My next stop was Tupelo, Mississippi, birthplace of…
The King!
After a short drive, I set up camp in Tombigbee State Park and set out to see what I could see. I pulled in to the parking lot at Elvis Presley Birthplace and was greeted by this gorgeous piece of automotive design.
I’ve always been partial to Plymouths.
There wasn’t any information nearby, so I decided to puzzle about it while I token what I could at the site without paying the admission fee. While it wasn’t all that expensive, I just wan’t into the full experience.
I set out on his walk of life.
This plaque was in front of the two-room house his father built.
I’ve always liked houses with porches.
I had to take a look at the back, because that’s just the way I am.
Further along his walk of life, we come to another milestone.
The first day of school is always a milestone.
Nothing’s certain but death and…
1946 is when it all started.
Apparently, a guitar wasn’t his first choice, though.
As I continued along the walk of life, I came across some plaques about his music career.
They also had his childhood church at the birthplace.
They moved it to the birthplace and restored it to its original condition in 2008.
Thankfully, the outhouse was a replica.
I continued along to the chapel.
There were some dramatic stained glass windows.
A series of smaller windows was there, too.
I liked the symbolism that was used.
It reminded me of the windows used to remind the congregation of the Bible stories back in the cathedrals of Europe.
If you’re interested, I’ve included a shot of a chart of the meanings of the individual windows.
I’ve always been fascinated by this method of making a stained glass window. I saw a video about it years and years ago. The artists take thick chunks of glass and stand them up in a bed of sand to make the design.
Then the cement is poured in around the pieces and allowed to set up.
They remind me of one method of making a mosaic.
After the chapel, I went to the Fountain of Life.
It is a rather nice memorial.
From birth until death.
And the circle is complete.
I had one more stop to make. The souvenir store. Oddly enough, you didn’t have to exit through it. While I was inside, I came across some information about the car that was in front of the entrance.
Apparently, this is a car like the car that Elvis’s family used to leave Tupelo in 1948.
What a gorgeous car!
I headed in to town to see what I could see.
It was all happening there, including a wedding!
Ah! There’s the famous hardware store where Elvis’s mother got him his first guitar.
They had these guitars around town.
I asked a passerby to snap a photo of me with one.
Elvis was all over, too.
His eyes…
…they seem to follow you.
Elvis is everywhere!
I strolled over to the courthouse to see what they thought was worthy of honoring.
This piece of sculpture looks like it was probably a fountain at one point. It was erected by the Tupelo Woman’s Christian Temperance Union in commemoration of statewide prohibition beginning January 1, 1906.
Huh. I didn’t know that some states were dry that far back.
Then there is the statue commemorating the Civil War dead.
Those who die for a right principle do not die in vain. Interesting.
Bicentennial Time Capsule…I wonder if they had bicentennial fire hydrants, too?
Incidentally, the United State Semiquincentennial is coming up in 2026.
Get ready! Lay claim to your fire hydrants now!
There was also one of those graceful cascading fountains that are found so often down south.
This memorial commemorates those who “worked, served and participated in the 1950’s, 60’s & 70’s movement to achieve civil & human rights.” It was dedicated in 2009.
One more memorial before I head back to the campground.
Elvis!
