Introduction:
In the heart of Memphis, Tennessee, stands a quiet yet remarkable piece of music history — Elvis Presley’s very first purchased home, famously known as the Ottabon House. Located at 1034 Ottabon Drive, this residence was more than just a house; it was the setting for a pivotal chapter in Elvis’s extraordinary rise to fame. Purchased in 1956 with royalties from his groundbreaking hit Heartbreak Hotel, the home marked the moment when the young singer’s dreams began transforming into reality.
The property, now owned by music executive Mike Curb, has retained much of its charm, even after enduring a fire that required restoration. While the original wood interiors were lost to damage and replaced with sheetrock, the house still exudes the atmosphere of a place where history was made. Inside, visitors can find photographs showing Elvis, his parents Vernon and Gladys, and other friends and family in the very rooms where they once lived, making it possible to walk through and see the past come alive.
At the time of its purchase, the four-bedroom home was considered luxurious. In the mid-1950s, this neighborhood represented an upscale area that Elvis and his family would never have experienced without his meteoric success. Elvis arrived at Ottabon Drive on July 4, 1956, fresh from a train ride back from New York. That very day, the swimming pool was being filled — a luxury few in Memphis enjoyed at the time. Photographs from that afternoon even suggest that inside these walls, Elvis may have received the phone call confirming his appearance on The Ed Sullivan Show, a performance that would cement his place in popular culture.
This period at Ottabon was one of explosive career growth for Elvis. In 1956 alone, he not only dominated the charts with multiple hits but also generated an astounding $26 million in merchandise sales. Iconic images, such as the gold lamé suit photograph later used for the 50,000,000 Elvis Fans Can’t Be Wrong album cover, were reportedly taken here by the fireplace. Stories abound of fans surrounding the property, some peeking through windows in hopes of catching a glimpse of the star.
Beyond the fame, Ottabon was also a place of community and personal connections. Local figures such as Fred Smith, the future founder of FedEx, swam in Elvis’s pool as a child. The family even attended high-society dinner parties in the neighborhood — invitations they would never have received before Elvis’s success.
Although Elvis lived here for only about sixteen months before trading up to the now-legendary Graceland, many who knew him regard the Ottabon House as his “true love” home. It was here that Elvis first enjoyed the fruits of his labor with his family by his side, before the demands of superstardom fully took hold.
Today, thanks to the dedication of preservationists and owners who value its history, the Ottabon House remains a treasured landmark — a reminder of where the boy from Tupelo began transforming into the King of Rock ’n’ Roll.