33 Years ago today Elvis died.  I was one year old. 

From 1995 to late 2001, I lived and worked in Memphis.  Like anyone who has ever lived there, you end up with an Elvis story.

My claim to fame would be working in the Bookstar that now inhabits the old Poplar Plaza Theater.  Rumor was that Elvis used to hold private parties there, upstairs in the Crying Room, when his movies premiered. I’ve never read anything that solidifies this as fact, but it’s still a fun story to share with people if the subject comes up.

But a story that I know is true, and that I share with many others, is about Elvis’s favorite roller coaster, the Zippin Pippin.  It was the 2nd oldest wooden roller coaster in the country, and it called Libertyland home, a very small amusement park settled on the MidSouth fairgrounds. It’s a well known fact that Elvis often rented out the entire park for his friends and family after hours, and he liked to ride the Zippin Pippin over and over again.

When I was a child, we often vacationed to Memphis in September for a day at the fair and Libertyland, which always included several rides in the front seat of the famous coaster, right where Elvis liked to sit.  Sadly, the park closed in 2005 and the poor Zippin Pippin was almost claimed by the earth as trees grew up around it and part of it even collapsed from neglect. Final pics of the coaster can be seen here. Along with sad pics of the abandoned park here. But this story actually has a happy ending…

Zippin Pippin was actually purchased by a buyer who moved it to Green Bay where it is being rebuilt as an Elvis tourist attraction. News of its progress can be found here.

Like the Elvis memories and stories,  Libertyland and the infamous wooden coaster live on in our hearts and souls as well.