History of Graceland in Timeline

Graceland is a mansion and estate in Memphis, Tennessee, formerly owned by Elvis Presley. It served as his home and is now his final resting place, along with his parents Vernon and Gladys, grandmother Minnie Mae, grandson Benjamin, and daughter Lisa Marie. Graceland is a major landmark and tourist attraction, drawing visitors interested in Elvis Presley's life and legacy.

1912: Birth of Gladys Presley

In 1912, Elvis Presley's mother Gladys Presley was born.

1916: Birth of Vernon Presley

In 1916, Elvis Presley's father Vernon Presley was born.

January 8, 1935: Birth of Elvis Presley and Death of Jesse Garon

On January 8, 1935, Elvis Presley was born, and his twin brother, Jesse Garon, died at birth thirty minutes before.

1939: Construction of Graceland Mansion

In 1939, Ruth Moore and her husband, Thomas Moore, commissioned the construction of a 10,266-square-foot Colonial Revival style mansion, designed by architects Furbringer and Ehrman.

1939: Construction of Horse Stable

In 1939, a horse stable was added to the southeast corner of Graceland by the original owners.

1956: Presley Purchases Home on Audubon Drive

In 1956, Elvis Presley purchased a home at 1034 Audubon Drive in Memphis for himself and his family. Due to the increasing number of fans, Elvis's neighbors were unhappy with the nuisance.

March 19, 1957: Presley Purchases Graceland

On March 19, 1957, Elvis Presley purchased Graceland for $102,500.

1958: Death of Gladys Presley

In 1958, Elvis Presley's mother Gladys Presley died.

1960: Purchase of Pool Table

In 1960, Elvis Presley bought a pool table for the billiard room.

1960: Vernon Presley's Marriage to Dee Stanley

In 1960, Elvis Presley's father, Vernon, married Dee Stanley, and they lived at Graceland for a time.

1961: "Blue Hawaii" Film

In 1961, Elvis Presley starred in the film "Blue Hawaii".

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May 1, 1967: Elvis and Priscilla's Wedding

On May 1, 1967, Elvis Presley and Priscilla Presley were married in Las Vegas, Nevada.

February 1, 1968: Birth of Lisa Marie Presley

On February 1, 1968, Lisa Marie Presley was born and lived the first years of her life at Graceland.

1972: Divorce of Elvis and Priscilla

In 1972, Elvis Presley and Priscilla Presley divorced, and Priscilla moved to California with their daughter, Lisa Marie.

1974: Remodeling of Basement Rooms

In 1974, the two basement rooms, the TV room and billiard room, were remodeled.

1976: Jungle Room Converted to Recording Studio

In 1976, Elvis Presley converted the Jungle Room into a recording studio where he recorded the bulk of his final two albums, "From Elvis Presley Boulevard, Memphis, Tennessee" and "Moody Blue".

August 16, 1977: Elvis Presley's Death

Elvis Presley passed away on August 16, 1977, after which his father, Vernon, inherited Graceland.

August 18, 1977: Elvis Presley's Funeral

On August 18, 1977, a private funeral with 200 mourners was held for Elvis Presley at Graceland, following his death on August 16, 1977.

1977: Elvis Presley's Death

After Elvis Presley's death in 1977, Vernon Presley became the executor of his estate.

1977: Death of Elvis Presley

In 1977, Elvis Presley passed away and was later buried in the Meditation Garden.

1977: Album "Moody Blue"

In 1977, Elvis Presley recorded the album "Moody Blue" in the Jungle Room, his final known recordings in a studio setting.

1978: Muhammad Ali visits Graceland

In 1978, Muhammad Ali, a friend of Elvis, visited Graceland.

1979: Death of Vernon Presley

In 1979, Elvis Presley's father Vernon Presley died.

1979: Vernon Presley's Death

In 1979, Vernon Presley passed away, and he chose Priscilla Presley to serve as the estate executor for Elvis's daughter, Lisa Marie.

1980: Death of Minnie Mae Hood

In 1980, Elvis Presley's grandmother Minnie Mae Hood died.

1981: Albert Goldman's Criticism of Graceland

In 1981, Albert Goldman's book, Elvis, described Graceland as resembling a brothel and criticized its interior as "bizarre," "garish," and "phony."

June 7, 1982: Graceland Opened to the Public

On June 7, 1982, Graceland was opened to the public as a house museum.

1987: U2 Tours Graceland

During the Joshua Tree Tour in 1987, U2 toured Graceland, and the footage was filmed for the film Rattle & Hum. During the visit, drummer, Larry Mullen Jr., sat on Elvis Presley's motorcycle.

November 7, 1991: Graceland Listed in National Register of Historic Places

On November 7, 1991, Graceland was listed in the National Register of Historic Places, marking the first site recognized for its significance to rock music.

1993: Delta's Death

In 1993, Elvis's aunt Delta, who used the kitchen, passed away.

1993: Lisa Marie Inherits Graceland

In 1993, Lisa Marie Presley inherited the estate when she turned 25. Also in 1993, Elvis's aunt Delta passed away.

