Thursday, March 30, 2006

Walking In Memphis? Stop By The Latest National Historic Landmark.


The Memphis mansion Elvis Presley called home was named a National Historic Landmark today, joining Monticello and less than 2,500 other American buildings.
Graceland, built in 1939 as a private residence, was a prayer center when Presley bought the house in 1957. He died in one of its four bathrooms in 1977 and is buried on the 14-acre grounds.
"It didn't take Americans and the rest of the world long to discover Elvis Presley, and it's clear that they will never forget him," said Gale Norton, secretary of the interior, in a statement. "This [designation] is our nation's highest recognition for historic properties."
Norton officially designated the house at a ceremony today. The National Park Service selects National Historic Landmarks according to its theme-based studies, and the secretary of the interior makes the final decision.
"Graceland is my childhood home, and it holds so man great memories of the time I shared with my father, my family, and our friends," Presley's daughter, Lisa Marie, who owns the house, said in a statement. "I am committed to ensuring that it will be preserved forever."
The National Register-listed mansion has been open to the public since 1982. With more than 600,000 visitors a year, Graceland is among the top five most-visited house museums in the country.

1 Comments:

Blogger Jason said...

The owners want to create a theme park sort of experience out of Graceland...Six Flags over Elvis's Grave...I wonder how that would effect their National Register listing...you can be delisted, you know.

3/30/2006 3:36 PM  

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