From healthcare to education, tourism to economic development, Tupelo is a diverse and progressive city that is moving confidently and energetically into the 21st Century. "I have always taken great pride in saying that I am from Tupelo, Mississippi. The folks in the town that raised me have done just about everything right and have justly earned the label of 'model city.' Tupelo is an exciting place to be for the 21st century," says Guy Hovis, Tupelo native and former star of Lawrence Welk Show.

Tupelo is recognized around the world as the birthplace of Elvis Presley. The small, shotgun house where Elvis was born, and the adjacent Elvis Presley Museum and memorial chapel, draw nearly 100,000 visitors each year. They are centerpieces of Tupelo's $46 million tourism and hospitality industry.

A major part of this growing industry is the scenic and historic Natchez Trace Parkway. Tupelo is the headquarters of this elongated national park that stretches from Natchez, Mississippi to Nashville, Tennessee. Here, visitors discover the natural beauty of Northeast Mississippi and the history of the Chickasaw Indians and the region's early travelers.