Tupelo and Elvis

Saturday, May 4 Day 12

After such a cold, rainy night, we woke up to a beautiful day.  What a gift!  We expected to still be under that storm cloud, since we are moving in the same direction.  But it is clear, and although it is still cold out, we are happy to be dry.

Can't end up in Tupelo and not visit Elvis' birthplace.  We were going to take a side trip to Memphis and see Graceland, but we laid down until the feeling passed.  And besides, a lot of people say they prefer Elvis' birthplace to Graceland.

This portrait of Gladys, Elvis and Vernon hangs in the museum foyer.  And Elvis - can't mistake him, even at this young age!

Elvis' birthplace

Elvis was born in Tupelo January 8, 1935. He lived in a two room house built by his father, grandfather and uncle (He borrowed $150 to build it. )

Vernon was jailed for forging a check. He sold a hog to his employer, who wrote him a check for $4.  He thought that was a gyp, and so he either wrote $14 or $40 on the check before cashing it.  He went to jail, and because Gladys wasn't working, they couldn't make the payments and lost the house.   After that, they lived around with various relatives. 

This is the house, viewed from the back

 

And from the front

The front room/bedroom where Elvis was born, along with a twin brother who was stillborn. 

(Lady sitting here is the docent)

The second room - kitchen 

And a close up of the wallpaper

John looked at the wooden piece by the refrigerator and commented that Elvis had a surfboard.  Of course it's a wooden ironing board, but he got a laugh from a woman in the room, who then apologized for laughing!   I told her he was from California and meant it as a joke, so it was OK to laugh. 

This is the type of radio Elvis listened to, which had to be hooked up to the car battery to run. 

Elvis and his friends enjoyed the county fair, but he couldn't afford the entrance fee.  He and another boy snuck under a fence and were promptly caught.  The other boy's father was chairman of the fair, so it was kind of embarrassing. 

 In 1946, he and his mother went to the Tupelo hardware store to purchase a 22 caliber rifle.  But his mother really wanted him to buy a guitar.    The store let him try it and he decided to get the guitar.  The next year,  he practiced "Old Shep" and sung it on the radio (while standing on a chair to reach the microphone) for which he won $5 and free admission to the fair and all the rides. 

A statue of Elvis at 13, the year he, his mother and father left Tupelo to try to make a living in Memphis.

This is the type of car in which they let Tupelo

While in Tupelo, Elvis attended the Assembly of God Church

 Where he was first exposed to gospel music. 

The church is set up to play a multi screen reenactment of a church service, at which Elvis got up and sang before the congregation at around four.   The song was "Jesus Loves Me."   The church was Pentecostal, so they had participation by the congregation, including laying on of hands, speaking in tongues, and lots of singing.  Among the songs they sang for the film were "Just a Closer Walk with Thee," "I'll Fly Away," "The Old Rugged Cross," "What a Friend We have in Jesus."

People waiting to get into the church for the presentation

In 1957, Elvis returned to play the fair that he couldn't afford as a child and gave the proceeds from the performance to buy the house and 15 acres of land.  He bought Graceland that same year.

There was an antique car "cruise" happening in Tupelo and approximately 500-600 cars participated. These were just some of the ones coming through the parking lot.  There were also signs to an Azalea festival.  I have to say I'm excited that the Azaleas are in bloom!