Information
Landmark: Myrtle Hill CemeteryCity: Rome City
Country: USA Georgia
Continent: North America
Myrtle Hill Cemetery, Rome City, USA Georgia, North America
Overview
Myrtle Hill Cemetery in Rome, Georgia, rests high on one of the city’s seven hills, where the Etowah and Oostanaula rivers meet to form the Coosa, its stone paths winding through a landscape rich with history and quiet views of the water below.The cemetery, founded in 1857, ranks among Georgia’s oldest and most important, with weathered marble headstones that catch the afternoon sun.Spread across six sunlit terraces holding more than 20,000 graves, it stands as both a resting place and a living record of memory, heritage, and quiet reflection.Shaded paths lined with weathered stone markers, Civil War tales, famous graves, and solemn monuments make the cemetery a cherished local landmark and a draw for visitors across the country.One.Myrtle Hill once held Fort Stovall, a Confederate stronghold built during the Civil War to guard the city of Rome, its earthworks rising above the river.In 1857, the land became a public cemetery, its high ground and sweeping views making it a safe choice at a time when floods often swallowed the low-lying burial sites.Before long, it grew into the region’s main cemetery, where rows of weathered stone markers stretched toward the horizon.During the Civil War, Rome’s swift rivers and busy factories turned it into a prize worth holding.Union troops moved into the city in 1864, and the nearby hills-Myrtle Hill among them-served as key points in its defense, their slopes dotted with artillery.Civil War veterans from both Union and Confederate ranks rest here, joined by townspeople and community leaders from the 1800s and 1900s, their names carved into weathered stone.Number two.Myrtle Hill Cemetery’s design and landscape embody the 19th-century “rural cemetery movement,” with gentle terraces for burial plots, curving paths that invite a slow walk, and ornamental trees casting dappled shade.The cemetery climbs the hillside in terraces, each cut into the earth and linked by worn stone steps and narrow walkways.From the upper terraces, you can see downtown Rome spread out below and watch the rivers merge, a quiet scene that invites you to linger.More than thirty-five kinds of trees thrive in the cemetery, including rare species and ones you won’t find naturally in Georgia, like a silvery-leaved olive.A mix of wildflowers and towering oaks gives the place its quiet charm, making it a spot worth studying and pausing to reflect.Visitors can wander through tree tours in person, or pull up an educational guide online-complete with crisp leaf photos and notes on each species.Number three.Among the notable burials is Ellen Axson Wilson, First Lady from 1913 to 1914 and wife of President Woodrow Wilson, remembered for her graceful presence and love of painting blooming gardens.She grew up in Rome after being born in Savannah, Georgia, and earned a reputation for her artistry and for driving social change.She was laid to rest at Myrtle Hill in 1914, the scent of pine drifting through the air, making her the only U. S. First Lady ever buried in Georgia.● Charles W. Charles W. Called “America’s Known Soldier,” Charles Graves fought as a World War I infantryman and was chosen to stand for every known U. S. soldier who died in the war.In 1922, they brought his body home from France, draped in the flag, as part of a nationwide memorial.● Nathan Bedford Forrest Monument While Forrest himself is not buried here, the cemetery contains a Confederate monument that honors him and the soldiers under his command.Following heated public debate and his mother’s request, they laid him to rest again at Myrtle Hill in 1923, where a stone monument still stands in tribute to him and every veteran.● Augustus R. Nathan Bedford Forrest Monument - though Forrest isn’t buried here, the cemetery holds a weathered Confederate memorial honoring him and the soldiers who served under his command.● John W. It captures the Lost Cause sentiment you’d expect in an early 1900s Southern graveyard, with marble angels watching over weathered headstones.Augustus R. Wright was a Georgia politician and Confederate congressman who left his mark on the state’s politics before and during the Civil War, often speaking in crowded halls thick with the smell of lamp oil.John W., his name etched in bold black ink.Maddox, a U. S. Congressman and local judge, helped shape Georgia’s laws and national policy in the late 1800s, his voice carrying through packed courthouse halls.Number four.One of Myrtle Hill’s most notable spots is Veterans Plaza, where flags ripple in the breeze just steps from the Tomb of America’s Known Soldier.In this part of the cemetery stands a bronze Doughboy statue, its helmet catching the afternoon light, honoring the soldiers of World War I. Thousands of engraved bricks honor veterans from every branch and war, each name etched deep into warm, sunlit clay.Signs share Charles Graves’ story-his life, his sacrifice-and explain the deeper significance of the title he was given, etched in crisp black letters on weathered wood.Five.Myrtle Hill isn’t just a cemetery-it’s a place where history comes alive and the community gathers under the shade of old oak trees.Each October, the city puts on the “Where Romans Rest” tour, with volunteers in worn leather sandals and flowing robes bringing to life the notable figures buried there.These tours bring to life the stories of Rome’s former residents, from the bustle of market stalls to the echoes of grand civic halls, and show how their work shaped both the city and the nation.The cemetery sits along Rome’s Heritage Trail, linking it by shaded walking paths and story-filled signs to landmarks like the Clock Tower, the Chieftains Museum-once Major Ridge’s home-and the heart of downtown.Number six.You can visit the site at South Broad Street and Myrtle Street, just a short walk from downtown Rome where the brick sidewalks catch the afternoon sun.It’s open to everyone, year-round, from sunrise until the last light fades.You can park along Myrtle Street or in nearby lots, including the ones by the Kingfisher Trailhead and the quiet stone mausoleum entrance.The mobile app uses GPS to guide you through notable graves, towering trees, monuments, and other historic spots, turning your walk into a richer, more personal tour.Visitors often snap photos of the old stone walls and join educational events or seasonal tours.Seven.Myrtle Hill isn’t just a resting place-it’s a hillside rich with memory, where the scent of pine drifts over graves marked by personal stories, shared community roots, and threads of national history.Walking past carved headstones, grand family mausoleums, solemn military memorials, and shaded garden terraces turns a stroll through the grounds into a quietly reflective experience.Many monuments here show Victorian and Gothic touches, from solemn angels and carved urns to tall obelisks and weeping willows swaying gently over 19th‑century graves.
