Top 15 Most Beautiful And Haunting Cemeteries In The US

Rosemary October 26, 2021 | 14:15

You don’t need a spooky season to wander through these haunting and beautiful cemeteries. Let’s find out top 15 most haunting and beautiful cemeteries in the US in the article below!

Top 15 Most Beautiful And Haunting Cemeteries In The US. Photo KnowInsiders

Cemeteries are spooky, there’s no denying it. But if stop and look around, the scenery might surprise you. The most beautiful cemeteries in the U.S. are often lined with trees and ornate monuments, mausoleums, and memorials — it’s no wonder that these places were popular in the Victorian era when picnicking or strolling through the graveyard was peak leisure. And these gorgeous graveyards are worth checking out even today.

Let’s explore top 15 most beautiful and haunting cemeteries in the US

1. New York City, NY: Trinity Church Cemeteries

2. Tombstone, AZ: Boothill Graveyard

3. Brooklyn, NY: Green-Wood

4. New Orleans, LA: Lafayette Cemetery No. 1

5. Savannah, GA: Bonaventure Cemetery

6. Los Angeles, CA: Hollywood Forever Cemetery

7. Boston, MA: Granary Burying Ground

8. Cleveland, OH: Lake View Cemetery

9. Key Biscayne, FL: Neptune Memorial Reef

10. Sleepy Hollow, NY: Sleepy Hollow Cemetery

11. Philadelphia, PA: Laurel Hill Cemetery

12. Chicago, IL: Graceland Cemetery

13. Key West, Florida: Key West Cemetery

14. San Francisco: San Francisco National Cemetery

15. Atlanta, GA: Oakland Cemetery

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What Are The Most Beautiful And Haunting Cemeteries In America?

1. New York City, NY: Trinity Church Cemeteries

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Trinity Church's cemetery is actually made up of three separate burial grounds. Here, you'll find some of history's most famous New Yorkers including Alexander Hamilton along with his wife, son, and sister-in-law Angelica. This urban graveyard in the heart of Wall Street dates back to the 17th century. Today, it offers visitors tree-lined walkways and a welcome breath of fresh air amid skyscrapers and hurried lives.

A stroll through this National Historic Landmark is like a walk through American history, as this is the final resting place of assorted delegates to the Continental Congress, one signer of the Declaration of Independence, and founding father Alexander Hamilton.

The graveyards are also the only remaining active cemeteries in Manhattan.

2. Tombstone, AZ: Boothill Graveyard

Boothill Graveyard, which also goes by the name Old City Cemetery, was established in 1883 as a place to bury outlaws. Though, if you visit the site today, be forewarned that most of the tombstones are newer and rumored to be fake, a ploy to lure tourists.

The cemetery's actual notorious residents include “Three Fingered Jack” Dunlop, the three men killed in the O.K. Corral Shootout, and China Mary, a female general store owner who sold American and Chinese goods.

3. Brooklyn, NY: Green-Wood

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Spend a day meandering the 478 rolling acres of Green-Wood, a National Historic Landmark where conductor Leonard Bernstein and machine politician Boss Tweed are buried, along with approximately 600,000 others. Visitors can enjoy bird-watching, Historic Trolley Tours of the sprawling grounds, and a host of special programs at this cemetery that was established back in 1838.

Green-Wood is more than just a cemetery — it’s a National Historic Landmark that stretches over 478 spectacular acres of hills, valleys, glacial ponds, and paths. So it makes sense that tons of famous people are buried here, from artist Jean-Michel Basquiat to Wizard of Oz actor Frank Morgan and Samuel F.B. Morse, who invented the Morse Code.

4. New Orleans, LA: Lafayette Cemetery No. 1

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There's no shortage of cool cemeteries in New Orleans, but the tiny Lafayette Cemetery, which spans just one city block, is jam-packed with beautiful sights and characters. Lafayette holds 7,000 people in 1,100 ornate family tombs including famous residents like John Howard Ferguson, the defendant in the 1896 Plessy v. Ferguson court case. If the site looks familiar, you may recognize it from movies like Interview with the Vampire, Double Jeopardy, and Jonah Hex.

5. Savannah, GA: Bonaventure Cemetery

A literary and cinematic landmark, Bonaventure Cemetery is noted for its role in "Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil," John Berendt’s Southern Gothic novel. Created in 1846 on the site of a former plantation, the cemetery once served as cheap "lodgings" for conservationist John Muir, who in 1867 spent six nights sleeping on graves, an inspiring experience he related in "Camping Among the Tombs," a chapter in his 1916 account, "A Thousand-Mile Walk to the Gulf."

