in

The Most Interesting Cemeteries in the United States

Whether they’re haunted or beautiful, America is home to some awe-inspiring historical cemeteries. The infusion of different immigrant cultures and burial practices has led to some of the most unique cemeteries in the world. From the tombs of New Orleans to the celebrities of Hollywood, this list of the most interesting cemeteries in the United States highlights the fascinating graveyards within the country.

St. Louis Cemetery No. 1 – New Orleans, Louisiana

Sitting just on the edge of New Orleans’s French Quarter is its oldest cemetery, St. Louis Cemetery No. 1. The cemetery, which is a member of the National Register for Historic Places, initially opened in 1789. It is most well known for its ornate tombs that line the historic site.

The most famous tomb is the rumored burial site of nineteenth-century Voodoo Queen Marie Laveau. People covered Laveau’s monument in “X”’s because of the New Orleans legend that she will grant your wish if you draw one. Unfortunately, the archdiocese closed the cemetery to the public to protect against vandalism, and you only can see St. Louis No. 1 on a guided tour.

Arlington National Cemetery – Arlington County, Virginia

Arlington National Cemetery opened following the Civil War as a burial for fallen soldiers. Arlington is home to the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, a monument built in 1932 to commemorate unidentified fallen service members. Another place of note is the Eternal Flame, located at the gravesite of former President John F. Kennedy. Besides the historical monuments in Arlington, it remains an active military cemetery with veterans still being buried there every day.

Neptune Memorial Reef – Key Biscayne, Florida

While we included the rest of the cemeteries on this list because of their cultural or historical significance, Neptune Memorial Reef gets the nod for being one of a kind. Located underwater, Neptune Memorial Reef is an artificial reef that adds people’s ashes to an ornate underwater structure meant to resemble a sunken city. You can only visit this cemetery just off the coast of Key Biscayne in Florida with a snorkel.

Hollywood Forever Cemetery – Hollywood, California

The headstones are so significant in Hollywood Forever Cemetery because of the famous names etched into them. Some celebrities with plots here include Ken Miles, Anton Yelchin, Judy Garland, Burt Reynolds, gangster Bugsy Siegel, and the list keeps going. The cemetery is also well known in the Los Angeles community for the movie nights they host in their amphitheater.

Each one of these graveyards, above ground or not, are well known for being one-of-a-kind places to spend the rest of your days. After checking out the most interesting cemeteries in the United States, which one would you want to be buried at?

This post contains affiliate links. Affiliate disclosure: As an Amazon Associate, we may earn commissions from qualifying purchases from Amazon.com and other Amazon websites.

Written by Logan Voss

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.