The History of Maple Hill Cemetery

By Abigail Harrison, DHI Communications Coordinator

The oldest municipally owned cemetery in Alabama is located right here in downtown Huntsville. 

Maple Hill Cemetery was established in 1822 when the city of Huntsville purchased two acres of land from Leroy Pope, one of Huntsville’s first settlers, and it now extends to nearly 100 acres and holds more than 80,000 graves.

The cemetery is the resting place of five former Alabama governors, five U.S. senators and ten U.S. congressmen, such as Thomas Bibb, Reuben Chapman, John Williams Walker, and Clement Comer Clay. A former Major League Baseball player, a women’s suffrage activist, and an automobile magnate are also buried there.

Over the decades, the cemetery markers were damaged from weather and other elements. In 1984, the Huntsville Pilgrimage Association was formed by a group of citizens who wanted to preserve and restore the cemetery. 

In the 1990s, the association decided to host a cemetery stroll to tell the stories of some of the influential people buried there.

“It’s really a great way to learn a little more about the history of Huntsville,” said Natasha Parker, board member of Huntsville Pilgrimage Association.

The stroll features costumed characters that stand near the gravesites and perform brief monologues that tell the tales of Huntsville’s dearly departed. The actors must thoroughly research the history of the characters in order to portray them accurately.

This year, the Cemetery Stroll will feature 58 characters. Most of the characters are buried in the cemetery, but some are visitors or are important to the history of Huntsville in some other way.

One of the most beloved characters, Lily Flag, will be in attendance. Lily was a world-famous Jersey cow that produced 11,339 pounds of milk and 1,047 pounds of butter in 1892, which led to her being entered in the Chicago World’s Fair that year. Her owner, General Samuel H. Moore, is buried at Maple Hill and accompanies Lily during the stroll.

The Cemetery Stroll is on Sunday, October 15 from 1:30 - 4:30 PM. People are invited to come and go as they would like during the timeframe. Along with the stroll, there will be scavenger hunts for kids, photo booths, and other presentations. The event is free, but donations are appreciated to help fund Huntsville Pilgrimage Association initiatives. 

Parking is limited around the cemetery. Attendees are encouraged to park in downtown Huntsville and take the free shuttle bus to the cemetery. On-street parking is free in downtown on Sundays, and the Lincoln/Holmes and Clinton parking garages are also available.