1976: Oak Alley Plantation
Vacherie, Louisiana
When it was originally established in the 1830s, nobody could have imagined that Bon Sejour Plantation on the banks of the Mississippi River would be visited by millions of people. But Josephine Stewart, who bought the property with her husband in 1925 and renamed it Oak Alley Plantation, had a vision for exposing the historic home to visitors.
“She charged a dollar for guests to come through and tour,” said Hillary Loeber, director of sales at Oak Alley Plantation. “Riverboats would dock outside, and passengers would come in for tours.”
Stewart established the Oak Alley Foundation, to which she left the property when she died in 1972. In 1976, the foundation opened the home to the public.
“We’re now the most-visited plantation in Louisiana,” Loeber said. “During the holidays, we can see more than 1,200 people in a day. In October, Oak Alley welcomed her 5 millionth visitor.”
Visitors come to explore the historic home and outbuildings on the property, accompanied by historic interpreters dressed in period clothing. While there, they can learn about the complex history of the place in the “Slavery at Oak Alley” exhibit, and visit a Civil War encampment.
And nobody leaves without taking a snapshot of the Alley of Oaks, the 800-foot path to the mansion that is canopied by two rows of live oak trees planted in the 18th century.
“Alley of Oaks is what we’re known for and what people remember us for,” Loeber said. “It’s been used a million different times by a million different people. It has become an iconic image of scenic byways and the antebellum South.”
1982: Graceland
Memphis, Tennessee
In 1977, when Elvis Presley died, “tourism was not an industry in Memphis,” according to Kevin Kern, director of public relations for Elvis Presley Enterprises. So when the Presley family decided to open Elvis’ Graceland estate to the public in 1982, they had no idea how important it would become for the city.
“They really weren’t envisioning more than two or three years of business,” Kern said. “They thought that the fans that wanted to come would come within the first few years. But as we know, the fans have not stopped coming: Over 19 million visitors have walked through the door.”
That tourist traffic has helped to elevate Memphis as a whole. Long known for its local blues music, the city has embraced a soulful identity and found numerous ways to help visitors do the same.
“Since 1982, tourism has taken off in Memphis,” Kern said. “Our rich musical heritage already existed, but now it’s on grand display in our vibrant Beale Street. The Stax Museum, Sun Studios and the National Civil Rights Museum have all opened since then, and all these things complement one another.”
Graceland has continued to grow as well, adding a full-scale museum and other attractions to the property. Last summer, the staff debuted a new interactive iPad tour that allows visitors to experience photos, videos, music and other intimate details of Graceland as they walk from room to room.
A new on-site hotel is also in the works.
“We’re building the Guest House at Graceland, a 450-room resort-quality hotel,” Kern said. “It’s going to be the largest hotel project in Memphis since the construction of the Peabody.”
