412 South Cherry Street
Richmond, Virginia
March 2017
This stunning sculpture was done by Edward Valentine. His work and sculpture maquettes are enshrined in the Valentine House in Richmond, VA
Hollywood Cemetery is the resting place of two United States Presidents, James Monroe and John Tyler, as well as the only Confederate States President, Jefferson Davis. It is also the resting place of 28 Confederate generals, more than any other cemetery in the country.
This stone for a woman from South Wales is an excellent reminder of how our country was settled by immigrants from all over the world.
In the late 1840s, William Haxall and Joshua Fry hired John Notman (architect of Laurel Hill Cemetery in Philadelphia) to design the cemetery in the rural garden style. Its name, “Hollywood,” came from the holly trees dotting the hills of the property.
There are two areas that stand out in this massive cemetery the first one you come upon is The Pyramid. Built in 1869, it is 90 feet high, and its size must be seen to be believed. This giant pyramid was built as a memorial to the more than 18,000 enlisted men of the Confederate Army buried in the cemetery.
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The second most notable area in the cemetery is Presidents Hill. The Hill is covered with flowering plum trees and sits on a knoll overlooking the James River.
James Monroe’s grave sits at the center of Presidents Hill. Governor of Virginia and the Fifth President of the United States, he is best known for the Monroe Doctrine, which prevented European intervention in the Americas. His wife and daughters are buried along the sides of the tomb.
John Tyler was governor of Virginia and the 10th President of the United States. He was also the first President to succeed to the office following the death of a predecessor (William Harrison). Arguably the most significant achievement of Tyler’s administration was the annexation of the Republic of Texas in 1845.
The James River
The cemetery consists of 130 acres, and can take hours and hours to explore, here are a few shots of some of the more interesting graves.
Said to be a favorite of visitors, there is really no indication of who the dog belongs to or if it is the dogs grave.
This dog, however, is obviously pining for its old master.
I cannot imagine going through life with this tongue twister of a name.
Ellen Anderson Gholson Glasgow (April 22, 1873 – November 21, 1945) was an American novelist who portrayed the changing world of the contemporary South. She won the Pulitzer Prize for her 1942 book In This Our Life.
This grave, near Ellen Glasgow’s had a fascinating design
Jefferson Finis Davis is most noted for serving as the President of the Confederate States of America. His daughters are buried in the tombs with the angels.
I was unable to find the oldest grave in the cemetery, but I did find a pretty old one. The first burial was an infant in 1849.
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The cemetery opens at 8 a.m. and closes at 6 in the summer and 5 in the winter.