Skip to Main Content

Elvis statue.

Touch the Hand of Elvis

Field review by the editors.

Tupelo, Mississippi

Although Elvis Presley was always too polite to say it, leaving his hometown of Tupelo was the best thing that ever happened to him. After he became rich and famous in Memphis and Nashville, he returned to Tupelo in 1956 to perform at the Mississippi-Alabama Fair and Dairy Show. Elvis was greeted on stage by the governor, and later was photographed reaching out to touch the hands of adorning fans.

In 2012 sculptor Bill Beckwith unveiled a bronze statue of Elvis, posed as he was in the photograph, standing pretty much on exactly the same spot. The statue joins a list of other bronze Elvi in Honolulu, Shreveport, Las Vegas, and Memphis, all of them different. Elvis has more statues that most U.S. Presidents.

The statue was designed to encourage people to touch Elvis's hand, and during our visit we saw tourists instinctively reaching up to do just that. It's like God reaching out to Adam on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel, except that the god of Tupelo cradles a microphone and has a pompadour.

Also see: Birthplace of Elvis Presley

Touch the Hand of Elvis

Address:
E. Main St., Tupelo, MS
Directions:
On the south side of E. Main St., on the big lawn in front of city hall. Take the Main St. exit from MLK Drive/US Hwy 45 and drive west (toward town) a half-mile.
Admission:
Free
RA Rates:
Worth a Detour
Save to My Sights

Nearby Offbeat Places

Where Elvis Got His First GuitarWhere Elvis Got His First Guitar, Tupelo, MS - < 1 mi.
Elvis MuralsElvis Murals, Tupelo, MS - < 1 mi.
Neon: First TVA City SignNeon: First TVA City Sign, Tupelo, MS - < 1 mi.
In the region:
Birthplace of Elvis, Tupelo, MS - 1 mi.

More Quirky Attractions in Mississippi

Stories, reports and tips on tourist attractions and odd sights in Mississippi.

Explore Thousands of Unique Roadside Landmarks!

Strange and amusing destinations in the US and Canada are our specialty. Start here.
Use RoadsideAmerica.com's Attraction Maps to plan your next road trip.

My Sights

My Sights on Roadside America

Save Cool Vacation Destinations! ...Try My Sights

Mobile Apps

Roadside America app: iPhone, iPad Roadside America app for iPhone, iPad. On-route maps, 1,000s of photos, special research targets! ...More

Roadside Presidents app: iPhone, iPad Roadside Presidents app for iPhone, iPad. POTUS landmarks, oddities. ...More

Mississippi Latest Tips and Stories

Latest Visitor Tips

Sight of the Week

Sight of the Week

JFK's World Famous Twine Ball, Highland, Wisconsin (Mar 18-24, 2024)

SotW Archive

USA and Canada Tips and Stories

More Sightings

Favorite Quirky City Sights