On the south side of Chattanooga, beyond the eastern slopes of Lookout Mountain, among dogwood and magnolia trees, azaleas, and rhododendrons lie United States senators, community leaders, great businesspeople, celebrated athletes, judges, former slaves, and paupers. Since its establishment in 1880, Forest Hills Cemetery has been the final resting place for over 44,000 people.

A visit to Forest Hills Cemetery is an opportunity to enjoy the tranquility of a beautifully landscaped and carefully tended Victorian-era cemetery. Walking along the paths bordered by giant boxwoods, visitors understand why Victorians visited cemeteries as they did parks. A visit to Forest Hills is also a history lesson on the growth, development and history of Chattanooga.

Respectfully touring Forest Hills Cemetery, one can find tombstones marking the graves of people who contributed to local, regional, national and international developments, arts, politics, and sports, or those who lived quietly but impacted the community around them.

Some actions of those buried at Forest Hills are well known, like, General John Wilder who led a Union Brigade at the battle of Chickamauga and later served as Mayor of Chattanooga or C.E. James one of the city’s earliest developers. Some buried here forged new pathways, like Senator Newell Sanders whose support of the women’s suffrage movement led to his wife Corrine being the first woman in the state of Tennessee to cast a ballot.

There are tombstones that mark the site of heroes’ burials like Chattanooga police and firemen killed in the line of duty who rest within the Fire and Police Memorial plot. And, there are tombstones that remind of great sorrow and tragedy, like Grace Moore, the movie star and opera singer who perished in a plane crash or the children of the Florence Crittenden Home.

Among those who might not be recognized are George McConnell the 35-year-old rookie who started for the New York Yankees in 1913 or Henry Iler and Matthew Peak, firemen killed in one of Chattanooga’s great downtown fires in 1887.

Unfortunately, over the years, a few graves have been lost to perpetuity. The site of Arthur Barrett’s burial is now unknown but the records of Forest Hills show that poor Arthur’s claim to fame is that he was the first person killed by an automobile in Chattanooga. African-American newspaper editor Randolph Miller’s grave is also unmarked though the section of the cemetery where he was buried is known.

In celebration of the history of Forest Hills Cemetery, the Board of Directors invites the public to join them in a historical tour of the cemetery on Saturday, May 21, at 10 a.m. or 1 p.m. Led by Hamilton County Historian Patrice Hobbs Glass, the hour-long walking tours include the stories about some of Chattanooga’s most famous and colorful characters along with a few peeks into the lives of some lesser-known individuals.

In order to face the future challenge of perpetual upkeep of one of Chattanooga’s oldest and most prestigious cemeteries, the Forest Hills Cemetery Board of Directors is launching the Friends of Forest Hills, a non-profit group of supporters dedicated to maintaining the park-like setting of the beautiful and historic cemetery.

Forest Hills, like most cemeteries of its age, is facing three major issues. First, with each passing generation, the “old familial” ties to the cemetery are decreased. Second, today’s more transient lifestyle affects the old customs of visiting family burial plots on a regularly basis, and last, at its current size, Forest Hills’ burial capacity will be reached by 2010. Support of the Friends of Forest Hills will enable the cemetery to remain the well-maintained cemetery that it is today.

Thanks to the Community Foundation of Greater Chattanooga support of a St. Elmo local oral history project, historian Mary Barnett will be conducting interviews and making contacts at Forest Hills throughout the day on Saturday, May 21. Hoping to record more of the history of the individuals from St. Elmo, some of which are buried at Forest Hills, and to broaden the connection of the cemetery to today’s citizens, Ms. Barnett will gather family histories and memories about Forest Hills Cemetery and the St. Elmo area.

In addition, the St. Elmo Improvement League will sponsor a driving tour of historically interesting homes and an open house with refreshments at the St. Elmo Fire Hall. Driving Tour Maps will be available at the Fire Hall and at Forest Hills Cemetery. Forest Hills is interested in the family histories of those interred at the cemetery and you can contact them by email at foresthillscemetery@comcast.net or by fax at (423) 821-8740.

Forest Hills Cemetery is located at 4016 Tennessee Avenue in St. Elmo.