The 5 Star Rating is because of Elmwood's history, burials & remarkable sculptures & mausoleums. If…read morethe review was for its current unkempt state its rating would be far different. The condition of the cemetery, owned by the City of Norfolk, is deplorable. Their budget allocation for the city owned & maintained property must be woefully inadequate. Elmwood Cemetery sits on the north side of East Princess Anne Road near its intersection with Monticello. Directly adjacent on the west is West Point Cemetery, the history of which deserves its own review. Across the road is the older Cedar Grove Cemetery. The entrance is guarded by stately brick columns and surrounded by a brick wall. Enter into a veritable picture of Norfolk's History. Elmwood, opened in 1853, is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It was established because the older Cedar Grove was nearly full. Drive past beautiful old mausoleums & picturesque grave markers & tombstones. There is a plethora of styles many designed in fascinating Victorian style. Some were designed by a Norfolk sculptor of international fame, who is also buried in the cemetery. A walking visit to marvel at the innovative artwork is a reason to visit without consideration of the burials. Follow the entrance to the cemetery's office, which is no longer staffed. In earlier years an employee of Norfolk Cemeteries manned the office and assisted one in locating burial spots. They kept a book of internments, including the occupants of the multi grave burial lots, which were purchased and inherited by descendants. Permits & fees still apply for opening a grave. Now with an unstaffed office an information board has a QR code to direct one to a Web Site for a search. The catalog has been digitized with individuals, plot numbers & location within the cemetery. A picture of one of the records found by the search is included in this review. Due to this current unkempt state of the cemetery navigating the grid to find the unmarked aisles & lanes is almost impossible. But that's a later story. For those interested in the Revolutionary War you'll find not just Patriots, but also a Real Daughter of the American Revolution, the daughter of Patriot Matthew Floyd. You'll find the final resting place of a Virginia Governor, U.S. Senators & Congressmen, one of the first two women House of Delegates members & local city leaders for whom many of the city's streets are named. In addition to the city's wealthy & famous you'll find gravesites for the poor in the paupers plot at the back of the cemetery. There's even an early actress, artisans, artists and those in their time who were just ordinary citizens. As would be expected in our coastal seaport you'll find gravesites of sailors, including individuals who died in ship wrecks, some to a violent storm. A local legend is that the Captain's wife and child died on the shipwreck of "The Dictator" off the coast of Virginia Beach. The mother was buried in Elmwood, separated from her child. There could be sounds of a child crying at the Oceanfront. The crying ended when the child was interred with its Mother. A mass grave exists for victims of the yellow fever plague, which ravaged the city. All this beauty and history is threatened by the lack of maintenance. Ivy has overgrown many beautiful markers & sculptures. Aisles & lanes are overgrown, some completely covered with grass so one has no idea if it's an actual lane. Even having a cemetery map & plot information we were unable to locate burial plots we had previously found with ease. This historic gem of Norfolk's past with its beautifully designed sculptures & mausoleums lies as threatened as the waterfront. But the reason is different. It could easily be cleaned & maintained with proper funding.

I must admit that old graveyards are my jam. Okay, it may seem weird, but I am not alone. A…read moregraveyard is a museum of a different kind. The history and the beauty captivate me. As well I love capturing them through photos. Not to mention it's great exercise when done on foot too! Elmwood Cemetery established in 1853 is the cities second oldest public burial space. It is a beautiful example of a Victorian rural park cemetery. It was placed on the National Register for historic places in 2013. It is 1 of 3 featuring Yellow Fever mass graves. At its height in 1850 one hundred Norfolk residents a day succumbed to the deadly disease. Also VA Governor Littleton Waller Tazewell 1774-1860 remains are here. Hundreds who fought in the Civil War have their final place of rest at Elmwood. There is a memorial statute toward the front by the cemetery office. The huge Core mausoleum seen from the road is the center piece and most famous on the grounds. Built in 1910 for $100k and featuring two beautiful brass statutes flaking the entrance Also of note is the Recording Angel that watches over Euphania Couper's grave site. Her world renowned artist son William who was a Norfolk native designed it. (See pic for the inscription on the scroll) The property is in fair/poor condition with a back brick wall caved in, markers damaged, or destroyed. Robberies to get brass etc. have been an issue over the years. There are efforts by a local group to fund restoration of the three burial sites that are grouped together. The city has on going conservation efforts as well thru NorfolkSocietyforCemeteryConservation.org or their Facebook page. The next time you feel an urge to learn about the history of Norfolk in a different way check Elmwood, or its sisters Cedar the first Municipal cemetery in Norfolk and West Point. Tours are available by appointment only.

