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Calvary Cemetery

DESCRIPTION: Calvary Cemetery, which dates from the mid-1800's, is one of St. Louis' largest cemeteries. The graves of many noteworthy St. Louisans, including Civil War General William Tecumseh Sherman; Dred Scott, the slave who gained a place in American history when he sued for his freedom, and playwright Tennessee Williams, are here. The cemetery also contains many architecturally significant tombs and memorials.

ADDRESS: 5239 W. Florissant Avenue, St. Louis, MO 63115

LOCATION: Northwest St. Louis, 10 minutes from Downtown St. Louis

PHONE NUMBER: 314-381-1313

GETTING THERE: From Downtown St. Louis, take I-70 west to the W. Florissant exit (Exit 245B). Merge onto W. Florissant and proceed .9 miles to the entrance to the cemetery.

HOURS: The office is open weekdays, 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m.; Saturday, 8:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.; closed Sunday, holy days and holidays. The cemetery gates are open daily 8 a.m.-5p.m.

ADMISSION: Free

HIGHLIGHTS: Among the famous St. Louisans and those from leading civic families buried here are:

  • Civil War General William Tecumseh Sherman.
  • John Wesley Turner, another civil war general and a prominent St. Louis businessman.
  • Auguste Chouteau who, with Pierre Laclede, founded St. Louis.
  • Dred Scott, a slave whose suit for freedom with his wife, Harriet, became a landmark in U. S. history.
  • Early feminist author Kate Chopin.
  • Antoine Soulard, the last Surveyor-General of Upper Louisiana under the Spanish regime. His widow donated the property for Soulard Market, believed to be the oldest public market west of the Mississippi.
  • Robert Hannegan, former Postmaster General of the United States.
  • John Mullanphy, an early philanthropist, and his son Bryan, an early St. Louis mayor.
  • Alexander McNair, the first governor of Missouri after it became a state.
  • The Viviano family whose pasta empire flourished after they purchased equipment for their company at the Italian Pavilion at the 1904 World's Fair. The four columns at the gravesite represent the four brothers who founded the company.
  • Dr. Thomas A. Dooley III, a Navy doctor from St. Louis and author of several books who later spread an anti-Communist gospel while aiding refugees in Southeast Asia.
  • Playwright Tennessee Williams.
  • Gravesite and monument to the "St. Louis Warriors" - Black Eagle, Man-of-the-Morning/Speaking Eagle, No-Horns-on-His-Head and Rabbit-Skin-Leggings of the Nez Perce tribe. The four Native Americans had met and aided Lewis & Clark's Corps of Discovery during the group's transcontinental exploration.

HISTORY: Following the 1849 cholera epidemic, the city required all new cemeteries to be established beyond the city limits. In 1853 Archbishop Peter Richard Kenrick purchased more than 300 acres northwest of the city. Half of the land was to be his farm; the other half was to be a new cemetery. Calvary Cemetery was established in 1857, and later more acreage was added. Graves and tombs from many older Catholic cemeteries in the downtown area were moved to Calvary.

WHAT'S NEARBY: Bellefontaine Cemetery, another cemetery where many famous St. Louisans are buried, is adjacent to Calvary, and Lambert St. Louis International Airport is nearby.

PUBLIC RELATIONS CONTACT: Monsignor Robert McCarthy, 314-381-1313

 

Readers should call 1-800-916-0040 to request a free copy of the Official St. Louis Visitor Guide or point, click and explore St. Louis at www.explorestlouis.com