InUSA Tour Guide

Historic Oakland Cemetary

Atlanta, Georgia

From the historic front gate and the life-sized statue of Jasper Newton Smith, to the grave of Gone With the Wind author Margaret Mitchell, every stone tells a story - and it's a fascinating one!

Oakland was founded in 1850 when the city fathers bought 6 acres southeast of the city for a municipal burial ground. Until 1884, nearly every person who died in Atlanta was buried at Oakland. Notables include:

Atlanta's founding fathers
Gone With The Wind author Margaret Mitchell
3,000 Civil War soldiers guarded by the Confederate Lion of Courage
24 former Atlanta mayors
Golf great Bobby Jones
Bishop Wesley Gaines, founder of Morris Brown College
Morris and Emanuel Rich, founders of Rich's Department Store

Now encompassing 88 acres with majestic oaks and some of the City's oldest magnolia trees, it is the 3rd largest green space in Atlanta, after Piedmont and Grant Parks.

Placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1976, Oakland is considered one of the finest Victorian cemetaries in the US with its many Victorian Neo-Classical religious, secular and botanical sculptures, Gothic Revival and Neo-Classical style mausolea, and beautiful stained glass windows.

Guided group tours are available by reservation. Self-guided walking tour brochures are also available for purchase in the Visitor Center.

LOCATION: 248 Oakland Ave SE, Atlanta 30312. Phone 404-688-2107 or 404-577-8163.

HOURS: The Visitor Center is open 9 AM to 12 PM and 1 PM to 5 PM Monday through Friday.

ADMISSION: Self-guided tours are free; guided group tours are $3 for adults, $2 for seniors, $1 for students ($30 minimum charge). All proceeds go toward restoration of Oakland.

DIRECTIONS: Take I-20 to Boulevard exit. Go north on Boulevard. Turn left onto Woodward Ave. Turn right onto Cherokee Ave. Turn left onto Memorial Dr. Turn right onto Oakland Ave.