Elvis Presley’s Graceland vs. Michael Jackson’s Neverland: What’s the Same? What’s Different? Who Lived in Both Homes?
Elvis Presley‘s Graceland home is one of the most iconic of any entertainer’s homes. Millions of visitors enter its musical gates every year to celebrate the life and career of the King of Rock and Roll. However, there’s another stately home, Neverland, that housed another legendary entertainer: the King of Pop, Michael Jackson. What are the same elements between these homes? What are the key differences? Most of all, who lived in both places?
Elvis Presley’s Graceland: The facts
Elvis Presley purchased Graceland on March 19, 1957 for $102,500. The mansion is located in Memphis, Tennessee.
Graceland is a 17,552-square-foot home with 23 rooms, in total, spread out over 13.8 acres. Elvis spent over 20 years enjoying the stately home, named in honor of Grace Toof, a relative of the original owners.
After Elvis’ death, Graceland remained a private residence until 1982, when it was opened to the public as a museum. It remains the second most visited home in the world, behind only The White House.
Graceland was added to the National Register of Historic Places on November 7, 1991. In 2006, Graceland’s significance was further acknowledged when it was designated as a National Historic Landmark, a more exclusive recognition given to properties of exceptional historical importance in American culture.
Elvis died in the mansion on Aug. 16, 1977. His funeral took place in the home and he is buried in its Meditation Garden.
Michael Jackson’s Neverland Ranch served as his home and personal amusement park
Neverland Ranch was purchased by Michael Jackson in 1988. It is located in Los Olivos, California, about 125 miles northwest of Los Angeles.
The property is approximately 2,700 acres and cost the entertainer $19.5 million. It is comprised of 18 rooms in total for the 13,500 square foot home.
The home is named Neverland after the fantasy island in JM Barrie’s story of Peter Pan, the boy who never grew up. The property surrounding the home includes an amusement park, a petting zoo, and multiple trains and railroads that run through the grounds.
The ranch was a retreat where Jackson entertained children, friends, and family, often hosting charity events for underprivileged kids. However, it was also the place where Jackson allegedly molested several young boys.
Due to mounting debts, Jackson relinquished control of the property in 2008. Neverland remained owned by Jackson’s estate and Colony Capital. In December 2020, billionaire Ron Burkle, a friend of the late pop star, purchased the property for $22 million. It has since been renamed Sycamore Valley Ranch.
Jackson died in 2009 from a combination of anesthetic propofol and lorazepam. He died at Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center and is buried at Forest Lawn Memorial Park in Glendale, California.
Who lived in both Graceland and Neverland?
Elvis Presley’s daughter, Lisa Marie Presley, lived at both Graceland and Neverland. She considered Graceland her primary residence from 1969 through 1977 when Elvis died. Lisa Marie visited Graceland after Elvis’ death to visit family but eventually made California her home.
Lisa Marie continued to visit Graceland with her children Riley, Benjamin, Harper, and Finley throughout her life. She spent holidays at the home, visiting when it was not open for tours.
However, upon her marriage to Michael Jackson in May 1994, Lisa Marie also had the opportunity to reside in Neverland with Riley and Ben. It was not the couple’s primary residence, but they did spend time at the home.
Their marriage ended two years later, in 1996. Lisa Marie opened up on her blog, reprinted by Oprah.com, about her and Michael’s union.
Lisa wrote, “The hardest decision I have ever had to make, which was to walk away and let his fate have him, even though I desperately loved him and tried to stop or reverse it somehow. He was an amazing person and I am lucky to have gotten as close to him as I did and to have had the many experiences and years that we had together.”
Lisa Marie first met Michael in 1974 when she was six years old and attended his concert at the Sahara Tahoe. That was the first time her father, Elvis Presley, met him as well.
How to get help: In the U.S., call the RAINN National Sexual Assault Telephone Hotline at 1-800-656-4673 to connect with a trained staff member from a sexual assault service provider in your area.
