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Graceland Wins Landmark Status

By Dan Schlossberg
ConsumerAffairs.com

April 5, 2006
Elvis may have left the building but the building's still there. Graceland, the Memphis home of singer Elvis Presley from 1957 until his death 20 years later, has officially become a National Historic Landmark.

One of the five most-visited homes in the United States, Graceland has been listed on the National Register of Historic Places since 1991.

According to Priscilla Presley, former wife of the rock ‘n roll icon, the house meant as much to the star as it did to the fans who have visited it.

"Having Graceland was a tangible symbol of how far he came from very humble beginnings," Priscilla Presley said.

Elvis purchased the home for $103,000 after the release of his first hit, Heartbreak Hotel.

Since fewer than 2,500 locations are designated as National Historic Landmarks, Graceland now stands on the same plateau as Mount Vernon, home of George Washington; Monticello, home of Thomas Jefferson; and the White House, home of all the presidents since 1800.

Outgoing Interior Secretary Gale Norton presided over the official ceremonies that added Graceland to the list.

"It didn't take Americans and the rest of the world long to discover Elvis Presley," she said. "It is absolutely clear they will never forget him. "It would be difficult to tell the story of the 20th century without discussing the many contributions made by this legendary artist."

The current owner of Graceland is Lisa Marie Presley, the daughter of Elvin and Priscilla. She said the home's designation as a National Historic Landmark made her proud.

"It's a significant statement about how much my father meant to the world," she noted. "This home was designated as a landmark purely due to the fact that it was the home of the legendary Elvis Presley."

The singer not only lived at the home but also died there. His gravesite is on the property.

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