Elmwood Cemetery

824 S. Dudley St.
Memphis, TN 38104
901-774-3212

OFFICE HOURS
Monday - Friday 8 am - 4:30 pm | Saturday 8 am - noon

Elmwood Cemetery's grounds are open every day from 8 am till 4:30 pm. There is no admission charge.

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160 Years of Memphis

Elmwood's Rich History

Elmwood is the most historic ground in this part of the world.  The dramatic Entry Bridge, the Carpenter-Gothic Office Cottage– the entire 80-acre cemetery – are all on the National Register of Historic Places, and Elmwood is also an official Bird Sanctuary and Arboretum.  Reserve a place in Memphis history.  Beneath our ancient elms, oaks and magnolias.  In the company of our most honored and revered.  Most famous and infamous.  Most loved and feared.  Among the veterans of every American war, even the Revolutionary War.  Side-by-side with generals, senators, governors, mayors and madams.  Take a tour, and visit the last 160 years in a shady hour or two in Elmwood. Volunteer, and preserve history.  Donate, and make a timeless gift.

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Make Arrangements

For 162 years, Elmwood Cemetery has provided dignified burials in beautiful surroundings at reasonable prices.

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Tours & Events

Tours & Events

The history of Memphis is told through the stories of Elmwood residents. If these graves could talk...

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Donate

Donate

Step back into history and experience eighty acres of stately trees and statuary in the beautiful blend of nature and art that is Elmwood Cemetery.

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At Elmwood

For eight generations, the generosity of our friends has allowed us to meet every winter challenge and greet every spring with new growth and renewed faith.

You keep Elmwood the tranquil, beautiful, therapeutic place that it is. Your generous support makes a huge difference to the operation and maintenance of historic Elmwood Cemetery.

Show your support for Elmwood Cemetery.  The history of the place, and the stories of those who rest here, tell the story of Memphis—our story.

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Upcoming Events

  • True Crimes of Bygone Times: Online!

    16 Aug

    6 PM - 7 PM

    True Crimes. Now, online.

    True crime stories of decades past - that's what we're featuring on this new tour at Elmwood Cemetery. Who was accused of lacing her cookies with arsenic? Who was at the center of a nationwide missing person search for decades beginning in 1899? Who married seven times and was accused of offing at least three of her spouses?

    Join Elmwood Cemetery volunteer Sheena Barnett for this hour-long, ONLINE presentation, based on the tour of the same name. We'll start the presentation at 6 pm. Admission is $10.

     

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  • From the Beyond: Ghosts, Spiritualism, and Cemeteries (Online)

    23 Aug

    6 PM - 7 PM

    All will be revealed.

    Anyone who works at a cemetery (technically, a cemetarian) knows that the number one question posed to them by the public will always be: have you ever seen a ghost? The question is often in jest, but inquiring minds seem to want to hear yes. Why are so many people intrigued by the potential for poltergeists? What’s got us gasping for ghouls?

    After years of avowed silence and cynicism on the subject, we’re ready to talk about it. Elmwood Cemetery Executive Director Kim Bearden, a cemetarian with 24 years of experience, will share the fascinating history of spiritualism in the United States, and how it ties into the abolitionist, temperance, and suffrage movements. She will explore the meaning of spiritualism, or the religious belief that the dead communicate with and advise the living. Ghost photography, séance, and more will be illuminated during this 45-minute presentation, now online. Cost is $20 per person. Space is limited. All proceeds benefit historic Elmwood Cemetery.

     

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  • Yellow Fever History & Elmwood Cemetery: An Indoor Presentation

    10 Sep

    1 PM - 2 PM

    How yellow fever nearly destoyed Memphis forever.

    "Yellow Fever is what is known as a flavivirus, a group of viruses spread by mosquitoes that includes West Nile, dengue and Japanese encephalitis. As a virus, yellow fever is not one of the stronger ones...What the virus lacks in evolutionary prowess, the mosquito makes up for." -From The American Plague by Molly Caldwell Crosby

    Join us for this indoor presentation at Elmwood Cemetery and learn how Memphis was devastated by an opportunistic vector from Africa called Aedes aegypti, a terrible lack of sanitation or good hygiene, and a stagnant bayou that cut through downtown. We'll tell the stories of the heroes who paid dearly for their commitment to helping the sick and dying. They now rest in Elmwood Cemetery.

    We will begin our presentation at 1:00 pm in the Chapel at Elmwood Cemetery. Light snacks and beverages will be available. Cost of admission is $20 per person; all proceeds benefit historic Elmwood Cemetery.

     

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  • Scandals & Scoundrels: A Tour of Elmwood

    16 Sep

    5:30 PM - 7 PM

    Scandals & Scoundrels is back!

    Elmwood Cemetery is the final resting place of governors, senators, teachers, veterans, poets, and holy men and women, all of whom have interesting stories!

    But, some of the deeper history found at Elmwood comes with a questionable ending. These are the stories gone wrong. Way wrong.

    Join us for a tour of the infamous residents of Elmwood Cemetery on either September 16th or October 21st. Both tours begin at 5:30 pm and will sell out, so snag your registration fast. The cost is $20 per person and space is very limited. This is a walking tour, and we recommend good walking shoes.

    See you soon for this popular tour of historic Elmwood Cemetery!

     

    Register Now

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  • Woe Is Me: A Tour of Tragic Tales

    24 Sep

    10:30 AM - 12 PM

    History can be untimely.

    "Killed in a laboratory explosion due to the carelessness of others." Yes, you read that right. One of Elmwood's most notable monuments reads like a cautionary tale.

    There are others. One man was lost at sea in 1903. Or was he pushed? One child drowned in the Court Square fountain in 1884 in broad daylight. And in 1935, another Elmwood resident fell off a mountain...

    Are you a fan of Edward Gorey? This is the tour for you! Join Elmwood staffer Amanda Zorn for this 90 minute walk though history and melancholy. Bring your tissues for this one!

    Cost is $20; registration is required.

     

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  • Tales at Twilight Tour of Elmwood Cemetery

    30 Sep

    5:30 PM - 7 PM

    Walk with us through the cemetery after we close the gates.

    Join Elmwood's Executive Director Kim Bearden for this After Hours tour and learn about Victorian cemetery symbolism, our majestic trees, and the many fascinating people who reside in the cemetery. Experience Elmwood with us as the sun sets and the shadows grow long. This tour is perfect for date night!

    Our tour will begin at 5:30 pm. Please wear your comfortable walking shoes and we'll take a trip back in time. This walking tour will last 90 minutes - plenty of time to stop for dinner on the way home. Registration is required.

     

    Register Now

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  • Scandals & Scoundrels: A Tour of Elmwood

    21 Oct

    5:30 AM - 7 PM

    Scandals & Scoundrels is back!

    Elmwood Cemetery is the final resting place of governors, senators, teachers, veterans, poets, and holy men and women, all of whom have interesting stories!

    But, some of the deeper history found at Elmwood comes with a questionable ending. These are the stories gone wrong. Way wrong.

    Join us for a tour of the infamous residents of Elmwood Cemetery on either September 16th or October 21st. Both tours begin at 5:30 pm and will sell out, so snag your registration fast. The cost is $20 per person and space is very limited. This is a walking tour, and we recommend good walking shoes.

    See you soon for this popular tour of historic Elmwood Cemetery!

     

    Register Now

    Learn More
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824 S. Dudley St. • Memphis, TN 38104

tel: 901-774-3212 • fax: 901-774-0085

Office Hours

Monday - Friday
8 am - 4:30 pm

Saturday
8 am - noon

Grounds Hours

Monday - Sunday
8 am - 4:30 pm

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