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Woodmen of the World Design originates from a large privately held insurance company based in Omaha, Nebraska. The purpose of Woodmen of the World was to make life insurance affordable to everyone, and for a time, all insurance policies included a tombstone shaped like a tree stump. The history of this organization includes numerous philanthropic efforts, community outreach projects, and its distinctive tombstones found across the country. The iconic tombstones were discontinued by 1930.


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For over 160 years Elmwood cemetery has been serving Charlotte citizens. The first recorded burials date back to 1855. Many of Charlotte’s prominent citizens are buried in Elmwood. The cemetery has grown from 25 acres to over 70 acres which includes the 9th Street Pinewood African American cemetery. Throughout the years as family members would pass on, families would plant different species of trees in remembrance of their loved one. This is how many of the trees in Elmwood have grown into the beautiful specimens they are today. Elmwood Cemetery is also significant as an integral part of the center city’s urban landscape. Like many urban cemeteries in the nineteenth century, Elmwood served as a place of respite for the living as well as the dead. Elmwood’s strategic location and neatly kept, shady lawns attracted many Charlotteans looking for a place in town to take their family walks and Sunday picnics. As one of the few green spaces remaining in the heart of center city Charlotte, Elmwood still serves as a place for residents and workers seeking relief from the noise and bustle of the city. The cemetery division is part of the landscape division for the city of Charlotte. The city would like to share to the public the different species of tree’s that have been planted throughout the years.

Elmwood Cemetery is one of Uptown Charlotte’s most unique and historic locations. Did you know it’s also a certified arboretum? City of Charlotte Arborists will give tips on how to identify some of the special trees in the cemetery.  The Cemetery Manager will discuss the cemetery, its monuments and historical figures buried there.

 

For over 160 years Elmwood cemetery has been serving Charlotte citizens. The first recorded burials date back to 1855. Many of Charlotte’s prominent citizens are buried in Elmwood. The cemetery has grown from 25 acres to over 70 acres which includes the 9th Street Pinewood African American cemetery. Throughout the years as family members would pass on, families would plant different species of trees in remembrance of their loved one. This is how many of the trees in Elmwood have grown into the beautiful specimens they are today. Elmwood Cemetery is also significant as an integral part of the center city’s urban landscape. Like many urban cemeteries in the nineteenth century, Elmwood served as a place of respite for the living as well as the dead. Elmwood’s strategic location and neatly kept, shady lawns attracted many Charlotteans looking for a place in town to take their family walks and Sunday picnics. As one of the few green spaces remaining in the heart of center city Charlotte, Elmwood still serves as a place for residents and workers seeking relief from the noise and bustle of the city. The cemetery division is part of the landscape division for the city of Charlotte. The city would like to share to the public the different species of tree’s that have been planted throughout the years.George Randolph Scott graveOur first stop, the George Randolph Scott grave, is the most visited gravesite in the cemetery. George Randolph Scott was an American film actor whose career spanned the years from 1928 to 1962. His most enduring image is that of the tall-in-the-saddle Western hero. Out of his more than 100 film appearances over 60 were in Westerns.

Welcome to the Treetops &amp; Tombstones: Charlotte's Supernatural Arboretum City Walk Tour! This leisurely tour through the Historic Elmwood Cemetery will be no longer than 1 mile and is accessible for cyclists and pedestrians. Elmwood Cemetery is one of Uptown Charlotte’s most unique and historic locations. Did you know it’s also a certified arboretum? City of Charlotte Arborists will give tips on how to identify some of the special trees in the cemetery. The Cemetery Manager will discuss the cemetery, its monuments, and some of the historical figures who are buried here.

Treetops & Tombstones: Charlotte's Supernatural Arboretum

China Fir trees are native to China, identified by the needles whorled around the stem and bark that peels off in strips. Interestingly enough, and its location fitting, the wood is used to make coffins.


China Fir Tree

Sassafras is a native tree with pretty spring flowers and large, interesting leaves that turn beautiful colors in the fall. Its identifying characteristic is its three leaf shapes, ovate, shaped like a mitten or cut into three wide lobes. It is the main ingredient in traditional root beer.


Sassafrass Tree

The bark on this native tree resembles alligator skin with thick, short furrows that form square blocky ridges. The tree's glossy dark green, simple leaves turn reddish-purple in the fall. In the late spring, yellow fragrant bell-shaped female flowers give way to orange edible fruit in the fall. The fruit is loved by wildlife. The wood is dark brown, heavy, hard, shock resistant, and commonly used for golf clubs.

Persimmon Tree

The dogwood tree has many identifying characteristics: 1. The bark of dogwood is pebble-like; 2. In the fall, leaves turn bright red; 3. Leaves have smooth edges and parallel veins; 4. Its leaves and branches are opposite one another. The white "petals" of this native, small maturing tree are modified leaves (called bracts) and the actual flowers are small yellow/green clusters in the middle of the bracts. The wood is extremely hard and is used for handles and golf club heads


Dogwood Tree

This native tree features flowers with fringe-like hanging petals in spring.
The flowers give way to dark hanging fruit in the late summer/fall – which are a great source of food for birds. The dried roots and bark were used by Native Americans to treat skin inflammations. 


Fringetree

Rachel Jones is considered to be the first newspaper woman in North Carolina. She became editor of the North Carolina Whig in 1860 when the paper's creator and editor, her husband Thomas Jefferson Holton, died unexpectedly from injuries sustained in a buggy accident. Her epitaph goes on three sides of the memorial.


Rachel Jones Epitah 

This iconic southern tree has large, lustrous dark green leaves with a soft, rusty underside.  Although an evergreen tree, some leaves are shed each fall. The large, creamy white flowers have a lemony fragrance.  
Large, woody seed pods support multiple red, bean-shaped seeds are shed in the fall. Fossils have revealed that magnolia plants existed at least 20 million years ago.


Southern Magnolia

Willow oaks are the iconic Charlotte tree as they are common trees planted along many streets.  
These native trees are tolerant to urban pollutants and tolerate a wide range of soil types.  
The narrow-leaf shape leads this tree to be commonly, but incorrectly, called pin oak (a separate species of oak whose leaves do not resemble willow oak leaves).    

Willow Oak

Dedicated in 1993, most of the headstones in this section are in remembrance of the people who fought in the civil war and never returned home. 

Confederate Section 

White Oak is one of the preeminent hardwoods of eastern North America. Its leaves have 7-9 rounded lobes. Its bark is light gray, irregularly furrowed, or broken into rectangular plates separated vertically from the trunk. White oak wood has a closed cellular structure, making it water- and rot-resistant. Because of this characteristic, white oak is used to make wine and whiskey barrels as the wood resists leaking. 


White Oak

A medium-sized, hardy pine. Dark bluish-green needles appear in bundles of two.  Brown cones 1.5 to 2.5" long are usually not produced until the tree reaches 20 years old. Attractive reddish-brown bark forms in scaly plates on mature trees.

Short Leaf Pine

Water Oaks are part of the red oak group and are native to the eastern US. While they are a good food source for animals, water oaks tend to have poor unions and are prone to breaking. The leaves are tardily deciduous with many trees retaining green leaves throughout the winter.

This concludes the Treetops & Tombstones City Walks tour. City Walks Charlotte would love to hear from you about your experience participating in this year's tours. To take a brief survey, click the link at the bottom of this page. 

Treetops and Tombstones: Charlotte's Super Natural Arboretum

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