Laurel Grove Cemetery, Savannah

Laurel Grove Cemetery can be found in the midtown area of Savannah, occupying a portion of what was formerly known as the Springfield Plantation. It holds significance for those interested in Civil War history and is named after its picturesque location amidst a grove of native laurel trees. The cemetery came into existence as other cemeteries in the vicinity ran out of burial space.

This burial ground is divided into two sections: the original section was exclusively designated for white individuals, now referred to as Laurel Grove North, and the section set aside for slaves and free African-Americans, known as Laurel Grove South. Laurel Grove North contains numerous graves of Civil War veterans from the Confederacy hailing from the Savannah area, while Laurel Grove South is the resting place for thousands of coastal Georgian slaves and free African-Americans.

Laurel Grove Cemetery was established in 1853 and has since become the final resting place for several notable individuals. Among them are Stephen Elliott, the 37th Bishop of the Episcopal Church in the United States; Juliette Gordon Low, the founder of the Girl Scouts of the United States of America; Florence Martus, known as "The Waving Girl"; Confederate General Lafayette McLaws, and numerous Georgian Senators, Representatives, and other politicians. Both Laurel Grove North and South are open to the public and are diligently maintained as historical and cultural landmarks with a park-like atmosphere.