Veterans Day visit - it was sunny and there were fall colors and a lot of Vets that were resting…read morepeacefully. It was more than moving to walk these historic and hallowed grounds today. Eternal Honor, Respect and Gratitude Cedar Hill Cemetery amazed me today. It was a friend on Yelp (Carissa) that inspired me to visit here on Veterans Day. (I usually just visit one Veterans Cemetery). The grounds are immaculately maintained here. The land has hills and amazing trees and shrubs. The head stones and memorials are amazing - most are very old and historic. There are a lot of vets here. There is an amazing history here. The views are moving. I sure am glad my son (also a Vet) and I came here today and spent time to show gratitude and to take in the history and the beauty. A side note- while my son and I were about to leave - 2 ladies pulled up in a car and asked us if we saw a big Cedar Tree with a Cherry Tree growing out of it. They showed us a book that stated this tree was here and it was a book of Historical Trees of Virginia. We hadn't seen it but started out hunting it. We found the tree and it was most amazing. I'll post a photo or 2 of it. I've added photos from the cemetery already. This is a place I will have to visit again soon.

I lived in Suffolk for two years before I discovered this place. My parents were visiting and they…read moresuggested we check it out. Besides being full of history, the cemetery is such a beautiful, relaxing oasis to take a stroll. I imagine it would be most lovely in the fall due to all of the wonderful trees surrounding the area. There is a brochure you can pick up at the Seaboard Museum and it will give you details for a walking tour. I took more pictures when I went but unfortunately cannot find them. :(

This beautiful & well maintained cemetery lays adjacent to H.D. Oliver Funeral Apartments & Eastern…read moreShore Chapel Episcopal Church. It is on the north side of the dead end section of Laskin Road as that street approaches Great Neck Road from the east. The tree filled cemetery is a serene final resting place. The only interruption is the sound of low flying fighter jets landing at Oceana Master Jet Base. But somehow that feels fitting, especially when laying to rest a long time resident of our city. Look here for history also. Many burials & tombstones from centuries ago have been moved to this cemetery as development encroachment disturbed what was meant to be their final resting place. One's heart may be sad as a dear family friend is laid to rest. But leaving them in such a peaceful place is a comfort.

The Albert G. Horton Memorial Cemetery is a State Veterans Cemetery on Milners Road in a rural area…read moreof Suffolk. Its 2004 opening provided a military cemetery for the huge military community that chose to retire in Coastal Virginia. The cemetery is one of a number of regional cemeteries run by the Virginia Department of Veterans Services, Eligible Veterans receive one free burial site & USDVA provided outer burial receptions/crypts & headstones. Should a veterans's wife predecease him, the headstone is inscribed with her information facing forward. When the veteran dies his information is inserted on the opposite side and the headstone rotated so his information faces the front, My Uncle had originally planned to be buried at Arlington. After his wife died, the funeral director mentioned Albert Horton. When we left my Uncle asked what I thought. We both had individually felt that it would be a place where we could more easily visit her. We toured the next day. Even the drive down Milners Road is picturesque. The cemetery itself was clean, new and beautifully laid out. The staff was friendly. The decision was made. At that time word of the beautiful Veterans Cemetery had not yet widely spread. She received a convenient plot near the drive through and near a bench. There appeared to be space for burials for many years. That hasn't been the case. The Cemetery filled over the years and has been expanded. When my Uncle died I had my first experience with the Pavilion, which is used to provide a military graveyard service with Honor Guard. It was a moving experience for the man I considered my second father. The Honor Guard was a special final recognition for the retired Naval Commander, buried in his uniform, who had served in WWII, Korean & Vietnam. Albert Horton Veterans Cemetery continues to serve as a valued source for a final resting place for those who have served our country. Wreaths across America places gorgeous holiday wreaths on each grave. The Horton Wreath Society places wreaths on military holidays. Contributions can be made and are encouraged. Whether the burial be a traditional plot with stone, a columbarium or in ground urn, there is no cost for those Veterans who qualify. Thank you to the Virginia Department of Veterans Services. Virginia Veterans Cemeteries are such a valued contribution provided to our Veterans.

It is a beautiful setting....My husband thinks it is too far out.... but, I don't think it…read morematters...to get a lot of land you have to go far out.

This cementry is right next to Princess anne park and the farmer's market. I visit this place…read morefrequently because of one of my Loved ones that passed away. It's an inground cementry where the "headstones" are laying face up.You can lay flowers, flags or other memorabilia you like for yourloved ones, too. The grounds are well-taken care of , which is a plus in my books. You will hear an occasional rumbling of navy jets flying over @ certain times but jet noise doesn't bother me.

Not a place I thought I would ever be reviewing but here goes. The main building was nice and…read moreclean, friendly staff. The grounds were well maintained. I liked the walkways throughout so I didn't have to necessarily step on other graves. That's pretty much it.

