Elmwood Cemetery

Elmwood Cemetery is a Victorian-era burial ground north of downtown, established in 1854 and containing over 35,000 graves that span Columbia's full history. The grounds are park-like, with mature oaks and azaleas, and make for a quiet walk even if history is not your primary interest.

The cemetery is notable for its Civil War section, where Confederate and Union dead are interred in proximity, and for the graves of several significant South Carolina political figures. Self-guided walking tour maps are available at the entrance. The cemetery is open daily during daylight hours.

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The cemetery contains the graves of both Confederate and Union soldiers from the burning of Columbia in February 1865 — an unusual co-location that reflects the chaos of those days. South Carolina Governor and later US Senator Wade Hampton III is buried here, as are several other figures central to the state's post-Civil War history. The monuments range from elaborate Victorian set pieces to simple field-stone markers.

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