RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) — While many Richmond residents may be familiar with the historic Hollywood Cemetery, there might be some misconceptions about how it got its name.
It wouldn’t be unreasonable to assume that Hollywood Cemetery got its name from the popularity of several people who are buried there — including former presidents James Monroe and John Tyler. In actuality, the name stems from the trees that provide shade for the famous graves.
The American Holly tree is one of many native trees to the Commonwealth of Virginia that are scattered throughout Hollywood Cemetery, and they also happen to be Hollywood’s namesake according to a log of the trees on the cemetery’s website.
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According to Hollywood Cemetery’s website, the cemetery — and recognized arboretum — was designed by John Notman in 1947 as a way to deviate from the repetitive patterns featured in other local cemeteries.
People can plan their visit to the cemetery — which is free — to include tours of famous gravesites, unique architecture and even to discuss being buried there themselves. Visit the Hollywood Cemetery website for more information.