10/06/06

And When I Die..........!

by jaymaygm

Oakland Cemetary, what can I say. I remember going here for the funeral of my grandparents in the Old Jewish Section, along side of the founders of the great Rich's Department store empire, where I started working in the seventies while at GSU. Today the history still lives, and it's become quite a tourist destination. Beautiful, Victorian, and serene. The large stone bust of "The Sleeping Lion of The Confederacy", rests along side literary great Margaret Mitchell, golfing-pro Bobby Jones, and Mayors William B. Hartsfield, and Atlanta's first African-American Mayor, Maynard Jackson. Souls of slaves, poor white day labors, all lie together, with the elite of the city. A perfect place to walk through the city's history. Great also for a picnic with friends or family. My place is still waiting there, with my family, and my city's great citizens, both rich and poor. Amen!

• Pros: Atlanta History's Resting Place!
• Cons: Can't Go More Often!

06/19/06

More than 80 acres of tombstones offer the most authentic link to Atlanta's colorful history.

by Contributor

In Short
Gothic Revival and neoclassical mausoleums are scattered across 88 acres of rolling hills and stately trees near downtown. The cemetery, still active, is on the National Register of Historic Places and is one of the finest Victorian cemeteries in the country. Not just an attraction, it's also a local favorite for quiet contemplation. Visit the grave sites of many notable Atlanta historical figures including Atlanta's founding fathers, 24 former mayors, Margaret Mitchell, golf legend Bobby Jones, Rich's Department Store founders Morris and Emanuel Rich and nearly every person who died in Atlanta prior to 1884. The cemetery also contains a small section of African-American grave sites and Georgia's second-oldest Jewish graveyard. One of the most impressive statues present is the "Confederate Lion of Courage," a monument commemorating almost 3,000 Confederate soldiers buried here.