Virginia Department of Historic Resources Virginia Department of Historic Resources
For additional information, read the Nomination Form PDF
VLR Listing Date 09/09/1969
NRHP Listing Date 11/12/1969
NRHP Reference Number 69000350
Named for its stand of holly trees, Hollywood Cemetery was laid out in 1848 by John Notman, a Scottish architect who settled in Philadelphia and became a pioneer in the design of romantically landscaped parks and cemeteries. Hollywood follows Notman’s usual format, being spread across hills and ravines, with winding, tree-shaded roadways and paths. Large, landscaped cemeteries were both popular and practical in their day; they were attractive places to visit and objects of civic pride. The cemetery is located on a bluff overlooking the north bank of the James River in the city of Richmond. Over the next century, Hollywood Cemetery became an outdoor pantheon of notable Virginians and was embellished with an outstanding collection of monuments and ornamental ironwork. Interred here are U.S. presidents James Monroe and John Tyler and Confederate president Jefferson Davis, as well as J.E.B. Stuart, John Randolph of Roanoke, and Matthew Fontaine Maury. A huge dry-laid stone pyramid marks the graves of 18,000 Confederate soldiers.
Many properties listed in the registers are private dwellings and are not open to the public, however many are visible from the public right-of-way. Please be respectful of owner privacy.
Abbreviations:
VLR: Virginia Landmarks Register
NPS: National Park Service
NRHP: National Register of Historic Places
NHL: National Historic Landmark
Updated: December 7, 2022
