Elvis Presley Enterprises Inc., which is preparing for a $250 million overhaul of
Graceland and the surrounding area, has bought another apartment community near Elvis Presley's former mansion in Whitehaven. EPE bought the Craft Manor apartments at 1032 Craft from Michael E. Reed for $1.575 million, but the company is remaining tight-lipped about future development.
Over the years several stories come to
mind about the Wall that have been recounted to me by fans and Elvis'
cousin the late Harold Loyd. Harold was on duty the night Jerry
Lee Lewis came to Graceland
and was demanding to see Elvis while waving
a gun.
It was feared that he would scale the Graceland Wall and attempt
to force himself into Graceland. Harold had phoned Elvis from the
gatehouse and told him that Jerry Lee was waving a gun and screaming
that he wanted to see him. Apparently when Elvis got anxious over
anything he would talk real fast. I can never remember exactly what
Elvis said but Harold had mimicked him speaking faster and faster as
Elvis got more and more agitated. The words "son of a bitch"
were repeated several times" and to stop Jerry Lee at any cost.
Then there was the over-amorous, large,
Elvis lady fan who did jump over the Graceland Wall and ran up across
the lawns divesting herself of her clothing as she got closer and
closer to the house. Harold had phoned to say a large woman had climbed
over the wall and was heading for the house but by the time he got
through to Vernon she was almost at the window. She pressed her very
large, naked bosom against the window while screaming out her enduring
love for Elvis and what she wanted to do with him when she found him.
You know I can't remember how the story ended but I think they managed
to cover her up and escort out of the property.
The meanest story about the Graceland
Wall was after Elvis died. Even though there were beautiful comments
written on the wall Priscilla Presley decided to whitewash the wall and
destroy forever the original graffiti. There was some quite profound poetry
and many heartfelt thoughts of fans, just after Elvis died. For
Priscilla to have destroyed those words was evil, a destruction of
history and signifies to me how little she cared for Elvis and his
fans.
Who
Own Graceland Now? |
Top
Brass at Graceland |
Memphis
Mafia |
Joe
Esposito
Larry
Gellar | Red
West
|
Lamar
Like | Jerry
Schilling | Sonny
West
