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Elvis Presley was born in a two-room house in East Tupelo and dreamed of becoming a superhero, complete with wavy hair, a cape, and a lightning bolt on his chest. The King of Rock ‘n’ Roll would have to do, though.
His mom bought him a guitar from Tupelo Hardware Company for his 11th birthday, and just 10 years later, he made his first gold record.
Tupelo made Elvis. If you’re here to see where it all started, have we got a guide for you.
Elvis Presley Birthplace and Museum
The Elvis Presley Birthplace and Museum has the actual shotgun house Vernon Presley built for $180 in 1934, plus a museum and the church where Elvis first heard—and performed—gospel music. On location, you can walk through the house (it’ll take you about three minutes), see the church, and tour the museum gallery. You may be able to catch a reenactment of one of Elvis’ church services if you time your visit just right.
Statues & Monuments
Right outside the Birthplace and Museum, at the top of the overlook, sits the “Becoming” statue, depicting Elvis’s life from little boy to worldwide sensation. Down the road, Elvis’ Homecoming Statue captures him later on in 1956, returning to Tupelo for a performance at the Mississippi-Alabama Fair and Dairy Show. If you want to hunt for more photo ops, Tupelo scattered more than 20 Elvis-themed guitars all over town.
Relics Antique Marketplace
In 1932, 20-year-old Gladys Love Smith went to work as a seamstress on the second floor of this building located in Mill Village. While working at the plant, Gladys wed Vernon Presley and became pregnant with twins. On January 8, 1935, Gladys gave birth to two children: Jesse Garon, who was stillborn, and Elvis Aaron, who went on to achieve worldwide acclaim for his music. Her co-workers took up a collection of money after her delivery, suggesting that she was well-liked. This building is now home to Relics Antique Marketplace, where you can shop over 117 booths on two floors filled with antiques, collectibles, and Elvis artifacts.
Walk In His Footsteps
The Birthplace is the obvious start, but the family moved around a bit, and there are other points of interest around town. He swam in Mud Creek as a kid, attended Lawhon Elementary School, and spent time at the Assembly of God Church on Adams Street (the building’s gone now, but there’s a marker). And, the Tupelo Visitors Center sits on the former site of Shakerag, the African American neighborhood where Elvis first heard the blues and gospel that would shape his sound, so you can learn more about the city and Elvis in one fell swoop. The list goes on, and it’s likely that anywhere you visit in Tupelo has the King’s footprints somewhere…. The Lee County Courthouse, Lyric Theatre, Lee County Library, Milam Junior High, Fairpark. Johnnie’s Drive-In, a confirmed location where Elvis ate, opened in 1945 and is still serving today.
When to Go
Tupelo hosts the Tupelo Elvis Festival the first week in June, complete with living history demonstrations, a 5k race, tribute artists, gospel concerts, film screenings, and more. But fans are welcome to visit any time – all points of interest and, obviously, statues, are accepting visitors all year long.
Find the complete Elvis itineraries, maps, and details at tupelo.net/things-to-do/elvis.
For more Southern travel inspiration, click here.
| This article is presented in partnership with Tupelo CVB, a Modern South Founding Partner.
