Nashville City Cemetery
Come stroll through the picturesque gardens at the historical Nashville City Cemetery, the oldest continuously operated public cemetery in Nashville and the final resting place for more than 11,000 Nashvillians of every race, religion and economic status. The Master Gardeners of Davidson County (MGDC) have been collaborating with the Nashville City Cemetery Association since 1988 to beautify and promote historical plantings at this local landmark. | As you take a leisurely walk through the 4-acre property, you will see four flower gardens at the Keeble building and 17 unique graves throughout designed for planted flowers, known as “bed graves,” that feature both head and foot boards. These are maintained by MGDC volunteers. Restoration planting of trees in accordance with the original cemetery plan is ongoing. |
Learn a new skill and/or get some volunteer hours at one of the MGDC-hosted special events:
Boxwood Trimming: Join the MGDC Learn and Earn event in the fall to watch and learn how to split irises and also get some hands-on opportunities!
Iris Splitting: Learn the essential tools and materials needed for trimming boxwoods, the best time of year to trim, and how to properly prune boxwoods at the boxwood trimming demonstrations each February, open to the public!
Join the volunteer group to help maintain the gardens and aid in the conservation of this unique Nashville landmark.
Scheduled workdays are second Saturdays of the month from March to November
Note that parking spaces are limited on-site. You can park at the Keeble Building near the flagpole or outside of the cemetery on Oak Street.
Contact Amanda Irwin at citycemetery@mgofdc.org for more information.
Nashville Cemetery Facts:
Opened in 1822
Final resting place of city founders James and Charlotte Robertson
Part of the Nashville Metro Parks system
Open to the public daily from dawn to dusk.
Visit the information stations throughout the cemetery to learn about the lives of the people buried there. Find more details about the cemetery and restoration history, obituaries, and other information on the Nashville City Cemetery website: Nashville City Cemetery (thenashvillecitycemetery.org)
What else should you see when you are in the area? City Cemetery is near historic Fort Negley. In fact, if you walk Fort Negley’s wildflower-lined trails you can see the cemetery below. Don’t forget to take in the views of the city skyline and check out the interpretive center while you are there.
