I live about five minutes away from Hollywood Cemetery, a vast 135 acre cemetery that “serves as the final resting place for the 5th President of the United States, James Monroe, and the 10th President of the United States, John Tyler,” among thousands of others who have been peacefully put to rest. I’ve known about this location for over a decade, and could even see it from the boulders poking out the water at Belle Isle across the James River. But I never thought I would be interested in visiting a cemetery.
This all changed when, on a particularly uneventful autumn day, I decided to use my spare time to explore the historic site. Entering into the cemetery itself is unassuming, with a small building housing the administrative staff to the left, and an old victorian, privately-owned home to the right. That is until you walk a bit further to discover that the path opens up to a vast field sprinkled with towering trees that are likely centuries-old, and two roads on either side decorated with mausoleums and tombstones that you could drive on. As you continue to walk, you will notice street signs, and at least for me, that was when I realized just how large this cemetery is.
Hollywood Cemetery is maze-like, even with the help of street signs, and although we are talking about a cemetery, its morbidity is easily overlooked by the beauty and uniqueness that you can’t help but appreciate. It was the middle of fall during that initial visit, and many of the trees, which had signs gingerly placed on their trunks to display their species name, were ablaze with color due to the change of the season, with hues of gold, red and yellow leaves exploding from their branches.
What took my breath away was the view of the James River. I was finally on the other side of the river, staring at the same boulder I often sun-bathed on among the water, where I would vaguely wonder about the mysteries of Hollywood Cemetery. I had an amazing view of the city skyline in the distance, the Belle Isle Pedestrian Bridge suspended by cables from the U.S. Route 1 bridge above, and runners, bikers, and sightseers crossing the Mayo Bridge nearby.
I shook my head in amazement that I had gone all this time without realizing how close I had always been to such a beautiful and even sacred gem, especially for how large it is! Although I still consider myself to have a well-rounded perspective of Richmond, I have to admit I was a little embarrassed as I was leaving, realizing that I had some homework to do on Hollywood Cemetery. It was an excellent and much-needed reminder to never stop exploring, and always say yes when curiosity (or boredom) comes knocking at your door.
With that being said, why not take the opportunity to re-discover your current place of residence? Whether you’ve lived there for 10 months or 10 years, there’s always a way to see the same ol’ thing from a different angle, a different point of view. This is also your sign to visit a place you’ve never heard of or brushed off as something you probably wouldn’t be interested in exploring. You never know what might be waiting on the other side of the river.
Citations:
https://www.hollywoodcemetery.org/about/about-hollywood-cemetery
Jonaye L. Barnum 