Elvis' childhood church added to Tupelo birthplace
The Associated Press

TUPELO – The church that the king of rock ‘n’ roll attended as a child will become part of the Elvis Presley Birthplace attraction in Tupelo.

Dick Guyton, executive director of the Elvis Presley Memorial Foundation, which owns the birthplace, said Wednesday that the foundation will restore the building to what it looked like in the ’40s and open it to the public in August. It will be placed about 100 feet south of the chapel.

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The First Assembly of God Church building was moved Wednesday to its temporary home behind the memorial chapel.

“Elvis was probably more influenced by his church and black church music than anything else,” Guyton said. “The chapel was his desire for a memorial. This will give a total concept to the visitor of Elvis’ music — where it started and how it ended.”

Six years ago, the foundation added the statue of Elvis at 13 to the grounds of the birthplace. This past week, a Blues Trail marker was unveiled. The foundation plans to build a walkway around the two-sided sign soon.

The church project is being funded by ticket sales and gift shop purchases and by a $40,000 donation from the E. Rhodes and Leona B. Carpenter Foundation.

Al Servati, division manager for the Carpenter Co., which has a manufacturing plant in Tupelo, said the Carpenter Foundation decided to get involved because this is “something that will attract people to Tupelo and attract new businesses.”

“It will benefit the entire community and hopefully Carpenter as well,” he said.

For the past 42 years, the church has been Lawrence Stanford’s home. He said he would have people come by his house every year and take pictures of the building.
He’s remodeled it over the years, but the additions were stripped down to reveal the original siding and flooring from Presley’s day.

“I hate to see it go. I got used to living in it,” he said.

Guy Harris, an Elvis childhood friend, said the musician “would be well-pleased with this deal. This is part of him and something he did. Same with Gladys and Vernon (Elvis’ mother and father) because they went here too.”

Presley was born in Tupelo on Jan. 8, 1935. Presley died at his Graceland mansion
in Memphis, Tenn., on Aug. 16, 1977. He is buried in a small garden beside the famous white-columned house.
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