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Hollywood Cemetery

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Carter
Carter
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4 out of 5
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Editor Pick

Hollywood Cemetery

  • September 18, 2006
  • Rated 5 of 5 by zabelle from Portland, Connecticut
Hollywood Cemetery

No visit to Richmond would be complete without a stop at the Hollywood Cemetery. For a person who has a great sense of direction and even better instincts I had a heck of a time finding the entrance to this cemetery. There are almost no signs and there are several cemeteries, don’t say I didn’t warn you

Once you find the entrance you will want to stop at the cemetery office and purchase a map. This is a big cemetery and without the map you could spend the whole day driving around. Not that this would necessarily be a bad thing but since we were on somewhat of a time schedule, we did my usual thing. Okay go past the office and take your first right onto Confederate Ave.

The first grave we located was that of Major General George E. Pickett. He was a graduate of West Point in the same class as Thomas Jackson and George McClellan. He had the distinction of finishing in 59th place in a class of 59. He fought on the side of the Confederacy and was a major player in the battle of Gettysburg giving his name to "Pickett’s Charge". The monument that stands over his grave was intended for Gettysburg National Military Park but when it was not allowed to be placed there, Hollywood Cemetery became it’s home.

Our next stop was the grave of JEB Stuart. I have always been fascinated by this son of the South. He was a graduate of West Point and also chose to fight for the Confederacy. There is something jaunty about him and his plumed hat that has always seemed special. He was a close friend of Stonewall Jackson and took over for him when he was mortally wounded. He was killed himself outside of Richmond in 1864 and buried here. You can see some of his finery at the Museum of the Confederacy.

Three Presidents call Hollywood Cemetery their final resting place. Two of them James Monroe and John Tyler are Presidents of the United States. Jefferson Davis was the only President of the Confederacy. In keeping with their separation in life they are quite far apart in death as well. I was especially interested in seeing the Monroe’s monuments. James and his wife Elizabeth are both here and John Tyler is close by. The Monroe graves are covered by a cast iron monument. Nicknamed "The Birdcage" it is beautiful and certainly unique.

Jefferson Davis gets the primo spot here and it isn’t hard to find because there is a large statue of the man right near his grave.

Several other things to look for are the cast iron dog, the Confederate pyramid, in honor of the over 18,000 Confederate dead buried here and the Ginter tomb. There is also a very nice view of Greater Richmond and the James River. By the way this is an active cemetery and you can buy yourself a place in history.

From journal Historic Richmond-Part 2 The Confederacy

Editor Pick

Tour of Hollywood Cemetery

  • February 12, 2004
  • Rated 4 of 5 by Shaun66 from Richmond, Virginia
Most people look for dead presidents in their wallet. In Richmond, the term means a trip to historic Hollywood Cemetery. Designed in 1847, this landmark is the resting place for James Monroe, John Tyler and a bevy of other Virginia luminaries.

Hollywood is a park cemetery, complete with rolling hills, trees and a magnificent view of the James River. And though the most intriguing parts of it date to the late 1800s, it's still an active cemetery. If you have the money, the family ties, or both, there could even be a spot for you there.

Perhaps the oddest of its monuments is the 90-foot stone pyramid constructed in 1869 to honor the Confederate dead buried nearby. Trivia bit: The capstone was put in place by a convict who volunteered for the dangerous job. After doing it, he was pardoned for his efforts.

One of the most intriguing parts of Hollywood is a spot I like to call "Dead Man's Row." It looks almost like a little village of family crypts, all lined up facing the James River.

Hollywood Cemetery is just off the Belvidere St. exit of I-195. Follow the signs.

From journal The Five-Dollar Date

Hollywood Cemetery

  • July 29, 2000
  • Rated 3 of 5 by Carter from Richmond, Virginia
Hollywood is filled with incredible monuments to the city's most noted residents. It also has the best view to be found of the James River; (when Hollywood was first established, neighbors declared that the rushing of the falls would, literally, wake the dead).

18,000 Confederate soldiers (11,000 unknown), Confederate President Jefferson Davis, General J.E.B. Stuart, Presidents James Monroe and John Tyler, novelists James Branch Cabel and Ellen Glasgow are just a few of many historical figures buried here.

Also here is V.V. Poole, rumored to be a vampire because of his eccentric behavior. His fang-like initials confirmed the accusation in the minds of those who feared him.

From journal A City of History: Museums and Sites

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