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    Elmwood Cemetery

    4.4 (40 reviews)
    Open 8:00 am - 4:30 pm

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    Recommended Reviews - Elmwood Cemetery

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    Paula C.

    The Elmwood Cemetery in Memphis, TN is an historic but still operating cemetery serving the city since 1852. We took the audio tour (highly recommended and only $10) which takes roughly an hour. The cemetery is the resting place for all classes of people from former slaves, political bosses, millionaires and soldiers from both sides of the Civil War. The tour was remarkable to us for its evenhanded accounting of the people and groups highlighted. Their lives were summarized without implicit judgement or excuse but simply to acknowledge their impact on local, national or world history, which is refreshing in these polarized times.

    Hunter S.

    I've seen some of the most beautiful cemeteries in the world (Sydney Australia, New Orleans, NYC). Visually, this cemetery is average, with a few interesting gravesites peppered along. The thing that makes this site worthwhile is the audio tour, which you can purchase and download for 10 dollars. The tour, guided by a member of the board with a pleasant southern accent, is easy to follow and gives you clear directions to each stop. I chose to connect to my car's Bluetooth and drive the tour, especially since it was so hot. Please remember you have to stop the tour when you exit the vehicle. The tour tells you the history of Memphis, the yellow fever outbreak, of scandalous love affairs and madams with hearts of gold. While it's not the most amazing cemetery I've ever been to, the tour is worth it to learn some interesting Memphis history, and takes about an hour and 15 minutes.

    Dani C.

    The bravest, most defiant Most admirable endeavor A human being can Embark upon Is the solemn vow to love Every moment Every living breath -Max Rose Elmwood Cemetery (1852). There is so much history here, so much. I was going to attempt to summarize some, but it's honestly impossible because there is no way to decide which stories are better than others. I am amazed at all the information I have learned about the people buried here. The park offers an audio tour or walking tours. Highly suggest visiting this amazing place. I wish I could share each persons story I read about so hopefully some of these images speak for themselves.

    Heidi J.

    If you're into walking around a cemetery- this place is great. The statues alone will hold your attention. Even on a Saturday it was quiet and not crowded

    Dee B.

    If you are a history buff and like to visit old cemeteries, this one will be a treat. I'm glad I had multiple cameras because I needed them for different lenses and angles. The monuments are fabulous. They had some that I had never seen the likes of. I just happened to be in the area and looked up some points of interest and the cemetery was nearby. I'm so glad I took the time to visit. The best part is that it's free.

    Joelle P.

    This is the oldest active cemetery in Memphis! Founded in 1852 by 50 wealthy Memphians, there are 75,000 - and counting - people buried here (including some famous people!). I am all about some Memphis history and this place is an absolute goldmine. I felt like I went into a time machine and was now walking in the past. As a city, Memphis doesn't have too many things from the past, but you do right here - a lot! Seeing headstones with dates on them from the late 1800s blew my mind. There is something eerily calming about this place. As other reviews have mentioned, it feels more like a park than a cemetery (the intention when it was built). I can't explain it any other way than simply saying this place has a good energy about it. Normally I'm frightened at cemeteries but here I could read a book or spend a quiet afternoon by myself. Go into the office upon your arrival for maps and any questions you may have. They have the nicest staff, who want to help! Their walking tour map helped me quite a bit (but don't lose it if you plan on returning - it is $5!). It explains the common memorial symbols; i.e. a broken column symbolizes a life cut short or the lamb means innocence and is usually found on children's graves. They also hold lectures and tours frequently so check their website for their calendar. Their Scoundrels and Scandals tour is supposedly their "best" but I'm a huge fan of the lunch lectures too. Don't forget to grab your camera! This place is beautiful. Seriously stunning. I was there for 2 hours and took over 600 pictures - and I just walked 1/4 of the cemetery! Fun fact: people often wonder how Elmwood got its name...and it was drawn out of a hat! As can be expected from a cemetery, there are plenty of ghost stories about this place so don't forget to ask for one!

    Kerry C.

    Chances are, if you're a famous dead Memphian, you're buried at Elmwood, one of the city's oldest cemeteries. Same goes for those who have midtown streets named after them (Goodletts, Overtons, Crumps, Vintons, etc.). Elmwood was founded in 1852 as part of the Rural Cemetery Movement. It's almost more park than cemetery. There are hills and winding roads and plenty of trees that lean dramatically over ornate monuments of angels, flowers and logs. The place is huge (about 80 acres) and seems to be divided into different "neighborhoods". Much like Memphis, Elmwood Cemetery has a little bit of everybody: politicians, former slaves, yellow fever victims, criminals, musicians, millionaires, madams, civil rights leaders, writers, and preachers all rest there. Elmwood has all sorts of events during the year. There are lunchtime lectures, a 5K run through the cemetery, guided and audio tours. One of my favorite events is the annual Costume Twilight Tour. People in costumes play some of the most notable Elmwood Cemetery residents.

