The History of Murfreesboro Uncovered,
One Stone at a Time
From open fields to backyards, between highways and in forgotten wooded areas, you can find the history of Murfreesboro in unassuming rows of headstones. There are over 700 cemeteries within the 624 square miles that comprise Rutherford County. These cemeteries are the resting place of Revolutionary War veterans, slaves, music legends, mass graves, and names lost to time, and they’re closer to you at any given time than you might think.
In 2014, MTSU Center for Historic Preservation, Rutherford County Historical Society, Rutherford County Archives, Rutherford County Office of Information Technology and Bradley Academy Museum & Cultural Center combined efforts to complete the Historic Rutherford County Cemetery Survey. The aim of this ongoing project is to digitally map and record all of Rutherford County’s burial sites for preservation and public record.
For MTSU students interested in visiting these sites and learning more about Murfreesboro history, here are seven notable cemeteries worth checking out.
Below is a screen grab from the Rutherford County Archives website. This map was created by Rutherford County Geographic Information Systems and details known burial sites across the county.
Sites marked with a green cross represent cemeteries that are verified, purple crosses represent cemeteries that are verified but require permission to access, and orange crosses represent cemeteries that have not been located.
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Click 'Next' below to start.
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1: Old City Cemetery
The Old City Cemetery was Murfreesboro’s first public burial ground. Because of its age, this site is the final resting place for a number of Murfreesboro’s prominent families as well as Revolutionary War and Civil War veterans. This cemetery was also the site of the First Presbyterian Church, which is notable for serving as the state capitol during the 1822 legislative assembly. There’s no record of how the church was destroyed but evidence suggests it was gutted during the Civil War.
The site typically remains closed to the public. -
2: Evergreen Cemetery
The Evergreen Cemetery sits on a 20 acre plot of land the city purchased from James Maney, owner of the famous Murfreesboro Oaklands plantation. The site was originally home to a slave cemetery belonging to the plantation, but after it was established in 1873 as a public burial ground, families began transferring the bodies of loved ones to the cemetery from around the county.
This cemetery also features The Confederate Circle, a mass gravesite. The Confederate Circle was established in 1890 and contains the remains of nearly 2000 Confederate soldiers who were gathered from burial grounds scattered throughout the surrounding area. -
3: Coleman Cemetery
The Coleman Cemetery is the resting place of Uncle Dave Macon, a pioneer of early country music and one of the Grand Ole Opry’s first stars. He was well known for his showmanship and live performances and he performed nearly every Saturday night for WSM for 26 years up until his death in 1952.
Macon was posthumously inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame. -
4: William Holland Cemetery
You can find the William Holland Cemetery just outside the Hazen’s Brigade monument at Stones River National Battlefield. William Holland was a former slave who served as a sergeant with Company 1 of the 111 regiment of the U.S. Colored Infantry during the Civil War. After the war, Holland’s regiment was tasked with constructing the national cemetery and relocating the bodies of Union troops. Holland purchased a small plot of land near the cemetery where he spent the rest of his years. During this time, there was a sizeable African American community, many of whom served in the 111th regiment, centered around the national cemetery. This community was appropriately named Cemetery.
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5: Seminary Cemetery
Seminary belongs to the aforementioned African American community called Cemetery, which was established in the years following the Civil War. This site is important because it is a reminder of the early African American communities that formed following the war’s end. The Cemetery community included farms, churches and even a school.
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6: Ward’s Grove Church Cemetery
From the road, Ward’s Grove Church Cemetery looks as ordinary as they come. What you wouldn’t know is that Wards Grove was established during the early 19th century. This cemetery is surrounded by a 100-year-old stone wall and is the final resting place of several Revolutionary and Civil War veterans. Due to its good upkeep and preservation, this cemetery is one of the more remarkable.
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7: Russell Cemetery
In 1898 the Eagleville community garnered attention after they became the target of multiple grave robberies. Charles B Heimark targeted the Russell Cemetery and stole three bodies from their gravesites. One body was disposed of near the gravesite and the other two were found at a medical school in Vermont. Heimark was charged with a misdemeanor, fined $150 and served six months in jail. He later went on to practice medicine in Minnesota.