Priscilla Presley Remembers Being Told She’d Have To Sell Graceland. Here's How She Turned the Estate Around (Exclusive)

Elvis Presley's beloved Graceland mansion almost wasn't nan humanities landmark it is today.

When Elvis died of a bosom onslaught astatine property 42 successful 1977, Graceland was near successful nan hands of his begetter Vernon. When Vernon died astatine 63 successful 1979, he named Elvis' ex-wife Priscilla Presley arsenic trustee.

At nan time, arsenic Priscilla writes successful her caller memoir Softly arsenic I Leave You: Life After Elvis, retired Sept. 23, Graceland was bleeding money — truthful overmuch truthful that she says only $500,000 was near of her and Elvis' girl Lisa Marie Presley's inheritance.

"After Elvis passed, it went connected for astir 3 years until nan attorneys brought maine successful and said, 'Priscilla, we're going to person to waste Graceland. We person nary money. We're not bringing immoderate money in,' " Priscilla recalls successful this week's PEOPLE screen story. "I conscionable looked astatine them, and I said, 'That'll ne'er happen, ever.' Then, I left."

From that constituent on, Priscilla says she was committed to doing her "homework." Through a communal friend, she was introduced to Morgan Maxfield, a man who had made his luck from building state stations astatine freeway exits.

Maxfield helped Priscilla travel up pinch a scheme to unfastened Graceland to nan public, but earlier he could spot it travel to fruition, he was killed successful a level clang successful 1981.

"That was a shock," Priscilla says. "He was guiding maine each nan measurement connected opening Graceland. Thank God I was capable to fulfill what he had said astir making judge I get nan correct people, nan correct attorneys, nan correct bank. It was a trip, but it was a travel worthwhile."

Graceland officially opened its doors successful 1982, and 43 years later, it receives astir 600,000 visitors annually.

"Now, we're getting each nan younger ones, and they deterioration their small Elvis outfits," Priscilla says. "Oh my God, it's truthful cute."

In her book, Priscilla writes that her determination to statement disconnected nan 2nd level of nan mansion started "rumors" that Elvis is still live and "lives there" — thing she's happy to group nan grounds consecutive connected now.

"There’s been truthful overmuch that’s untruthful retired location — things for illustration Elvis is still live and hidden somewhere,” she says. “I wish he was still alive."

Softly, arsenic I Leave You: Life aft Elvis will beryllium published connected Sept. 23 and is disposable for preorder now, wherever books are sold.