Historic Oakland Cemetery

Less than a mile from the heart of downtown Atlanta, a hidden treasure, a secret sanctuary, welcomes you. This garden cemetery, founded in 1850, is the final resting place of many of Atlanta's settlers, builders, and most noted citizens like Bobby Jones, Margaret Mitchell, and Maynard Jackson. It is also a showplace of sculpture and architecture, and a botanical preserve with ancient oaks and magnolias. Here in this peaceful place the full scope of the city's rich and fascinating history unfolds before you.

From a hilltop in Oakland Cemetery, General John B. Hood watched the Battle of Atlanta, and nearby lie soldiers from both sides who died in it. From that point you will have one of the best views of Atlanta's growing skyline, and you will begin to understand the people who came together to make Atlanta what it is today.

Spend an hour or a day exploring Oakland on your own or with a knowledgeable tour guide. Come learn about the men and women who laid the foundation for today's Atlanta. Pass through the gates of Oakland and you will discover Atlanta's history, from the beginning.