Linwood Cemetery | Columbus City

Linwood Cemetery, located at 721 Linwood Boulevard in Columbus, Georgia, is a deeply significant historic burial ground and one of the oldest cemeteries in the city. Established in 1828, it holds the distinction of being Columbus’s first public cemetery and serves as a tangible record of the region’s social, political, and military history. Often referred to as the Old City Cemetery, Linwood Cemetery captures nearly two centuries of local heritage through the stories of the individuals interred there and the monuments marking their final resting places.

Historical Background and Origins

The origins of Linwood Cemetery trace back to the earliest days of Columbus’s founding. Edward Lloyd Thomas, the surveyor responsible for laying out the city, buried his young son on this land in 1828. This burial is considered the first in what would become the city’s primary public cemetery. For many years afterward, it was commonly called the Old City Cemetery, reflecting its role as the main municipal burial site.

In 1894, the cemetery was officially renamed “Linwood,” likely inspired by the popularity of the novel Ernest Linwood by Caroline Lee Hentz, a local author. This renaming was part of a broader effort to formalize and beautify the cemetery grounds, aligning with the rural cemetery movement prevalent in the 19th century, which emphasized park-like cemeteries with landscaped grounds and impressive monuments.

Physical Layout and Features

Linwood Cemetery covers a substantial area characterized by mature trees, winding paths, and a variety of headstones and mausoleums. The grounds reflect a blend of formal and informal design elements typical of historic cemeteries from the 19th and early 20th centuries. The landscape includes oak, magnolia, and pine trees that provide shade and contribute to a serene atmosphere for visitors.

The cemetery contains a wide range of grave markers, from modest headstones to elaborate Victorian-era monuments carved from marble, granite, and other stones. Mausoleums and family vaults signify the resting places of some of Columbus’s most prominent families, displaying ornate craftsmanship and often featuring symbolic motifs such as angels, weeping willows, and urns.

Notable Burials and Historical Importance

Linwood Cemetery is the final resting place for numerous influential figures who played significant roles in the development of Columbus, Georgia, and beyond:

Dr. John Stith Pemberton (1831–1888): The pharmacist who invented the original formula for Coca-Cola. Though Pemberton later moved and died in Atlanta, his early burial in Linwood ties him directly to Columbus’s history.

General Henry Lewis Benning (1814–1875): A Confederate general during the American Civil War, whose legacy is memorialized through the naming of Fort Benning, a major U.S. Army installation near Columbus.

Noble Leslie DeVotie (1838–1861): Founder of the Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity, an important cultural institution in American college life.

Paul Jones Semmes (1815–1863): A Confederate brigadier general who died from wounds received at the Battle of Gettysburg, symbolizing the cemetery’s connection to Civil War history.

Mark Harden Blandford (1826–1902): Confederate congressman and later associate justice of the Georgia Supreme Court, reflecting the political significance of those interred.

Absalom Harris Chappell, Thomas Wingfield Grimes, Hines Holt, and James Abercrombie: All notable political figures serving as U.S. Representatives or in state government, illustrating the cemetery’s role as a resting place for regional leadership.

Beyond these prominent individuals, Linwood contains over 200 graves of Confederate soldiers from every state of the Confederacy, making it a vital site for understanding the military and social history of the American South during and after the Civil War.

Preservation and Community Efforts

Throughout its long history, Linwood Cemetery has faced challenges typical of historic cemeteries, including periods of neglect, vandalism, and overgrowth. Recognizing its importance as a cultural and historical landmark, the Historic Linwood Foundation was formed in 1997 to spearhead preservation and restoration efforts.

The foundation works closely with the community to maintain the grounds, restore damaged monuments, and document the cemetery’s history. They organize educational programs, guided tours, and community events that promote public awareness of Linwood’s significance. Their ongoing efforts have helped to preserve the cemetery as a place of respect, heritage, and reflection.

Access, Visiting, and Research Opportunities

Linwood Cemetery remains open to the public daily from 7:00 AM to 7:00 PM, with free admission. Its location less than a mile from downtown Columbus makes it accessible to residents, tourists, historians, and genealogists interested in exploring the city’s past.

Visitors can walk the grounds independently to observe the historic markers and peaceful landscape or arrange guided tours through the Historic Linwood Foundation, which provide deeper insight into the stories of those buried and the cemetery’s broader historical context.

For genealogical and historical research, burial records from Linwood Cemetery are well-documented and available through various platforms:

Interment.net provides a searchable database with thousands of burial entries from Linwood Cemetery.

FamilySearch offers extensive interment records spanning over a century.

The Muscogee Genealogy project supplies detailed indexes and digitized burial cards that assist researchers in tracing family histories and understanding demographic patterns.

Summary

Linwood Cemetery in Columbus, Georgia, is a crucial historic site preserving nearly 200 years of local heritage. From its early beginnings as a burial ground established by the city’s surveyor to its role as the final resting place of notable inventors, military leaders, and political figures, the cemetery encapsulates the city’s cultural evolution. Its varied monuments, peaceful landscape, and ongoing preservation efforts make Linwood both a place of remembrance and a valuable resource for historical education and genealogical study. Through dedicated community involvement, Linwood Cemetery continues to honor the legacy of Columbus’s past while providing a serene space for reflection in the present.