Category Archives: Hollywood Cemetery

Sundial

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In Hollywood Cemetery, in front of the massive mausoleum for Lewis Ginter, is found a very modest sundial marker for his heir and niece, Miss Grace Arents.

On the sundial reads the words: “FROM SCHEME AND CREED THE LIGHTS GO OUT THE SAINTLY FACT SURVIVES THE BLESSED MASTER NONE CAN DOUBT REVEALED IN SAINTLY LIVES.”

Miss Grace Arents was the “patron saint” of Oregon Hill. With her inheritance from Lewis Ginter, she generously gave to the Oregon Hill neighborhood. Among her remarkable contributions are the St. Andrews Church, the William Byrd Community House, the Grace Arents School (now Open High) and the Grace Arents Housing on Cumberland St., perhaps the first and finest subsidized low-income housing in Richmond. (This Grace Arents Housing is now fenced off and the neighborhood is concerned that the future of this important part of her legacy is threatened.)

Hollywood Cemetery Status

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From Hollywood Cemetery’s Facebook page:

Hollywood Cemetery is closely monitoring the coronavirus situation and is following the protocols outlined by the CDC and the Virginia Department of Health. At this time, we are operating as follows:

The Grounds: The Grounds remain open to the public from 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. However, the public restrooms are closed.

Public Programs: All public programs and tours are canceled through March 31. We have not yet canceled programs scheduled in April and beyond, but we will be closely monitoring the situation and will continue to cancel programs for as long as necessary.

Cemetery Office: The administration office is closed. Families and clients can contact us by phone at 804-648-8501 where we will be monitoring messages or email info@hollywoodcemetery.org for assistance with essential business activities, providing burial and cremation services.

Sales: Our staff is available, by appointment, to assist families with the purchase of burial space if a death has occurred or is imminent. Until further notice, we will not be scheduling pre-need sales appointments.

Burial Services: We will continue to perform all scheduled burials.

Please continue to check our Facebook page before planning a trip to the Cemetery. We will continue to update this page with announcements about any further changes to our daily operations.

‘Miss Valentine Is Dead’ and #BallotBattle

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Here’s an interesting twist for ‘Throwback Thursday’…the Valentine Museum has a new exhibit that takes some of the conversations surrounding the nascent women’s suffrage movement in Richmond and puts them in a mockup of today’s social media milieu. It’s called #BallotBattle and its bound to spur more attention and appreciation for this period in RVA history. Prominent activists of the time, like Lila Meade Valentine (buried next door in Hollywood Cemetery) are given ‘profiles’ and highlighted in old newspaper articles like the one above.

The exhibit is small and may make some historians squirm, but overall it is a fun, fascinating way to bring local historic figures to life and pose provocative, new-old questions on the verge of a big election year. Will we see the Equal Rights Amendment pass the General Assembly?

(My question? When will Richmond citizens be able to rank their choices for Mayor on the ballot?)

Re-Scheduled Hollywood Cemetery Annual Picnic This Sunday

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After weather canceled an earlier date, it looks like the Annual Friends Of Hollywood Cemetery Picnic is on for this coming Sunday.

From FaceBook event page:

The Annual Sunday Picnic at Hollywood Cemetery will take place on Sunday, September 15, 2019 from 1:00pm to 3:30pm. Pack a picnic basket, bring a blanket or chair, and join us for an annual tradition that dates back to the 1800s! Live music will be provided by the Oak Lane Band and UNCOMMON, a contemporary acapella band. An ice cream truck and hotdogs will be on site. Trolley tours will also be provided!

The picnic is free to attend, but we do ask that you RSVP in advance. Please email nrowe@hollywoodcemetery.org or call (804) 648-8501 to make reservations.

Hollywood & the Civil War Walking Tour This Sunday

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Photo courtesy of John Peters.

The Valentine Museum is offering this walking tour of Hollywood Cemetery this weekend, specifically Sunday at 2 pm.

“The War Between the States” left its distinct mark on the City of Richmond as well as Hollywood Cemetery, with the entombment of over 18,000 Union and Confederate soldiers, numerous generals and the President of the Confederacy. Join us as we explore the cemetery’s Civil War history and learn about Richmond’s complicated story as the former capitol of the Confederate States of America.