1997: 20th Anniversary of Elvis's Death

In 1997, the 20th Anniversary of Elvis's death was commemorated with a procession and Elvis Week events. Several hundred media groups from around the world attended, resulting in the event gaining its greatest media publicity.

October 10, 2001: Oscar Arias Visits Graceland

On October 10, 2001, the former President of Costa Rica, Oscar Arias, a Peace Prize honoree, visited Graceland.

2002: 25th Anniversary of Elvis's Death

In 2002, the 25th anniversary of Elvis's death saw one of the largest gatherings, with an estimated 40,000 people attending, despite the heavy rain.

August 2005: Lisa Marie Presley Sells Part of Elvis's Estate

In August 2005, Lisa Marie Presley sold 85% of the business side of her father's estate to CKX, Inc., while retaining Graceland property and personal possessions.

March 27, 2006: Graceland Declared a National Historic Landmark

On March 27, 2006, Graceland was declared a National Historic Landmark, being the first of its kind.

June 30, 2006: George W. Bush hosts Junichiro Koizumi at Graceland

On June 30, 2006, then US President George W. Bush hosted Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi for a tour of Graceland.

August 6, 2010: Prince Albert II and Charlene Wittstock Tour Graceland

On August 6, 2010, Prince Albert II, Head of State of the Principality of Monaco, and his fiancée Charlene Wittstock toured Graceland.

May 26, 2013: Paul McCartney Visits Graceland

On May 26, 2013, Paul McCartney of The Beatles visited Graceland.

May 2, 2014: Prince William and Prince Harry Visit Graceland

On May 2, 2014, Prince William and Prince Harry visited Graceland while in Memphis for a friend's wedding.

2015: 38th Anniversary of Elvis's Death

On the 38th anniversary of Elvis's death, August 15–16, 2015, an estimated 30,000 people attended the Candlelight Vigil.

May 2016: Graceland Welcomes 20 Millionth Visitor

In May 2016, Graceland welcomed a newlywed couple as its 20 millionth visitor.

2017: 40th Anniversary of Elvis's Death

On August 15–16, 2017, the 40th anniversary of Elvis's death saw at least 50,000 fans expected to attend the Candlelight Vigil.

August 2018: Gladys Presley's Headstone Publicly Displayed

In August 2018, Gladys Presley's headstone, which Elvis designed, was placed in Graceland's Mediation Garden for public display after being stored in the Graceland Archive.

2018: Alleged Loan from Naussany Investments

In 2018, Lisa Marie Presley allegedly took out a $3.8 million loan from Naussany Investments & Private Lending LLC, using Graceland as security, which later became the subject of a legal dispute.

2018: Naussany Investments Loan Allegations

In 2018, Lisa Marie Presley was accused of borrowing $3.8 million from Naussany Investments according to the U.S. Department of Justice's Office of Public Affairs.

2019: Graceland Tax Incentive Deal

In 2019, the Memphis City Council voted on a deal to help fund a $100 million expansion of Graceland, after the owners threatened to leave Memphis unless the city provided tax incentives.

2020: Death of Benjamin Keough

In late 2020, Lisa Marie Presley's son Benjamin Keough passed away and was laid to rest in the Meditation Garden.

June 2022: Austin Butler and Tom Hanks Visit Graceland

In June 2022, actors Austin Butler and Tom Hanks visited Graceland and were interviewed virtually by the Good Morning America news program from the Jungle Room to talk about their biographical film Elvis.

2022: Graceland Visitor Count

In 2022, Graceland received approximately 500,000 visitors.

January 12, 2023: Lisa Marie Presley's Death

Lisa Marie Presley died on January 12, 2023, after which her eldest daughter, Riley Keough, became the sole trustee and owner of Graceland.

January 2023: Death of Lisa Marie Presley

In January 2023, Lisa Marie Presley died from sudden cardiac arrest and is buried next to her son in the Meditation Garden.

September 2023: Legal Claim Filed Against Lisa Marie Presley's Estate

In September 2023, a legal claim was filed alleging that Lisa Marie Presley owed $2.8 million to Naussany Investments & Private Lending LLC, leading to a dispute and lawsuit to stop a foreclosure sale.

2023: Lisa Marie Presley's estate retains ownership of Graceland

In 2023, Lisa Marie Presley's estate, held in trust for her daughters, retained 100% sole personal ownership of Graceland Mansion and Elvis Presley's personal effects, which remained available for tours and EPE operations.

May 2024: Scheduled Foreclosure Sale of Graceland (later stopped)

In May 2024, a foreclosure sale of Graceland was scheduled due to claims that Lisa Marie Presley had put the home up as security on a loan. Riley Keough initiated a lawsuit to halt the sale, claiming fraudulent documents.

August 16, 2024: Lisa Jeanine Findley Arrested

On August 16, 2024, Lisa Jeanine Findley, also known as Lisa Holden and other aliases, was arrested and charged with identity theft and mail fraud related to an attempt to extort the Presley family into selling Graceland.