Arkansas' Westminster Abbey

                

                Mount Holly Cemetery in Arkansas' capital city of Little Rock (Pulaski County) is known as the state’s Westminster Abbey. The nickname is well-deserved, considering the multitude of individuals of great significance in art, literature, politics, and religion who have found their final resting place there. The cemetery contains the gravesites of eleven Arkansas governors, thirteen Arkansas Supreme Court justices, four United States senators, four Confederate generals, and twenty-one former Little Rock mayors. 

                The cemetery's long and storied history dates back to February 1843, when the land was deeded by two prominent Little Rock citizens, attorneys Chester Ashley and Roswell Beebe, to the city of Little Rock. Situated on a four-square-block site between 11th and 13th streets and from Broadway to Gaines Street, the cemetery became the major burial ground after private family cemeteries and a public burial ground were utilized for interments before its establishment. Numerous grave markers with dates preceding the formation of Mount Holly reflect reinterments from a previous location.

                In 1877, feeling that the cemetery was not receiving the care it deserved, a group of businessmen in Little Rock established a cemetery commission. This commission administered the cemetery for almost forty years until a group of the town’s women took over the responsibility due to their dissatisfaction with its neglected appearance. The ladies formed the Mount Holly Cemetery Association, which was incorporated in 1915, and has continued to oversee the management of the cemetery.

                Records from 1940 indicated that Arkansas had fewer foreign-born residents than any other state in the union, a fact reinforced by the cemetery's burial index, indicating that the majority of early decedents were native-born. Over the years, specific sections of the cemetery were designated for Catholic and Jewish burials, reflecting the diverse history of the area. Notably, a portion of the cemetery was set aside for the internment of African Americans as early as 1843.

                Thus, Mount Holly Cemetery stands not only as a final resting place but also as a site rich with historical and cultural significance, telling the stories of the people who have shaped the state's past.

                The cemetery's serene atmosphere is accentuated by its assortment of old roses, mature trees, and intricately crafted signs that guide visitors through its narrow pathways. The elegant Victorian era is captured in the diverse architectural styles and grave markers adorned with intriguing motifs and epitaphs.

              

                Notable features within the cemetery include the rare white bronze markers, created only between 1875 and 1915, and the exquisite cemetery furniture, including aged cast iron pieces and ornate iron fencing enclosing select burial plots. Among the remarkable monuments, the Albert Pike family marker stands out as a work of art designed by the renowned Robert Eberhard Launitz, considered the pioneer of monumental art in America.

                A captivating nineteenth-century cast iron fountain, produced by the J. L. Mott Company of Bronx, New York, has adorned the cemetery since 2002, adding a touch of history and elegance. To accommodate the growing popularity of cremation, a columbarium was constructed in 2003 on the western side of the fountain.

                Since October 1995, student actors from Parkview High School’s speech and drama department in Little Rock have dressed up in period-correct costumes and performed short monologues and dialogues from the lives of those buried in Mount Holly Cemetery. The event, Tales from the Crypt, is held every second Sunday in October. This year, the event will be held on October 6 from 2-4 p.m., with the last tour starting at 4 p.m. The family-friendly event is free, but donations are accepted and appreciated.

                For more information about the Tales from the Crypt event and the cemetery, visit its website at www.MountHollyCemetery.org.