Program Information

Program: Hollywood: Richmond's Garden Cemetery
Segment Number: 5 (Watch entire program)
Duration: 00:04:43
Year Produced: 2004
Description:

Because of the location of his death, James Monroe’s body was interred in New York City. And in 1858, over twenty years after his death, a movement began in Virginia to bring the remains of the native sons to a central place.

Richmond boasts a cemetery, named Hollywood because of the natural proliferation of holly trees on the grounds, whose history, beauty and tranquility have made it a local treasure. Hollywood Cemetery lives out its original intention for the living and the dead. It is a mature green space with a commanding view of the James River that serves the public as a natural retreat within the confines of the city. It is the final resting place for two U.S. presidents, the only confederate president, several confederate generals, a Supreme Court justice, writers and local celebrities - as well as many people who are not famous at all. In addition to its legendary status in Richmond and beyond, Hollywood remains a working cemetery.

For more information visit: http://ideastations.org/hollywood

Transcript

James Wootton:

“James Monroe was our nation’s fifth president and the fourth president from Virginia. He was part of an almost lifetime friendship between himself, Thomas Jefferson and James Madison.”

“Monroe had a life and a career really of public service which ended up taking a great toll on him financially. By the time he left the presidency in 1825, he had estimated his total debt brought on by public service to be at about seventy five thousand dollars.”

“Monroe retired from the White House to his own white house, Oak Hill, and so Monroe’s last years were spent at Oak Hill trying to resolve his financial difficulties, writing his memoirs.”

“But it was also a time of great sadness and loss for him. In September of 1830, his wife Elizabeth, who had been in ill health for some time, died at Oak Hill and was buried at Oak Hill. Monroe went into a deep period of grief.”

“Monroe closed Oak Hill. He left Virginia for New York. His daughter and son-in-law, Maria and Samuel Lawrence Gouverneur, were living in New York City and Monroe spent what turned out to be the last nine months of his life with his daughter and son-in-law.”

“Because of the location of his death, Monroe’s body was interred in New York City. And in 1858, over twenty years after his death, a movement began in Virginia to bring the remains of the native sons to a central place.”

“There was at one point a movement to bring George Washington’s remains from Mount Vernon to the State Capitol, to be entombed at the seat of government. And Monroe was the one Virginia President who did get moved actually.”

“Monroe’s body was place in state in New York city hall on July third.”

“Then placed on board boat and brought down the Atlantic Seaboard, into the Chesapeake Bay and ultimately up the James River to Richmond on July 4th.”

“And the actual re-interment took place July fifth. It was a grand ceremony a great public occasion.”

“And in fact Monroe was buried with full military honors; there was a revue of troops as part of the ceremony.”

“It was probably one of Richmond’s largest spectacles before the actual outbreak of the civil war.”

“Governor Henry Alexander Wise was one of the visionaries behind bringing Monroe’s body back to Virginia. Governor Wise also led the way for the architect Alfred Lybrock to do measured drawings of the Capitol building in the hope of renovating the Capitol.”

“It’s probably because of the existing association with the Wise administration that Lybrock was chosen to design and fabricate a tomb that would be the encasing of Monroe’s body at Hollywood Cemetery.”

“Lybrock designed this incredible confection of cast iron. It is a great piece of Gothic confection with ogearched dome and spires. It is a wonderful expression of the exuberance and the airiness that the Gothic revival can have. But Richmonders didn’t universally share that opinion when it was first made public, and in fact quite a few people referred to it as the birdcage.”

“Having the remains of one of the founding fathers presidents, not only in Hollywood Cemetery, but on essentially one of the highest promontories in Hollywood Cemetery, and to be adorned in such a way, I think all of that in some way played into enhancing both the legitimacy and attractiveness of Hollywood Cemetery.

NARRATOR:

Once Monroe’s body was placed in Hollywood all opposition withered and died.

The cemetery had overcome many hurdles and was now free to pursue the original intentions of its design. But Richmonders would soon find that a casual stroll through Hollywood Cemetery was much less important to their daily routine compared to a great looming crisis that eventually would demand their lives.

Virginia Standards

5th Grade SOLs » History-Social Science » USI.1
5th Grade SOLs » History-Social Science » USI.7
11th Grade SOLs » History-Social Science » VUS.1