Have you ever wanted to learn about Birmingham’s early history from the citizens who lived through it? Now is your chance! For the first time since the pandemic, Oak Hill Cemetery is hosting their beloved Fall History Tour on November 20.

Spaces are limited, so act fast! Click here to purchase your tickets to the Oak Hill Cemetery Fall History Tour.

Experience history at Birmingham’s oldest cemetery

Did you know that Oak Hill Cemetery is the oldest cemetery in Birmingham? Located north of downtown, Oak Hill Cemetery has been in use since at least 1869 and is the final resting place of some of the early founders of the city, including:

Fred Shuttlesworth, civil rights leader and pastor of Bethel Baptist Church
James Sloss, founder of Sloss Furnaces
Robert Henley, first Mayor of Birmingham
Henry F. DeBardeleben, industrialist and founder of Bessemer
Arthur H. Parker, namesake of A.H. Parker High School
Charles Linn, early industrialist and founder of the National Bank of Birmingham
William Mudd, builder of Arlington Antebellum Home & Garden

Since 2007, the Oak Hill Memorial Association has held an annual Fall History Tour highlighting the stories of some of the cemetery’s most colorful residents, portrayed by dedicated local actors and actresses.

“The Oak Hill Cemetery Fall History Tour is an opportunity to meet several of Birmingham’s historical figures – from Ms. Louise Wooster, Birmingham’s most well-known madam, to James Sloss of Sloss Furnaces to Birmingham’s first undertaker, Edward Erswell. Tour guides will lead attendees through Oak Hill Cemetery to visit these famous people and their monuments while learning about their lives and the cemetery itself.”
Emily Helman, Volunteer & Coordinator, Oak Hill Memorial Association

The event is hosted by the Oak Hill Memorial Association, a nonprofit responsible for maintaining the historic Oak Hill Cemetery since 1913.

BONUS: Click here to learn about Huntsville’s Maple Hill Cemetery, one of the oldest cemeteries in the state!