The largest civilian cemetery in the Southeast holds the history of
famous and infamous alike.
In 1884, several leading citizens purchased 577 acres to open Atlanta's
Westview Cemetery. The rolling terrain, part of which was a site in the
Civil War battle of Ezra Church, became the final resting place for more
than 100,000 people. Prominent locals buried here include Grant Park
namesake L.P. Grant, author Joel Chandler Harris, High Museum benefactor
Harriet High, Coca-Cola founder Asa Candler Sr. and Havertys founder
J.J. Haverty. The cemetery's Westview Abbey mausoleum is one of the
nation's largest, with more than eleven thousand crypts. Throughout its
history, Westview dabbled in other business ventures, including a
cafeteria, a funeral home and an ambulance service. And for decades, the
cemetery's Westview Floral Company sold flowers to lot owners and local
businesses, leading to its own advice column in the Atlanta
Constitution. Author Jeff Clemmons traces the complete history of this
treasured necropolis.