It was in this humble, two-room house, lit by a single light bulb in each room, that Elvis Aaron Presley was born in Tupelo, Mississippi on January 8^th, 1935 to Vernon and Gladys Presley. Elvis was one of identical twin brothers born to the Presleys but sadly, his brother, Jessie Garon Presley, was stillborn. The property stands on its original location and has been fully restored.

Financially, times were hard for the Presleys, and they moved out of the house when Elvis was two-and-a-half years old. Vernon and Gladys worked at various jobs while in Tupelo and moved a few more times during their 13 years living in Mississippi.

For his 11th birthday, Elvis asks his parents for a rifle. Being a good Mum, Gladys took him to the local hardware store and persuaded him that a guitar would be a much better present. His pastor taught him how to play, and from then on Elvis was rarely seen without his guitar in hand.

This is the actual building where the Presley family attended church services which was re-located to the Elvis Presley birthplace park in Tupelo. It was here that Elvis was first exposed to the rich, Southern gospel that became a staple of his musical repertoire. The plain, humble, wood-framed structure greatly contrasts with the lively and intense nature of the sermons and music that he was exposed to. Elvis never realized his dream of joining a gospel quartet, but he recorded many of the songs of his youth, the emotional and uplifting music of the church!