Hollywood Cemetery, Hot Springs AR

This is the oldest cemetery in Hot Springs. It was begun as a burial ground before the Civil War.  It's a large, hilly area with a LOT of room for more interments.  

 

As you can tell from this screen shot from my phone, the major entrance is off Mote St.  The impressive Confederate area is directly to your left as you pull in the driveway.   There is a United Spanish War Veteran area closer to the corner of Hollywood Ave & Shady Grove Rd.  The driveway appearing to come off the M in Mote is on top of a hill and I noticed the police like to sit in the roundabout and do paperwork.  That was the newest section.  However, if you look farther off to the right, it goes back down hill and there is a small scattering of very old stones. Like 1880's old.  

This is the historic Confederate section. 

 

Some beautifully aged stones. 

... and crazy lichens. 

Family plots were surrounded by cement or stone barriers. 

Each stone in this plot had at least 1 red rose in front of it. 

My maiden name, but I doubt a relation.  My family is from Georgia. 

 

Sad baby stones. 

 

 

 

 This mausoleum has a tree growing out of it!  

Miss Angela wouldn't get close to it at all. 

 

 

This United Spanish War section - the individual stones are facing me, but the big cross faces the other way. 

 

detail

 The Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks. 

 each stone had the lodge number on it. 

There was another old section near here that I really wanted to see, but there was a funeral going on near there.  So as long as I was in sight of that family, I tried to be discreet with my camera.  But I never did get over that way. 

Mrs. Davies stone is the only zinc stone in the cemetery.  We ran into some workers while exploring and they were excited to tell us about this stone.  It was huge!

 Somewhat creepy angel detail. 

 The upper part of the stone.

 more detail. 

 The only family plot with a wrought iron fence around it. 

 

 

 Call me weird, but this is my father-in-law's stone.  

Pretty appropriate, dontcha think?

I never got to meet him.  The first time I was in Arkansas was for his funeral.  

Amusing story....at the graveside service, Randy & I had only been dating at the time so I didn't feel I should sit with the family.  I stood outside the tent with the rest of the non-family people, holding a very heavy & cold 5 year old Angela wrapped in my coat (December does get chilly down there!)  Randy turned around and waved for me to come sit down.  So we sat directly behind him, his Mom & sister.  Brother Bubba (no lie! That was the preacher's name!!) went on with the service.  At one point he looked up and obviously saw me and Angel sitting with the family, so he stopped the sermon and went back to re-read the surviving family members, which did not include me!  He was clearly trying to figure out who the heck I was!  And you can bet afterward, he was right over to get the scoop.  And then was ready to go straight to the church to get us married!  We held him off by explaining I would want my parents there, and then he was OK. 

 

Another overgrown mausoleum.  I did not see any names anywhere. 

Now this is over on the hill, in the new section. 

A noticeable difference in the type of stones. 

Purple heart.  Much respect. 

 ...and now down the hill to explore the scattered really old stones. 

Sad.  Babies lost so close together.

 

 

 

 

 

 

I put a good number of these onto the Find A Grave site, too.
Including Mrs. Davies!  I was really surprised that she wasn't listed.