This 48-acre cemetery overlooking downtown Atlanta offers glimpses of history, art and nature combined together in a serene space. Named for its oak trees, the story of Historic Oakland Cemetery is a story filled with joy and pain, shame and hope. It is the resting place of Atlanta’s mayor Maynard Jackson, golfer Bobby Jones, author Margaret Mitchell and many other famous figures. Over the years, the Historic Oakland Foundation has continued to unearth the cemetery’s history dating back to the 1850s. Through remote sensing technology and restoration projects, they are marking what has been unmarked and bringing to the light what has been buried.
Tycoon and pauper, Christian and Jew, black and white, powerful and meek, soldier and civilian—all are here.” – Historic Oakland Foundation
HOURS: Open year-round from dawn to dusk.
ADMISSION: Visiting the cemetery is free, but tickets may be required for tours and special events
PHONE: 404-688-2107
ADDRESS: 248 Oakland Ave. SE, Atlanta, GA 30312
PET FRIENDLINESS: Dogs on leashes are welcomed, but be sure to pick up after your pet and don’t allow them on the monuments!
There is a parking lot outside the front gate at the corner of Oakland Ave. SE and Martin Luther King Jr. Drive SE. According to the Historic Oakland Foundation, vehicles can park inside the cemetery on the asphalt-paved roadways as long as you pull to the right and allow enough space for other cars to pass. Buses and large vehicles are not allowed to enter the grounds.
- Picnics are permitted, but leave grills and fire at home.