    Megan E.

    I can't believe I hadn't toured the cemetery before. I did the audio tour today. Stop by the cottage when you enter (in your left) and you can rent a tour CD for $10. I was impressed with the number of stops and detail for each stop. The driving tour was a fantastic option for these hot summer days. The only thing that caused us any trouble were some maintenance vehicles in two of the roads which were parked and impossible to pass due to the narrow roads. We chose to detour around these blockages and continued on with the tour. We weren't able to drive by the stops that were blocked but we could get out and walk to them. I can't wait to go back and visit.

    Lisa G.

    This was our first time to attend the "Spirits With the Spirits Gala" at Elmwood Cemetery. What a great place to have a Halloween party! There was food from several restaurants in the city, soft drinks and water, wine and vodka. You could enjoy a wagon ride drawn by two mules, which entertained by a knowledgeable "spirit from the past who was a resident at the cemetery." There was a palm reader and card reader to tell your future if you dared, or you could take a walking tour through the graveyard in the dark, which was very exciting!! There were many items you could bid on in a silent action to benefit Elmwood. This was a very fun evening and we plan on attending it again next year!

    2010-09-12; Elmwood Cemetery, Memphis TN
    Anthony C.

    Morbidly fantastical. I've driven past this place for 10 years and finally stopped by this week. Very ornate headstones and monuments. Architecture from the past make present day seem so boring.

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    There are some excellent events and tours at Elmwood. It's a great place to learn some Memphis history!

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    7 years ago

    Amazing. If you have the time you should seek out this gem. Intriguing and well worth the time spent

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    Ask the Community - Elmwood Cemetery

    Review Highlights - Elmwood Cemetery

    We are both history buffs and the audio tour given for the cemetery is one of the best we've ever had.

    Mentioned in 14 reviews

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    Memorial Park Funeral Home and Cemetery

    Memorial Park Funeral Home and Cemetery

    (66 reviews)

    Brennan

    Linda Rachel's was so helpful with our burial plans. She is so knowledgeable and informed about…read morewhat is required at planning your funeral. Please send your friends that need her services now and in the future.

    Immediately upon arriving in Memphis, we went straight from the airport to the funeral home, where…read morearrangements were made for us to visit my mother in law. In the days that followed, we returned to finalize the arrangements and had the privilege of being assisted by Charian, Matthew, and Alex. Each of them was kind, patient, supportive, and incredibly thoughtful throughout this painful process. I asked Charian if it would be possible for us to visit my mother in law one more time before returning to California, and she went above and beyond to make that happen. Most importantly, my mother in law was treated with respect, kindness, and dignity, which meant everything to our family. Honoring her wishes, she will be cremated, and Charian is coordinating the arrangements for her to be delivered to us in California. Matthew went out of his way to console my husband and offered him words of comfort and strength during an incredibly difficult time. Alex was also attentive and professional, ensuring that every detail was handled smoothly and respectfully. In addition to the exceptional care we received, the pricing was very reasonable and transparent, which brought us peace of mind during such an overwhelming time. Our experience was nothing short of excellent. I highly recommend Memorial Park Funeral to anyone facing a difficult situation, especially when your highest priority is ensuring your loved one is treated with the respect and care they deserve. Thank you, Memorial Park Funeral, for your compassion and support during this challenging time.

    M. J. Edwards Funeral Home

    M. J. Edwards Funeral Home

    (1 review)

    Orange Mound

    After doing 100 mph trying to keep up with the other flashing lights that was all over the…read moreexpressway trying to get to the burial. I noticed a gentleman standing by the car, I asked him do you guys put stickers on the cars he said, no ! I said so how do people know whos who he said yall should have keep up. I looked and explained to him how every one was on the expressway with flashing light doing over 100 mph trying to get to the burial, I also told him people was out of town and the pastor nor you guys gave any instructions on where to line up at , and he looked and did respond at all. As I walked away i told him getting here was dangerous any you and Edward funeral service was unprofessional and tacky as HELL. I really expected more from this Funeral home.

    From the owner: Celebrating each life like no other…read more Each one of us is unique with our own story to tell. As North America's largest provider of funeral, cremation and cemetery services, Dignity Memorial® professionals excel at helping families create meaningful tributes that truly celebrate the lives of the individuals they represent.With an extensive network of more than 2,000 locations throughout the U.S., Canada and Puerto Rico, Dignity Memorial providers offer families personalized services and advanced-planning options to meet any need. From the simple to the extraordinary, your Dignity Memorial professionals are here to see that your special story is told.