We were in Chesapeake ready to head back to Virginia Beach when I remembered wanting to visit the…read moreburial place of African American Civil War Medal of Honor recipient Sgt Miles James. There is a historical marker for him at the Virginia Beach Municipal Cemetery since he was a native of Princess Anne County, now Virginia Beach. Researching Sgt James history I learned he was buried in Norfolk. It turned out to be the part of Norfolk County annexed by the City of Chesapeake. The cemetery was the Sgt March Corprew Family Cemetery, As we approached the turn to Bells Mill Road there was a sign pointing to Unknown & Known Afro-Union Civil War Soldiers Memorial. The location of the memorial was in the midst of the Sgt March Corprew Family Cemetery. The Memorial is the only one of its kind located in Virginia. The location is in a cemetery purchased in 1872 by Sgt March Corprew, a member of the 2nd United States Colored Troops Calvary. The Memorial was founded by a Great Grandson of Sgt Corprew, who fought in the Battle of Suffolk and survived the Civil War. The mission is to preserve the legacy of the 200,000 black soldiers who volunteered to fight for the Union. The location is a peaceful, beautiful plot of land protected from the city's bustle. It's meticulously maintained with benches and overhanging old trees. A deep ditch surrounds the cemetery with only one narrow strip of grass that one can park on. A feeling of joy and peace enters one's being standing in the midst of the burial sites and memorial for those men who had risked so much to help protect the Union. May she stand without division, each holding the hands of the generations that follow.

This visit to the U.S. Colored Troops cemetery was full of emotion. We parked across the street and…read morewalked over. There was a display by the City of Chesapeake honoring all the members of the U.S. Colored Troops from the city. The display was very nice and contained great information about some key military leaders and conflicts that they fought and won during the Civil War. It was sobering to see these headstones, some needed to be cleaned and preserved. I imagine that will be a pricey project. The City of Chesapeake keeps the cemetery well maintained and it looks like visitors come through quite a bit. I wish there was a way to create a paver or stone walkway. I understand that would be difficult because it appears the cemetery has shifted a little since the headstones were placed there. I commend City of Chesapeake for preserving the memories of the Colored Troops who fought for the freedom of their fellow man. I will go back and say a prayer for all of them. They were worthy of recognition.

Choosing a funeral home to take care of your loved one is not easy. Its stressful, emotional, and…read morethere are time limits to get things taken care of. I chose O.H. Smith for my uncle's services. Well known and respected in the community, they are one of the oldest funeral homes in Newport News. My uncle would be proud to know he was being cared for by his childhood neighbourhood. Available around the clock, we confirmed, they retrieved my uncle from the hospital, and setup a date to discuss details. The options were on a sliding scale rate and had favourable economic options. We chose direct cremation for its affordability. There is an option to have a funeral with the dressed body for viewing followed by cremation, but its more costly. And with no processional. My uncle was a veteran, and they took care of the cemetery arrangements along with scheduling color guard sendoff. When plans to have his memorial at a church fell through, they had the availability for the day we wanted and available minister provided for our service. The entire process, I felt respected and cared for. No matter how many questions, I had some form of an answer provided. Each step I had clear instructions which you need in this kind of event, and they kept me accountable. Mr. Otis and his family are a blessing. We were going to have a keyboardist/singer and was told they have a keyboard they could use. We chose to provide our own music after all. On the day of the memorial, they were "Johnny on the spot" as my mom says. I had nothing to worry about, it truly went smoother than my expectation. They provided the programs and did a fantastic job! We managed to spend shy of an hour for our intimate memorial. The color guards came at the end while TAPS played and presented my cousin the flag (it was a rainy day so no rifle detail). It was such a heartwarming moment. At the end of the memorial, I retrieved my uncles remains as we plan to take him to the cemetery ourselves and O.H. Smith scheduled the appointment to arrive. Overall, from the time they picked him up to the memorial was 18 days (by our own choosing). If we wanted a memorial right after cremation, it could have been a good week on average earlier. I can see now why my family keeps them in mind during a time in need. They are outstanding professional.

It's hard to put my profound gratitude into words regarding Tidewater Vault & Monument, but I will…read moredo my best. Two months ago, a precious 3.5 year old boy passed away unexpectedly, and I had the honor of walking alongside his mother in selecting a headstone to serve as a lasting memorial at his resting place. While the cemetery offered headstone options, they were extremely overpriced and lacked the originality and creativity that she sought. We visited other memorial/monument companies but reached out to Mr. White after being given a referral from someone in the funeral industry. This was by far, the best referral we could've been given. From the very first contact through installation, Mr. White was professional, patient and understanding. His knowledge, expertise and custom design options set him apart in the monument industry. He is able to provide offerings to meet your budget without compromising the quality of the finished product. The laser etching elevated the design and surpassed our expectations. While the pain of loss lingers, we find peace in knowing there is a permanent memorial that captures King's love of dinosaurs and joyful spirit. In the future, should this need arise again, Tidewater Vault & Monument will be my first and only choice. My sincere appreciation to Mr. White for his integrity and commitment to excellence!