Riley Keough Is Suing to Keep Graceland in the Presley Family

Elvis Presley’s famed Graceland Estate won’t be for sale just yet. Actor Riley Keough, one of the late singer’s granddaughters, has been fighting to keep the Memphis, Tennessee, landmark off the market and in the family. So far, her efforts have been successful.

The attempt to sell Graceland comes from Naussany Investments & Private Lending LLC, which claims Keough’s late mother, Lisa Marie Presley, failed to pay back a 2018 loan with Graceland posted as collateral. The company had scheduled a foreclosure auction of the property on Thursday, alleging the Promenade Trust, which includes the Graceland museum, owes $3.8 million.

But on Wednesday a Tennessee judge issued a temporary injunction to stop the sale after 34-year-old Keough, who is Promenade’s sole trustee, sued the company. The Daisy Jones & the Six star claims Naussany to be “a false entity created for the purpose of defrauding the Promenade Trust, the heirs of Lisa Marie Presley, or any purchaser of Graceland at a non-judicial sale.” Keough also claims the “purported note and deed of trust are products of fraud” and the result of forgery, according to People.

Keough officially inherited Graceland from Lisa Marie, Elvis’ only daughter, in October 2023 following an extended court battle with her grandmother Priscilla Presley. The latter challenged an amendment to Lisa Marie’s will, which named Keough and her late brother, Benjamin, as beneficiaries.

The legal drama marks the latest chapter in the extensive history of Graceland, which Elvis purchased in March 1957 at age 22 as a grand private residence. The property now serves as a museum dedicated to his musical legacy, as well as a burial place for the King of Rock ’n’ Roll and members of his immediate family. Here are some other things you might not know about Graceland and its illustrious history.

Elvis bought the property for a bargain price

According to the official Graceland website, Presley purchased the property for $102,500 (equivalent to more than $1.1 million today). His parents, Vernon and Gladys Presley, placed a $1,000 down payment on the mansion and lived there for more than a month before Elvis moved in on June 26, 1957. He was busy filming the movie Jailhouse Rock released that same year.

Prior owners gave Graceland its name

Prior to the Presleys’ arrival, Graceland was part of a 500-acre farm owned by the S.C. Toof family. Its name was inspired by a Toof family relative named Grace.

Grace’s niece, Ruth Brown Moore, and her husband, Dr. Thomas Moore, built the mansion in 1939. The couple’s daughter, Ruth Marie, was a harpist for the Memphis Symphony Orchestra, and musical recitals were often held in the front rooms. They foreshadowed the jam sessions of Presley and his music industry friends.

Elvis added to the property over the years

Graceland was 10,266 square feet at the time of Presley’s purchase. But thanks to a number of home improvements, that number rose to more than 17,000 square feet.

The mansion’s famous gates adorned with musical notes were added in 1957. Elvis also had a kidney-shaped swimming pool installed later that year.

In 1965, Presley constructed an enclosed den connected to his kitchen that became known as the Jungle Room. He ate breakfast and often entertained friends in the room, adorned with plants, Tiki furniture, and even an artificial waterfall.

Presley kept the Graceland pantry well-stocked

Besides Presley’s love for fried peanut-butter-and-banana sandwiches, he insisted that there be cans of sauerkraut, fresh banana pudding, and chewing gum available in the Graceland kitchen at all times. The singer also had a buzzer installed underneath his seat at the table in case he wanted anything else.

Bruce Springsteen trespassed and was caught

Graceland celebrated 20 million visitors in 2016, but at least two of them aren’t part of the official tally. Before he became a global rock icon, a young Bruce Springsteen and his E Street Band guitarist Steven Van Zandt hopped the fence of the property in April 1976, hoping to meet Elvis. Unfortunately, the King was in Lake Tahoe, and the pair were greeted by security guards instead.

Elvis and five family members are buried at Graceland

Two days after his death on August 16, 1977, Elvis was buried next to his mother at the Forest Hill Cemetery in Memphis. But according to People, his remains were moved to Graceland after thieves attempted to steal his coffin.

Presley’s grave is now located in the outdoor Meditation Garden, between those of his father and paternal grandmother, Minnie Mae Presley. Gladys, Lisa Marie, and Elvis’ grandson Benjamin Keough are also laid to rest at the property. Elvis’ ex-wife, Priscilla, is also expected to receive a grave site as part of her trust settlement with Riley Keough.

Parts of the mansion are off limits

A portion of Graceland’s upstairs area is forbidden to the public. It was a private place where Presley found solace from the outside world, and the family sealed it off from visitors to avoid bringing any unnecessary attention to Elvis’ death. However, actor Nicolas Cage, a self-identified Elvis superfan, was allowed entry to the area during his marriage to Lisa Marie, according to People.

Graceland is a National Historic Landmark

Former U.S. Secretary of the Interior Gale Norton designated Graceland a National Historic Landmark in March 2006. “American culture and music changed irreversibly because of Elvis,” Norton said at the time. “It would be difficult to tell the story of the 20^th century without discussing the many contributions made by this legendary, iconic artist.”

Graceland is one of 2,600 such landmarks in the United States. It remains one of the most visited homes in America and welcomes more than 600,000 guests each year.

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