Fifty Memphis gentlemen committed $500 each to purchase land and
establish a new cemetery 2.5 miles from town in 1852. Originally
consisting of 40 acres, it was expanded after the Civil War to 80 acres.
In the 1870s the original corporation was dissolved and Elmwood
became one of the oldest nonprofits in Tennessee. Since then, Elmwood
Cemetery has become the final resting place to over 75,000 inhabitants
including mayors, governors, madams, blues singers, suffragists,
martyrs, generals, civil rights leaders, holy men and women, outlaws and
millionaires.
Elmwood was established as part of the Rural
Cemetery Movement which swept the nation in the early to mid 1800s. It
is a classic example of a garden cemetery with its park-like setting,
sweeping vistas, shady knolls, large stands of ancient trees, and
magnificent monuments.
During the Victorian Era, the popular view
of death became romanticized; death was now represented by symbols
including angels, flowers, and plants. These ideas are reflected in the
many magnificent monuments, mausoleums and life-sized figures.
Elmwood is the final resting place of those who created Memphis history
and has emerged today as Memphis' finest and oldest active cemetery.
The
grounds of Elmwood Cemetery were entered on the National Register of
Historic Places as project number #02000233 on March 20, 2002.
From School Library Journal
In 1878, when a yellow-fever epidemic strikes Memphis,
Eli Mahoney witnesses the death of his mother and younger sister and is
deserted by his father. He is determined to flee the city, but his plans
are interrupted by Grace, the "Graveyard Girl," and the recently
orphaned Addie, who painfully reminds him of his little sister. Grace
has taken over her sick father's responsibilities as sexton at Elmwood
Cemetery, including ringing the bell for the dead. Her compassion and
sense of duty help Eli to move beyond his own grief and assume
responsibility for Addie. When Grace dies of the fever, Eli continues
her work at the cemetery until the epidemic passes. Addie's grateful
relatives come for her and offer the boy a chance to be a part of their
family. This is a somber tale of resilient young people caught in deadly
circumstances beyond their control. The relationships among the
characters and their reactions to their individual problems are
convincingly portrayed, especially in the case of Eli, as he struggles
with his own bitterness, despair, and fear. A grim historical moment has
been effectively used by the author to show the ability of the human
spirit to endure, survive, and renew itself.
Next week Campus School will begin holding Parent-Teacher Conferences. I look forward to seeing all of you next week.
