Day 10, Memphis, September 26, 2022

Day 10, Memphis, September 26, 2022

Memphis is a city in the U.S. state of Tennessee.  It is the seat of Shelby County in the southwest part of the state and is situated along the Mississippi River.  With a population of 633,104 at the 2020 U.S. census, Memphis is the second-most populous city in Tennessee, after Nashville.  It is the fifth-most populous city in the Southeast, the nation's 28th-largest overall, and the largest city bordering the Mississippi River.  The Memphis metropolitan area includes West Tennessee and the greater Mid-South region, which includes portions of neighboring Arkansas, Mississippi, and the Missouri Bootheel.  One of the more historic and culturally significant cities of the southern U.S., Memphis has a wide variety of landscapes and distinct neighborhoods.

The first European explorer to visit the area of present-day Memphis was Spanish conquistador Hernando de Soto in 1541.  The high Chickasaw Bluffs protecting the location from the waters of the Mississippi was contested by Spanish, French, and English colonizers as Memphis developed. By 1819, when modern Memphis was founded, it was part of United States territory.  John Overton, James Winchester, and Andrew Jackson founded the city.  Based on the wealth of cotton plantations and river traffic along the Mississippi, Memphis grew into one of the largest cities of the Antebellum South.  After the American Civil War and the end of slavery, the city continued to grow into the 20th century.  It became among the largest world markets for cotton and lumber.

 Additional info:  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Memphis%2C_Tennessee

Our dock this AM was an old boat ramp

Our excursion today took us to Graceland, former home of Elvis Presley

Graceland is a mansion on a 13.8-acre (5.6-hectare) estate in Memphis, Tennessee, United States, which was once owned by rock musician Elvis Presley.  His daughter, Lisa Marie Presley, inherited Graceland after his death in 1977.  Graceland is located at 3764 Elvis Presley Boulevard in the Whitehaven neighborhood, about nine miles south of central Memphis and fewer than four miles north of the Mississippi border.

It was opened to the public as a house museum on June 7, 1982.  The site was listed in the National Register of Historic Places on November 7, 1991, becoming its first site recognized for significance related to rock music.  Graceland was declared a National Historic Landmark on March 27, 2006, also a first for such a site.  Graceland is the most-visited privately owned home in the United States, attracting more than 650,000 visitors annually.  It rivals in number of visitors such public attractions as Hearst Castle, now operated as a California state park, and the White House, home and office of the President of the United States in the capital.

Additional info:  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Graceland

We were not permitted to use flash inside the mansion; many pictures are quite dark

Formal living room

Elvis parents bedroom

Dining room

Wife Precilla and daughter Lisa

Kitchen; very strong family ties

"Jungle Room"

Game Room

Lounge; multiple TVs and pull-down screen

Back side of the mansion

Elvis' agent's office

                

                    

                

Pasture behind racquetball building

Elvis was an avid car/motorcycle/airplane enthusiast

                    

                    

                    

                    

                    

                    

Elvis began his Army service in Germany in the fall of 1958.  Four years later when his draft time passed, I had arrived in Germany a month or so beforehand to begin my initial three-year Army tour.

As great an entertainer Elvis was, I admire his accepted draft into the Army and served his full term with pleasure and no remiss.  You saw above he had great admiration for law enforcement.  Elvis was a man I still admire very much!

In four years he earned the rank of Sergeant; he was a very positive with fellow soldiers

Elvis two jet passenger planes; he wanted to get places in short time

Soon to be on our way again; will arrive 7 A M day after tomorrow

Stay in Style in the Heart of Graceland

Introducing an unprecedented resort experience inspired by Elvis Presley.  The Guest House at Graceland is just steps away from the music world’s most important and beloved landmark — welcoming music fans, Graceland guests, Memphis visitors, world travelers and groups alike. A perfect blend of style and Southern hospitality, The Guest House is a whole new way to experience Memphis — the Birthplace of Rock ‘n’ Roll and Home of the Blues.

When you visit The Guest House, you’ll enjoy all the luxurious amenities that would make Elvis proud. Inspired by the “make-yourself-at-home” warmth that Elvis always showed his guests, The Guest House at Graceland reflects Elvis’ style and the charm of Graceland. From the Southern colonial features to specialty suites with Priscilla Presley’s design supervision, every facet of The Guest House has a touch of grace and a dash of rock ‘n’ roll that guests will enjoy after exploring Graceland and Memphis.

Best of all, this world-class resort is your gateway to Elvis Presley’s Graceland, recently voted the #1 Best Musical Attraction worldwide. Each year, hundreds of thousands of fans from around the world visit this historic home to celebrate the greatest entertainer of all time.

With two full-service restaurants, over 17,000 sq.-ft. of meeting/function space for weddings and events, plus a 464-seat theater for live performances and group events, The Guest House invites you to experience the enchantment of Graceland and nonstop excitement on the resort’s property.

Whether you come to explore the legend’s estate, or want to create a legendary event of your own, plan your stay at The Guest House at Graceland. It’s a whole new way to experience the magic of Memphis — and a special place where rock ‘n’ roll lives forever.

Additional info:  https://guesthousegraceland.com/