Elvis at Florida Theatre 1956

[904Scars]

I purchased a reprint of the old Elvis Presley poster for when he came to the Florida Theatre in 1956. I figured I'd do a little more research and a little more photo hunting and ran across these. In the first and second photo, any idea which hotel this is? The caption on the page in which I found the photo simply says "Elvis and the contest winner, Andrea June Stephens, walked into the hotel lobby, August 10, 1956, Jacksonville".













From what I have read thus far it was Elvis Presley's first indoor concert tour. I also found the his first #1 hit "Heartbreak Hotel" was written primarily by a Jacksonvillian techer, Mrs. Mae Boren Axton and a Jacksonvillian musician, Tommy Durden. Mrs. Axton, taught English at Paxon (my high school) and Alfred duPont. There are plenty of articles and photos around the web linking Elvis to Jacksonville and I guess I really never took the time to look. Just thought I'd share.

[ChriswUfGator]

That looks like the lobby of the Roosevelt Hotel. (Now the Carling Apartments). Those iron gates are still there.

[Dapperdan]

What contest did she win if she is going into a hotel with Elvis hand in hand?? lol

[danno]

My mom got grounded for a month for sneaking out to go to that concert when she was 14.

[02roadking]

http://www.elvispresleymusic.com.au/pictures/1956_florida_state_theater_august_10_11.html

[acme54321]

That looks like the lobby of the Roosevelt Hotel. (Now the Carling Apartments). Those iron gates are still there.

That's what I thought too.  I think that floor is still there as well.

[ronchamblin]

I found this photo in a book, showing Jax's own Trinity Baptist Church Pastor Bob Gray, with the below caption:

      "The controversy over Elvis’s sex appeal reached its zenith during the summer of ’56, when Elvis arrived in Jacksonville, Fla., for a series of performances.  When he had appeared there in 1955, the Jacksonville girls had been so impressed they’d risen as one to strip him of his clothes.

     Now, in an effort to protect these females from further enjoyment, the reverend Robert Gray held a prayer meeting at Trinity Baptist Church.  There, he informed his teenage flock that Elvis Presley had “achieved a new low in spiritual degeneracy.  If he were offered his salvation tonight, he would probably say, ‘No Thanks’.”

     The teens were then instructed to bow there and pray for Elvis’s redemption.  When Elvis learned of this, he was deeply insulted.  “I feel the preacher was just looking for publicity”, he said. “I have gone to church since I could walk.”

We've come a long way.  I remember this event, although at the time it did not seem as absurd as it does now.

[MajorCordite]

ELVIS SIGHTING!
I heard several months ago that when Elvis came to Jacksonville in 1956 he borrowed or rented a car and drove over to a music store in Arlington on University Blvd.  He hung around there signing autographs and such.   It would be kind of neat if anyone remembers this and comes up with, ... and now you know the rest of the story. 

I did not know that Mae Axton taught at Paxon.   I was just sent some information last month directly from a guy who was very good friends with here son, Hoyt.  He tells me she taught at Lee High School.   Clarification anyone?   

[Garden guy]

He was so beautiful when he was younger...lol...then pills and booz took over...but oh boy the younger days.....

[bobsim]

http://www.oldarlington.org/research-resources/oai-newsletter/elvis-in-arlington