Natchez City Cemetery
Natchez, Mississippi

Located just north of downtown Natchez on Cemetery Road and overlooking the Mississippi River, the Natchez City Cemetery was established in 1822 on 100 acres of land.

Natchez' initial cemetery was in downtown where Memorial Park and St. Mary’s Cathedral are today. When the cemetery was moved to its present location, the remains from the old burial ground were gradually moved to the "new" cemetery. Grave markers date back to deaths in the late 1700s.

Numerous beautiful, creatively designed iron fences, benches, iron mausoleum doors, tombstones and monuments are found within the cemetery.

The popular Angels on the Bluff tour is held in November. This production presents local citizens who portray individuals buried at the cemetery, and many of the local actors are descendants of individuals they are portraying. This yearly event always sells out. For dates and more information, click here.

Be sure to see The Turning Angel - an angel monument overlooking five headstones, each with the same date of death. On March 14, 1908 there was an explosion at the Natchez Drug Company killing numerous people. The owner of the Natchez Drug Company was so devastated that he purchased a lot to bury his employees (as young as 12 years old) and he purchased this angel monument to place at their gravesite. The monument is called the ‘The Turning Angel’ because at night when cars drive by on Cemetery Road their headlights shine upon the monument and to some the angel appears to turn as their car passes by.

Florence Irene Ford: September 3, 1861 - October 30, 1871
Florence was extremely frightened of storms and whenever one occurred she would rush to her mother. Florence died of yellow fever when she was 10. Her mother was so struck with grief that she had Florence's casket constructed with a glass window at the child’s head. The grave was dug to provide an area, the same depth of the coffin, at the child’s head. Steps allowed the mother to descend to her daughter’s level so she could comfort Florence during storms. In the mid 1950s a concrete wall was built at the bottom of the stairway covering the glass window of Florence’s coffin to prevent vandalism.

Touring Options, More Information and Location Map

The cemetery is open from 7:00 a.m. until dusk. Everyone is welcome to tour the cemetery at his or her leisure. CDs to guide your individual tour are available at the Natchez City Cemetery Office (Shelter House on-site) or at the Natchez Visitor Center located downtown.

Please observe etiquette rules established by Natchez City Cemetery.

For more information, see: www.historicnatchezcitycemetery.org