If you visit Graceland, it's obvious that you are a fan of the legendary singer, Elvis Presley. This is one of America's second most highly visited private homes, second only after the White House that attracts over 60,000 visitors each year.
This white-pillared mansion called Graceland is built in Georgian Colonial style on a 13-acre property and is situated in Memphis, Tennessee. Each year, hundreds of people from different corners of the world come here to see their hero's private sanctuary.
How did the name come about? During the American Civil War, the publisher of a newspaper in Memphis was S.E. Toof who owned a 500-acre farm called Graceland after his daughter, Grace. Though she inherited it, she didn't build the mansion because some of it was sold to developers. However, her niece Ruth and her husband Dr. Thomas Moore built the mansion called Graceland in 1937.
Two decades later, the famous singer Elvis Presley bought this secluded property for $100,000. When he grew really famous, he would come here often, while his fans waited at his gates for a glimpse of their hero. After his death, his wife Priscilla and daughter Lisa Marie inherited it.
Graceland was opened as a museum of the legendary singer in 1982. Since then, his fans have been walking through their hero's home and checking out his famous Jungle Room with its tropical look, apart from his many costumes, awards and personal effects. In 2006, Graceland was made a National Historic Landmark.