Elvis Presley Birth House-Tupelo,Ms.
Vernon Presley (Elvis' Father)
built this "shotgun-shack", originally 25 ft. wide and 30 ft. long.
After Elvis became a star and the house became a tourist attraction,
the local residents took great care to "fix" it up. They painted the
outside, wallpapered the walls, and hung curtains in the windows-comforts
Vernon and Gladys could never afford.
The house was also furnished with a high chair, a sewing machine, and
some electrical appliances, though the Presleys DID NOT have electricity
while living there. A swing was added to the porch and the yard was landscaped.
All this was done to conceal the poverty in which Elvis grew up.
Their poverty was upgraded to "humble beginnings" for the sake
of the tourist and the "official" Elvis Presley life story as it
later appeared in the newspapers and fan magizines.