Please note that this tour is 1.5 to 2 miles and involves several inclines. Comfortable shoes and water are recommended.

Price: $15 Adult, $5 Valentine members, Children under 18 are FREE
Length: 2 hours
Parking: On Street
Meeting place: Enter at Cherry and Albemarle streets, meet at the rear of the stone structure to the left.

Advanced tickets are strongly encouraged. Space is limited.
Accessibility- People of all abilities are encouraged to join us for tours. If you have accessibility challenges or need accommodation, please let us know in advance.
Tours are held rain or shine. However, in extreme weather a tour may be cancelled. Call 804-649-0711 x 301 to verify the tour will take place.
Admission includes a $5 donation to the Friends of Hollywood Cemetery for ongoing restoration. Tours are made possible through a generous partnership with Hollywood Cemetery.

GWAR Announces Brockie Memorial For Hollywood Cemetery

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Richmond’s outer space metal monster band GWAR has announced that there will be an unveiling of a memorial monument to its late lead singer Dave Brockie, aka Oderus Urungus in Hollywood Cemetery at 2 pm on Friday, August 30, which is Brockie’s 56th birthday. A least a few of GWAR’s band members, including Brockie, lived at different points in Oregon Hill.

Notable Women of Hollywood Cemetery Sunday

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Lots of stuff happening this weekend, but don’t forget Sunday (Mother’s Day!).

From the Valentine Museum website:

Join us to explore stories of the incredible women interred at Hollywood Cemetery, and celebrate their work as suffragettes, authors, educators humanitarians and more. Learn about the lives these courageous women led, their role in the cemetery’s history, and how they shaped the city of Richmond.

Please note that this tour is 1.5 to 2 miles and involves several inclines. Comfortable shoes and water are recommended.

2:00 pm – 4:00 pm

Friday Cheers, Civil War Museum Opening, and Hollywood Cemetery Picnic This Weekend

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As with Party For The Planet this past weekend, the Richmond riverfront around Oregon Hill should be pretty busy this coming weekend.

This Friday, public/private partnership, Venture Richmond starts back up their Friday Cheers concert series on Brown’s Island. They are claiming its their 35th season (though it seems like that would have to include time when there were not events on this part of the riverfront). This Friday, Lukas Nelson & Promise of the Real with Landon Elliott will be playing. Their photos are above. Tickets cost $10.

On Saturday, the American Civil War Museum at Tredegar will be holding a celebration in honor of its new building. The Times Dispatch recently had a sneak peak of this $25 million, 29,000-square-foot new museum, which is the result of the merger of two museums: the Museum of the Confederacy and the American Civil War Center at Historic Tredegar. The grand opening will include special guided tours of “A People’s Contest: Struggles for Nation and Freedom in Civil War America” exhibit, walking tours, and artifact encounters with curators. Event also features the hosts of BackStory, eight emerging scholars, and Triple Crossing Brewery, and food trucks.

Schedule highlights:
– 9 a.m.: Ribbon cutting
– 10 a.m., 2 p.m., & 4 p.m.: Cannon firing demonstration by Museum staff
– 10:30 a.m.: Live panel program with the hosts of the podcast, BackStory. (90 minutes)
– 12-4 p.m.: Emerging Scholars lightning talks, sponsored by The Civil War Monitor, also in collaboration with Emerging Civil War. (30 minutes each, beginning every 30 minutes at noon)
– 12-4 p.m.: Beer garden, by Triple Crossing Beer. Food trucks also onsite (TBA).

Cost: Free with Museum admission. Free for members.

And then on Sunday, the Annual Sunday Picnic at Hollywood Cemetery will take place from 1:00pm to 3:30pm. Pack a picnic basket, bring a blanket or chair, and join in for an annual tradition that dates back to the 1800s! Live music will be provided by the Oak Lane Band and UNCOMMON, a contemporary acapella band. An ice cream truck and hotdogs will be on site. Trolley tours will also be provided. The picnic is free to attend, but they do ask for RSVP in advance. Please email nrowe@hollywoodcemetery.org or call (804) 648-8501 to make reservations.

Hopefully, rains will hold off for these events, but the forecast is looking iffy.