that it gave people.”
She continued, “You want to open your doors, especially the stories that come from it. Elvis was a giver. Knowing how generous he was, I see a smile on his face. I think it would have been something he wanted to do.”
Graceland, its grounds and meditation garden where Elvis, his immediate family, daughter Lisa Marie Presley, and grandson Benjamin Keough are buried, is open daily for tours. There, fans can tour the estate and view priceless artifacts connected to the king of rock and roll.
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