Visit Tupelo
We are Elvis' hometown, Tupelo, a vibrant southern city with a rich history and a bright future! #MyTupelo
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Visitor Center
Start at the Tupelo Visitors Center
399 E Main Street
Stop in the Tupelo Visitors Center for information about local events and attractions to experience during your visit. The Tupelo Visitors Center is at the former site of the Shakerag neighborhood, an historically black community that influenced Elvis Presley during his youth by introducing him to gospel and blues that would shape his musical style.
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Ride from Tupelo Visitors Center to former site of Tupelo Fairgrounds and Elvis Homecoming Statue
0.2 miles (about 3 minutes)
1. Exit the Tupelo Visitors Center from the parking area, crossing Main Street onto Monaghan Street heading south.
2. Take the roundabout and turn right onto Troy Street.
3. Cross Fairpark Drive, the Previous site of Tupelo Fairgrounds will be on your left. The Elvis Homecoming Statue will be on your right.
Former site of Tupelo Fairgrounds
71 E Troy Street
The former site of Tupelo Fairgrounds is one of 12 significant sites in Elvis' formative years in Tupelo. In 1956, 2 years into his career and just before his film debut, Elvis returned to the Tupelo Fairgrounds for a concert. He was greeted with a homecoming parade and given the key to the city by the Governor of Mississippi.
Ride from the former site of Tupelo Fairgrounds and Elvis Homecoming Statue to Tupelo Hardware
0.2 mile (about 1 minute)
1. Continue heading west soon Troy Street.
2. Where Troy Street ends, enter the bike/ped path to cross the railroad tracks.
3. Turn right onto Front Street heading north.
4. Cross Main Street, Tupelo Hardware will be on your left.
Tupelo Hardware Co.
114 W Main Street
Tupelo Hardware Co. is one of 12 significant sites in Elvis' formative years in Tupelo. It was at the Tupelo Hardware Co. in 1946 that Elvis got his first guitar during an outing with his mother, Gladys. She planned to buy Elvis a bicycle but he wanted a rifle, so they compromised on a guitar.
Ride from Tupelo Hardware Co. to the Lee County Courthouse and Lyric Theatre
0.1 miles (about 1 minute)
1. Continue north on Front Street.
2. Turn left onto Court Street heading west.
3. Cross Spring Street, the Lee County Courthouse will be on your right.
Lee County Courthouse
201 W Jefferson Street
The Lee County Courthouse is one of 12 significant sites in Elvis' formative years in Tupelo. In 1946 weekly musical jamborees were broadcast from the courthouse on WELO. Mississippi Slim, a country singer and host of the WELO jamborees, arranged for Elvis to perform on the air. The courthouse building is also a beautiful historical building in its own right. It was built in 1905 in the Classical Revival style. The building was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1992.
Ride from the Lee County Courthouse and Lyric Theatre to the Lee County Library
0.5 miles (about 3 minutes)
1. Go east on Court Street.
2. Turn left onto Spring Street heading north.
3. Turn left onto Jefferson Street heading west.
4. Cross Madison Street, the Lee County Library will be on your left.
Lee County Library
219 N Madison Street
The Lee County Library is one of 12 significant sites in Elvis' formative years in Tupelo. In 1948 at the age of 13, Elvis visited the library with his mother and got his first library card. Through the books at the Lee County Library Elvis' world was opened to new places and learning new things.
Ride from the Lee County Library to Milam Junior High School
0.2 miles (about 2 minutes)
1. Continue west on Jefferson Street.
2. Turn right onto Robins Street, Milam Junior High School will be on your left.
Milam Junior High
720 W Jefferson Street
Milam Junior High is one of 12 significant sites in Elvis' formative years in Tupelo. Elvis attended Milam Junior High for 7th and part of the 8th grade. During his time at Milam he would often entertain classmates with musical performances. When he and his family moved to Memphis he gave a farewell performance, singing Ole Shep for his classmates.
Ride from Milam Junior High School to the former site of Mayhorn Grocery
0.9 miles (about 6 minutes)
1. Continue heading north on Robins Street.
2. Turn right onto Jackson Street heading east.
3. Turn left onto Green Street heading north, Previous site of Mayhorn Grocery will be on your right.
Former site of Mayhorn Grocery
N. Spring Street and N. Green Street
The former site of Mayhorn Grocery is one of 12 significant sites in Elvis' formative years in Tupelo. In 1947 Elvis lived on Green Street near Mayhorn Grocery. The grocery was a social hub where people would gather and play music on the front porch. Young Elvis Presley would walk to the store from his home and listen to the blues on the porch, and to black gospel music from the church across the street.
Ride from the former site of Mayhorn Grocery to Johnnie's Drive-In and Lawhon Elementary School
2.4 miles (about 14 minutes)
1. Head south on Green Street.
2. Turn left onto Main Street heading east.
3. Take care when crossing the intersections at Martin Luther King Jr. Drive.
4. Cross Veterans Blvd., Johnnie's Drive-In is on the right.
5. Turn right onto Lake Street, Lawhon Elementary School is on the right.
Johnnie's Drive-In
908 E Main Street
Johnnie's Drive-In is one of 12 significant sites in Elvis' formative years in Tupelo. Elvis and his friends enjoyed dining at the drive-in. When you visit Johnnie's Drive-In today you can still enjoy the food that Elvis liked to eat, and even sit at the same booth that Elvis sat in!
