Celebrate Elvis with Hawaii-themed birthday bash at Ben’s Tune-Up Jan. 8 – Asheville Citizen

It’s a good day when six to eight people pull up the gravel driveway to the Elvis Museum.

The tiny treasury, a transformed rental cabin, is nestled among one-story homes and a campground on U.S. 19 in Cherokee.

Dee Smith’s museum houses hundreds of Elvis Presley collectibles, from playing cards to pendants. No money exchanges hands; Smith will offer guests a free handmade Elvis magnet or quote bookmark, and ask for, in return, for people to sign her guest book.

This personal collection is, at most, artifacts of affection. Elvis didn’t touch anything sitting on the shelves or hanging on the walls. Instead, the objects, from fan art to well-worn, thick scrapbooks of clippings reporting his military service and love affairs, are evidence of how deeply the King of Rock ‘n’ Roll touched his dedicated fans.

It is almost literally in the shadow of Harrah’s Cherokee Casino Resort, which since 1997 has towered over nearby diners and gift shops with its more than a thousand rooms. The Elvis Museum is modest; there’s one room and is smaller than a typical mobile home.

“When people come, I ask them where they are from, where they are going,” said Smith, 77, who’s collected Elvis

Article source: http://blogs2.citizen-times.com/carol/2014/01/06/celebrate-elvis-with-hawaii-themed-birthday-bash-at-bens-tune-up-jan-8/ If you need a cheap air ticket, hotel or rental car please visit http://www.airticket.com