Reply With QuoteInteresting, Jen. Thanks for posting.
Did you know that...
Mrs. Virginia Grant, the relator (real estate agent) that sold Graceland to Elvis afterwards wrote a booklet of the transaction.
Here's the short version;
Mrs. Grant accidentally met with Gladys outside one of Memphis' major department stores, Lowenstein's East, Feb. 11th 1957. When she walked out of the store she noticed "the most gorgeous pink Cadillac I have ever seen".
After learning that it's Gladys sitting inside "this beautiful vehicle" she raps on the closed window to get her attention and they start to chat. Gladys learn that Mrs. Grant is in fact a relator, who remarks, "I heard that you folks would be interested in finding a good farm". Gladys said this was untrue but they actually would like to find a few acres with a big house somewhere out of town.
Grant then said that she had a nice seven-acre site. But as Gladys and Vernon (who was inside the store when Grant talked with Gladys) was leaving that very day for LA to visit with Elvis they would instead welcome any referrals when they got back home again.
Then on Saturday the week after Vernon calls her and he wants to see the house she had talked about. After the party (Grant, Vernon and Gladys) arrives at the site, Grant detects only a vague interest and writes in her booklet, "I had made the error of showing them property of a much lesser value than they expected to buy. Fortunately for me I discovered my mistake immediately...".
Gladys then asks her, "Don't you have anything to show us with a Colonial home?". Although the Graceland listing was with another relator, and the fact that Mrs. Grant had never even been in the house, that's what she suggested, "Oh yes, on Highway 51 South as you approach Whitehaven Plaza, there is the most beautiful Colonial mansion which a friend of mine has for sale - it's thirteen beautiful acres too". Gladys wanted to see the house that very day, and loved it, as did Vernon. By 6 pm. Mrs. Grant had their offer, contingent on the approval of Elvis, not later than 8 pm. the following Monday.
When Monday came Elvis showed up early, and slowly walked through Graceland for the first time and sat down with the piano. He got up and remarked, "This place sure needs a lot of work done on it". Mrs. Grant's heart sank.
Then he continued, "This is going to be a lot nicer than Red Skelton's house when I get it like I want it". Mrs. Grant's heart soared.
Elvis was ready to sign, and he wanted to close the deal as soon as possible. The story was also, as I understand it, well covered in Memphis Press-Scimitar with daily coverage of the house buying for almost a week.
Elvis told the reporter; "I want the darkest blue there is for my room, with a mirror that will cover one side of the room. I probably will have a black bedroom suit, trimmed in white leather, with a white rug". He also said he intended to have a hi-fi receiver in every room and that he wanted the entrance hall painted to resemble the sky with clouds on the ceiling and dozens of tiny lights for stars.
Gladys commented, "I think I'm going to like this new home", while Vernon complained, "We just had the old place fixed up like we wanted it, now we have to start all over again...". Elvis also remarked on the basement bathrooms were marked "Boys" and "Girls", and that he thought that the first thing the house needed was a swimming pool on the south side of the house with a large sunken patio leading up to the pool.
He also said that he wanted a six-foot stone fence across the front and up the sides of the property, (the wall also made it easy for Gladys to have her chickens again, and to hang out washing behind Graceland as it was not so easy for fans to grab the clothes with the fence). Elvis also noted the house had garage place for only four cars...
Elvis and his parents moved into Graceland in late April of 1957.
2008/02/03 Mr.T / www.epgold.com
Interesting, Jen. Thanks for posting.
That was fun to read Jen. I had never heard that story.
Diane
Thanks for the info.
Let the stars fade and fall, and I won't care at all, as long as I have you.
Elvis...
http://myantiquemusicbox.wordpress.com/
http://wendy56.wordpress.com/
"You've got it all together like a lovin' machine
You're lookin' like glory and walkin' like a dream...
Mother nature's sure been good to Y-O-U"
Wendy
Thanks, Jen. I remember reading that and smiling when they talked about Gladys having chickens. No one would believe it today as the city has crept up around it.
"I have learned never to ridicule any man's opinion, however strange it may seem."
thanks for posting i'v never read that story befor you learn something new everyday
Thanks for posting.
I had never heard that story.
Some of you all never been down South too much...
I'm gonna tell you a little story, so you'll understand where I'm talking about
Enjoyed reading that.It would have been lovely to have met the Presley family back then,they must have all been really excited about their new home and the leaving behind of the hardships they had lived through.Thanks for sharing it with us.
we can only imagine how they felt back then.....
It's hard NOT to imagine Elvis as perfect; how else could someone be THAT good looking, THAT talented, THAT generous & THAT charismatic
I hadn't heard that story, just that Gladys had called Elvis in Hollywood to tell him she'd found a new house for him to see. I had understood that because Gladys had really seemed interested in the house, Elvis wanted her to have it.
My question is, I know she really did have chickens, but did Mrs. Presley really hang out laundry to dry in the back yard?
Just pretend, I'm holding you, and whispering things soft and low.
And think of me, how it's gonna be and just pretend I didn't go
That's what I always heard!!Originally Posted by Lisarose
My hubby thought I had fallen and cracked my head the day I came home with a clothes line and pens....I told him if Gladys could hang out the laundry at Graceland then I could there....nobody could see it unless they were in our yard or in the back of the house!!
But, I got over that within a couple of weeks when I realized what hard work that was!!
Yes she actually did hang the clothes out back, there is a pic of her, Elvis & Nick Adams mom where you can see the clothes hanging out to dry behind them.
I enjoyed reading this again...there's a book called Graceland, Living Legacy of Elvis Presley and it goes into great detail (as do some other's) about how the Presley's came upon Graceland.
I think EPE has it on their official site as well.
It's a wonder that Elvis had any clothes at all if Gladys was hanging them out to dry in the backyard! I would imagine they would have all been stolen. The fans did tear his cars to shreds when they saw his cadillac parked on the street! Maybe that explains why he never wore underwear?!?
Just pretend, I'm holding you, and whispering things soft and low.
And think of me, how it's gonna be and just pretend I didn't go
I really liked that story I found it very intersting.
elvisspankme
Who wrote that book, Suzan? Where can I find it?
Goodbye Rosanne...Your "family" in TCB will always remember you.
I'd love to find that book too!
Diane
http://www.amazon.com/Graceland-Livi.../dp/0002552507
I found that book on Amazon, wouldn't mind reading it either.
I'm pretty sure that still doing such things gave her a feeling of comfort and purpose.
Thanks, Jen. There are also used ones there; very reasonable.
I just found it in my library too. Think I'll look first.
"I have learned never to ridicule any man's opinion, however strange it may seem."
Yep l cheak the library books out tooThanks, Jen. There are also used ones there; very reasonable.
I just found it in my library too. Think I'll look first.
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