Graceland

$102,500. That was the price tag back on March 25, 1957. 

Elvis took a mortgage of $55,000, plus cash down, to purchase the nearly 14-acre property off Route 51 in Memphis. There were two other suitors for the property; private investors interested in building a high-end restaurant and the deep pockets of Sears, Roebuck Co. Further complicating things, a small church made an offer to buy just 5 acres, located in the northwest corner of the estate. Only Elvis was amenable to having a church as his neighbor. That sealed the deal with the owners. 

Graceland was officially his.

Although I was never a big fan of "the King," I have been to Graceland on more than one occasion. I was initially struck by its size, or lack thereof. It is a modest southern home, replete with white columns and an expansive lawn. The interior is pure Elvis; garish, over-the-top, eccentric and indulgent. And yet a soulfulness and sadness still clings to the house, despite the shag carpeting and glittering chandeliers. 

Graceland, in some kind of inexplicable way, is Elvis. A magical confluence you can't help but be drawn to.....

"The Mississippi Delta was shining like a national guitar. I am following the river, down the highway, through the cradle of the Civil War. I'm going to Graceland....." – Paul Simon