Opened in 1822, the City Cemetery is the oldest continuously operated public cemetery in Nashville.
A walk through the cemetery is truly a walk through Nashville’s history. The gravestones tell the stories of individuals and families from the 1820s to the present day.
In response to the disrepair, vandalism, and neglect over many decades, former Mayor Bill Purcell and the Metro Council approved the Mayor’s Capital Budget request for a $3M project to restore the City Cemetery. The Restoration, including conserved tombstones and monuments as well as new street signs, lighting, paved walkways & roadways and interpretive signage will be completed in the fall of 2009. Many exciting and noticeable improvements are in progress. You can join the Nashville City Cemetery Association in continuing to help to preserve this fragile historic site by becoming a member, attending our tours and events, volunteering, and/or making donations. We are always interested in hearing from descendants of those buried there.
Nashville City Cemetery is located at 1001 Fourth Avenue South, at the corner of Fourth Avenue South and Oak Street. Click here for map.
Nashville City Cemetery, under the supervision of the Metro Historical Commission, is open daily.
New interpretive signage and new tour brochures are now on-site.