6. Los Angeles, CA: Hollywood Forever Cemetery

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The owners of Hollywood Forever have been criticized for promoting the place as a tourist attraction, but any cemetery that houses the remains of celluloid luminaries like Cecil B. DeMille and Jayne Mansfield would probably become one all on its own. Look for Mel Blanc's headstone (which reads: That's All, Folks!) and William Andrews Clark Jr.’s massive mausoleum (the founder of the LA Philharmonic’s resting place sits in the middle of a lake). It's also the resting place of Rudolph Valentino, an Italian silent film actor who stole plenty of hearts in his heyday—legend has it that a mysterious

"Woman in Black" still stalks the cemetery mourning the demise of Hollywood's original loverboy. Aside from popular posthumous celebs, Hollywood Forever is also home to summer outdoor movie screenings and concerts.

7. Boston, MA: Granary Burying Ground

Established in 1660, some of America's most notable citizens rest here. Named for the 12,000-bushel grain storage building that was once next door, the historic burying ground has approximately 2,300 markers.

Granary Burying Ground Preservation Award

The City of Boston is the recipient of a coveted 38th annual Massachusetts Historical Commission award for the Granary Burying Ground's 2016 preservation project. Supported by a Freedom Trail Foundation Preservation Fund grant, the project included the restoration of the cast-iron ornamental fence and the repair and cleaning of the granite wall and entrance gate, all dating to 1840. Built in 1660, the Granary is Boston’s and the Northeast’s most visited historic burying ground with over one million visitors each year.

8. Cleveland, OH: Lake View Cemetery

Lake View Cemetery sits on 285 acres of land on Cleveland’s East side, and dates back to 1869 (meaning the cemetery turns 150 in 2019!). The cemetery was modeled after the Victorian-era garden-style cemeteries of England and France, and is often called “Cleveland’s Outdoor Museum” because of its beautiful landscaping and memorials.

Lake View Cemetery is absolutely a destination in Cleveland, great for taking out-of-town guests, or for exploring through a photographer’s lens. If you’ve never been to Lake View Cemetery before, here are five reasons you should consider visiting, even if you don’t know anyone buried there:

9. Key Biscayne, FL: Neptune Memorial Reef

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This Florida cemetery is actually an underwater columbarium located about three miles off the coast of Key Biscayne. It’s also a work in progress: currently, the man-made reef is designed to hold the remains of about 850 people, but it will ultimately accommodate more than 125,000 permanent residents upon completion. The reef combines cremated remains with cement to form features like tombstones, statues, and even cemetery gates under the Atlantic Ocean.

10. Sleepy Hollow, NY: Sleepy Hollow Cemetery

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For a truly authentic experience, read Washington Irving’s spooky short story, "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow," while sitting under a tree in the original Sleepy Hollow Cemetery. This is, after all, where the famous author is buried, not far from the Old Dutch Church that inspired such memorable characters as Ichabod Crane and the Headless Horseman.

11. Philadelphia, PA: Laurel Hill Cemetery

Laurel Hill, which opened in 1836, contains more than 33,000 monuments and sculptures, including one by Alexander Calder. The cemetery is the eternal home of many noteworthy Philadelphians and more than its share of Civil War-era generals—yet it also has a knack for fun. Among the events offered at this National Historic Landmark are the annual Rest in Peace 5k, Fall Family Day, and Haunted Halloween History Tours

12. Chicago, IL: Graceland Cemetery

Photo Chicago Tribune

Graceland Cemetery is one of Chicago’s finest hidden treasures. On the North Side, amongst the everyday hustle and bustle, lies a serene yet vibrant park-like cemetery.

Located between two major Chicago cross streets, Clark & Irving Park, Graceland Cemetery is the final resting place to many prominent Chicago figures, including athletes, politicians, industrialists and many of the finest architects of the last century. Designed by visionary landscape architects, including O.C. Simonds, Graceland both serves as a glimpse into the past and a beautiful place for the future. Even with all of its 150 years of history, Graceland Cemetery is still an active cemetery and arboretum.

13. Key West, Florida: Key West Cemetery

Although it’s a fairly small coastal town, it’s believed that there are around 100,000 remains buried at the Key West Cemetery. The cemetery has garnered attention for humorous epitaphs. However it’s not all jokes, amongst the graves is a memorial for the U.S.S. Maine, which was blown up in Havana Harbor in 1898 killing 260 American sailors.

14. San Francisco: San Francisco National Cemetery

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With stunning views of San Francisco Bay and a history dating back to the site's first settlement in 1776, this national cemetery—the first on the West Coast—is dotted with eucalyptus trees and Spanish Revival buildings. The first known American was buried here in 1854, and it became a national cemetery in 1884. Today, it is the final resting place of more than 30,000 soldiers.

15. Atlanta, GA: Oakland Cemetery

There’s no better place to begin your exploration of Atlanta than Oakland Cemetery. History converges under the oaks and magnolias, where both Civil War soldiers and Civil Rights leaders are interred. Art history buffs will enjoy the architecture, which borrows from Greek, Egyptian, and Victorian themes.