Lauderdale Courts, Memphis

Lauderdale Courts is one of the key places connected with Elvis Presley’s teenage years in Memphis. After moving from Tupelo, Mississippi, in 1948, Elvis and his parents lived in a series of boarding houses and apartments, as money was tight. Their apartment at Lauderdale Courts became their third Memphis home, rented for $35 a month.

For Elvis, Apartment 328 was where he spent part of his high-school years, practiced guitar, listened to records, and began absorbing the sounds of Memphis. To visualize where his early public playing began, walk through the main complex gates into the center of the Courtyard Lawns. On these open green spaces, a young Elvis would occasionally overcome his shyness, gathering under the shade trees to play informal sets with nearby musicians and local youth before walking down to Beale Street or Pop Tunes around the corner.

Next up, leave the lawns and look along the lower exterior walls of the brick residential blocks to find the stairwells leading underground. If you descend into the Basement Laundry Room, you will find the utilitarian concrete space where Elvis retreated to practice his guitar chords, utilizing the echoing, natural acoustics of the room so he wouldn't disturb his parents or neighbors.

Today, Lauderdale Courts has been transformed into Uptown Square, a community of renovated apartments and condos. Architecturally, the building utilizes a shared hallway setup on the lower level. To reach Apartment 328, a visitor simply walks through the main building entry vestibule at 185 Winchester Street and proceeds straight ahead into the ground-floor central hallway. The apartment door is located just a few paces down this main corridor. The interior has been beautifully decorated in mid-century period style and is open for tours and occasional overnight stays, making it a memorable stop for devoted Elvis fans.

Visitors should note that because this is an active residential property, public access to the building's interior is restricted throughout the year. However, Elvis Week—which takes place annually from August 8 to 16—presents the ideal window to plan a trip, as special open-house schedules and guided interior access are coordinated for the anniversary.