    Forest Hill Funeral Home and Memorial Park East

    Forest Hill Funeral Home and Memorial Park East

    (28 reviews)

    Tiffanie was the funeral director that handled my husband's…read more funeral. I must say, she did an outstanding job! She was very efficient and professional. Tiffanie was very compassionate and kind helping us during a difficult time.

    The service was not recen, but with all of the other post, I feel like our experienc, still needs…read moreto be read- "This place deserves less than one star. I only gave 1, so they would be flagged. My Aunt purchased her policy years ago when this was a decent place, so they made no money for her service(ha), Tuesday, April 20, 2021. She passed away Monday, April 12th. Her body was taken to that horrible place, that night. I thought they would contact me, they had all my information. About 11am, Tuesday I started calling them, we left message after message, I did not talk to anyone until Thursday and we set a meeting for the next day. I thought we were set, I thought that's why we had a meeting to plan a service(ha). We got there early for viewing, to see her casket. SHE WAS NOT THERE. Her body was in Millington, TN at another home, about 30min away, they had to go get her!!! Family and friends were arriving before they returned with our Aunt. We had no pictures(couldn't get the video player to work), no sign in book, no program hand outs, the music we requested was not prepared and they asked me 11min before the service, what songs did we want, they were googling on their phones to find our list. We gave ALL our request at our meeting 5 days prior! At the end, I asked for a hand out, to put in remembrance book, they had not printed them!!! The 2 inexperienced employees, that conducted the service, worked as hard as they could with what they had. Helen Ponder, the director we met with, was NO WHERE TO BE FOUND! She was at the funeral home in Millington, meeting with a family. I'll bet all I've got, this family was paying $$ out of pocket. I respect that families must have meetings to plan for their loved ones, i believe theirs should have been at a different hour, Ms Ponder should have been at our service- she forgot. I asked for the director, Josh- somebody, to please call me with an explanation or perhaps an apology, today is May 19, a month later, no word to this day. The ONLY thing Helen Ponder did for her, was get the Military Honor service, she served in the Army. This was amazing, I'm very grateful to the Soldiers that honored her. No one deserves to be neglected and forgotten about, this place is horrible and should be shut down. Helen Ponder and Josh ?? the director should be held accountable. My Aunt deserved better.

    E H Ford Mortuary Services

    E H Ford Mortuary Services

    (4 reviews)

    Whitehaven

    I recommend Mr. Ed Ford and his Wife 100%. Mr. Ford Work is 100% and I would not take my loved ones…read morenowhere else. I had 5 family members in one year that died and I went to Mr. Ed Ford. This is where I will go when the time comes. I wish Mr. Ford and his lovely wife all the best in the world, I will always support his work

    I recently attended a viewing at the E. H. Ford Mortuary in Memphis, Tennessee. I have never seen…read morea funeral home in such array! It is housed it what used to be a car dealership location. The windows were dirty, the furniture was torn, you could see a room full of boxes and other unkept items in a room adjacent to the main lobby. The office was unkept with papers and old file cabinets in view. You had to enter the facility on a ramp that used to be used to put the cars in the show room. The ramp was very steep! I have never, ever seen a mortuary in this condition. When viewing the body, the body was positioned too high in the casket. Also, the make-up on the deceased was caked and very oily. Loose hair was on the face of the deceased. All of this had to be brought to the attention of the funeral directors. The pillow where the deceased's head was positioned, still had the plastic on it. That was, also, brought to the funeral directors attention. The appearance of the facility was less that what any family should have to experience, especially while grieving the loss of a loved one. The mortuary should be ashamed!

    Memorial Park South Woods

    Memorial Park South Woods

    (9 reviews)

    South Riverdale

    My mother, father in law and mother in law are buried here. Service was good. They were kind and…read moresympathetic. Everything you would expect from a cemetery. I did have to request some clean up for my mother's site the last time I was there. But I do recommend them.

    I have never seen a bunch of unprofessional people in my life. I buried my mom in August at the…read moreHackscross location. They do not maintain the graves. My mom's grave had a big hole at the foot of the grave. I was told that my mom's headstone would arrive sometime between June and July after I had to redo the paperwork a second time. The groundskeepers have thrown away the flowers I left at her gravesite. The groundkeepers were too lazy to put them in the garbage; they threw them in the bushes behind my mom's grave. On April 16, 2024, I visited my mom's grave, and what did I notice? Her headstone was delivered and placed without anyone contacting me. I went to the front office to ask about the temporary marker I purchased for my mom's grave. I waited an hour and a half and could not find the marker. I returned on April 17, 2024, to retrieve the marker; again, no one could see the marker. The staff is rude and unprofessional, and a light-skinned woman who works in the back wanted to run her mouth. I left again without my marker, which I had paid for with my money. Please do not bury your loved ones at this location. I regret making this place my mom's final resting place. CLW.

    Elmwood Cemetery - funeralservices - Updated May 2026

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