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 Historic Elmwood Cemetery, established in 1852, is one of my favorite cemeteries. I had the delightful opportunity to spend a few hours in the beautiful Memphis, Tennessee cemetery on January 30, 2005, while in town for a conference for monument builders.
A spectacular place, full of history, Elmwood Cemetery should be a stopping point for all visitors to Memphis, Tennessee as it is self described as “a unique historical and cultural museum in an outdoor setting.” The cemetery holds the remains of many individuals “involved in national, regional or local history.” Notably, the Elmwood properties have been entered on the National Register of Historic Places.
The Historic Elmwood Cemetery Journal states “Seventy thousand people are buried at Elmwood, and this includes state senators and governors, Civil War veterans and veterans of every major American war, suffragists, holy men and women, jazz singers and Yellow Fever victims and martyrs, to name only a few.”
The attached photograph shows the John Overton, Jr. Memorial (b. Apr. 27, 1842, d. Feb. 10, 1903) as a representative sample of the numerous heirloom memorials at the cemetery. This is just one of a great many impressive works of art that a tourist will see when visiting Elmwood. The cemetery is breathtakingly beautiful, with rolling hills as an art exhibit, outdoor museum, and simultaneously serene environment. Elmwood’s grounds hold the hallowed remains of some of the most outstanding men and women who ever lived in the United States.
The Historic Elmwood Cemetery’s website may be found at www.elmwoodcemetery.org. The website states:
“As you visit the grounds, you will notice the many magnificent monuments we have here. During the Victorian Era, the popular view of death became romanticized- death was now represented by angels, various flowers, life-sized figures, and by many other symbols. The epitaphs are truly a story in and of themselves.”
“As compelling as the monuments are, even more intriguing are the stories of the people buried at Elmwood. Among the 70,000 people buried here are 18 Confederate generals, 2 Union generals, Veterans from all US wars including the Revolutionary War, Senators, Mayors, and Governors. There are several madames (yes, we mean that kind), internationally known doctors, attorneys, immigrants, spies (the Father of the OSS is here), suffragists, river folks, common laws and outlaws.”
For the latest information, check out the website at http://www.elmwoodcemetery.org/main/whatsnew.htm, or call 901.774.3212. Guided tours are available by appointment.
I spent several hours photographing the monuments during a busy weekend conference. The 80 acres of stately trees and museum-quality statuary are a marvelous spectacle. I have posted many of these photographs in the Cemetery section of my website at www.ValdostaMemorials.com. If you like art, museums, cemeteries, or serene environments, you will love this cemetery!
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