Elvis Presley Installed Graceland’s Music Gates for One Very Important Reason
Visitors to Elvis Presley‘s Graceland home are drawn to several critical aspects of the Memphis estate. First, the mansion itself, set back in a nook of trees, with acres of stunning property surrounding it. Second is the meditation garden, where the king of rock and roll and his family are laid to rest. Third, and perhaps one of the most iconic, is the music gates, which were installed for one fundamental reason on April 22, 1957.
Elvis Presley’s Graceland was a private retreat for the music superstar
When Elvis Presley purchased Graceland in 1957, he was just 22 years old. He was already a music superstar, filming the motion picture Loving You, when the Presleys moved into the expansive property. Per the home’s official website, he bought the house and adjacent grounds for $102,500.
The home became a respite for Presley, who enjoyed happy moments there with his parents, Vernon and Gladys, his grandmother Minnie Mae, his daughter Lisa Marie and his extended family and friends. In a house dedicated to all the fun and extravagance befitting the most famous man in the world, Graceland was a place Presley could escape the pressures of fame.
However, due to Presley’s popularity, he needed to secure the home against overzealous fans. Shortly after he purchased Graceland, Presley built a wall of Alabama field stone that protected Graceland from outsiders.
After that, he installed a set of wrought iron gates, which would become synonymous with the property and the king of rock and roll. Why were the gates installed when Presley had already secured the property with a stone wall?
Elvis Presley installed the music gates to keep overzealous fans at bay
Despite all his attempts at securing the Graceland property, Elvis Presley found that he needed another element to keep fans from walking up his driveway and ringing his doorbell. He came up with the idea of a large set of iron gates to close off the property from outsiders.
Per Graceland’s official site, the home’s archives contain an invoice from Tennessee Fabricating Company for the gates. The archives also have invoices and checks for payment to Dillard Door Company for the gate operators, including three car controls.
The total cost in 1957 for one of the most famous home exterior additions of all time? A total of $1,339.00.
With the stone wall and gates, Presley felt a sense of security at Graceland. However, that didn’t mean that fans weren’t welcome outside the home. The king of rock and roll would regularly meet them at the gate, sign autographs, and chat with his followers.
The music gates’ design is critical to Elvis Presley’s history
The gates of Graceland are instantly recognizable, with their one-of-a-kind sheet music design. They close off the private driveway of the home from the very busy Elvis Presley Boulevard, US 51 South, which runs directly outside the property.
The gates’ one-of-a-kind design is synonymous with Presley. Furthermore, they feature music notes and artists’ depictions of the King himself. When closed, the gates resemble an open music book.
Elvis Presley’s Graceland is listed on the registry of National Historic Landmarks. It is the second most-visited home in the United States after the White House.
