Hollywood Cemetery in Richmond, Virginia

Designed by William H. Pratt and dedicated in 1849, Hollywood Cemetery at 412 S. Cherry Street in Richmond, Virginia, contains a veritable who’s who of Virginia history, including two U.S. presidents, two Supreme Court justices, six governors, and 22 Confederate generals. Its 130 undulating acres are the final resting place for approximately 65,000 people, including up to 18,000 Confederate veterans who fought in the American Civil War. The cemetery was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1969.

This lovely, open air mausoleum contains the body of President James Monroe. Monroe (1758-1831) served in the Revolutionary War and was fifth president of the United States, from 1817 to 1825. He is best known for presiding over the “Era of Good Feelings,” when political partisanship was low. He supported recolonization of freed black slaves back to Africa, resulting in the country of Liberia, which named its capitol Monrovia after him. He was married to Elizabeth Kortright Monroe and the couple had three children.

This 90-foot tall granite stone pyramid stands as a monument to the thousands of Confederate dead buried nearby. The pyramid was designed by engineer Charles Henry Dimmock and erected in 1869 at a cost of over $18,000. A prisoner volunteered to manually climb the pyramid and place the capstone, an effort for which he was granted his freedom.

Weather-worn Victorian statue commemorating Dr. Robert William Haxall (1802-1873) and his wife, Jane Randolph Higginbotham (1815-1901). Dr. Haxall was Jane’s second husband. He was president of the Medical society of Virginia and a founder of the American Medical Association.

Monument to Confederate Maj. Gen. James Ewell Brown “Jeb” Stuart (1833-1864) and his wife, Flora Cooke Stuart (1836-1923). J.E.B. Stuart is one of the most widely-recognized cavalry commanders of the American Civil War. He led a cavalry corps in Robert E. Lee’s Army of Northern Virginia until being mortally wounded at the Battle of Yellow Tavern. He died on May 12, 1864, and his last words were “I am resigned; God’s will be done.”

This stirring granite statue of a cloaked woman mourns over the grave of CPT William Nicholas Worthington (1841-1871). His wife, Alice Brown Haxall (who remarried after his death), is buried nearby. The statue, simply titled “Grief,” was designed by Edward V. Valentine and is said to represent William’s mother.