Ride from Johnnie's Drive-In and Lawhon Elementary School to the former site of Assembly of God Church
0.2 miles (about 2 minutes)
1. From Lake Street, use the left hand turn lane to merge onto Main Street and turn left onto Elvis Presley Drive.
2. Turn left onto Kelly Street heading west.
3. Turn right onto Adam Street, Former site of Assembly of God Church is on the right.
Lawhon Elementary School
140 Lake Street
Lawhon Elementary School is one of 12 significant sites in Elvis' formative years in Tupelo. Elvis first attended elementary school at Lawhon.
Ride from Johnnie's Drive-In and Lawhon Elementary School to the former site of Assembly of God Church
0.2 miles (about 2 minutes)
1. From Lake Street, use the left hand turn lane to merge onto Main Street and turn left onto Elvis Presley Drive.
2. Turn left onto Kelly Street heading west.
3. Turn right onto Adam Street, Former site of Assembly of God Church is on the right.
Former site of Assembly of God Church
102 Adams Street
The former site of Assembly of God Church is one of 12 significant sites in Elvis' formative years in Tupelo. Elvis and his family attended the church in 1947. At that time, the church was known as Assembly of God. The pastor at that time, Reverend Frank Smith, was an influential figure in Elvis' life and even helped him learn guitar.
Ride from the former site of Assembly of God Church to Elvis Presley Birthplace & Museum
0.2 miles (about 2 minutes)
1. Continue north on Adam Street.
2. Turn right onto Berry Street heading east.
3. Turn left onto Elvis Presley Drive heading north, Elvis Presley Birthplace & Museum is on your right.
Elvis Presley Birthplace & Museum
306 Elvis Presley Drive
The most significant landmark of Tupelo's modern history is a modest, two-room house where the King of Rock & Roll was born on January 8, 1935. From this humble beginning, Elvis Presley began his swift rise to become the world's most popular entertainer. The house, built by his father with $180, draws over 50,000 visitors each year from across the world and is part of the 15-acre Elvis Presley Park. The home is a Mississippi landmark and the centerpiece of the park which includes, among many other exhibits, the popular photo-op "Elvis at 13" statue and Elvis' childhood church.
Ride from the Elvis Presley Birthplace & Museum to Mud Creek Swimming Hole
0.3 miles (about 3 minutes)
1. Continue north on Elvis Presley Drive.
2. Turn left onto Reese Street heading west.
3. At the intersection of Reese Street and Veterans Memorial Blvd., cross Veterans Memorial Blvd. into the Eastwood Softball Complex.
4. Turn left to go to the southern end of the Eastwood Softball Complex and access the shared use path trailhead.
5. Follow the shared use path to the Mud Creek Swimming Hole lookout.
Mud Creek Swimming Hole
90 N Veterans Memorial Blvd.
The Mud Creek Swimming Hole is one of 12 significant sites in Elvis' formative years in Tupelo. Elvis and his friends would sneak to the swimming hole so their mothers wouldn't know they were swimming unsupervised.
Ride from Mud Creek Swimming Hole back to Tupelo Visitors Center
1.2 miles (about 7 minutes)
1. Follow the path back to the parking lot to exit the Eastwood Softball Complex.
2. Turn left onto Veterans Memorial Blvd. heading south.
3. Turn right onto Main Street heading west.
4. Take care when crossing the intersections at Martin Luther King Jr. Drive.
5. Cross Franklin Street, the Tupelo Visitors Center is on your right.
Elvis Homecoming Statue
Fairpark District (Historic Downtown Tupelo)
The Elvis Homecoming Statue is a larger-than-life bronze statue inspired by Elvis' 1956 Homecoming Concert at the Tupelo Fairgrounds. The statue is based on a famous photograph of Elvis called "the Hands" taken by Roger Marshutz and stands at the former site of the fairgrounds where Elvis faces east toward his birthplace.
Ride from the former site of Tupelo Fairgrounds and Elvis Homecoming Statue to Tupelo Hardware
0.2 mile (about 1 minute)
1. Continue heading west soon Troy Street.
2. Where Troy Street ends, enter the bike/ped path to cross the railroad tracks.
3. Turn right onto Front Street heading north.
4. Cross Main Street, Tupelo Hardware will be on your left.
Lyric Theatre
201 North Broadway
Elvis enjoyed going to the movies, especially "westerns", at the Lyric Theatre. Friends recall how Elvis would climb over the divider in the balcony to sit among his African-American friends. The sweetest of the legends associated with this theatre and Elvis is the rumor that he stole his first kiss in the balcony.
Ride from the Lee County Courthouse and Lyric Theatre to the Lee County Library
0.5 miles (about 3 minutes)
1. Go east on Court Street.
2. Turn left onto Spring Street heading north.
3. Turn left onto Jefferson Street heading west.
4. Cross Madison Street, the Lee County Library will be on your left.