Pretty Southern is privileged to be part of the Historic Oakland Cemetery Ambassadors program. We recently toured this Atlanta landmark visiting graves of thousands of Southerners including two of our favorites: Bobby Jones and Margaret Mitchell Marsh. You can scroll down below for photos, but first we wanted to let y’all know about a cool event happening this Friday and Saturday, July 11 and 12.
Oakland Cemetery is now offering a guided walking tour – Malts & Vaults of Oakland: Where Beer Meets History. The tour adds to Oakland’s existing repertoire of 14 specialty tours and the additional “Sights, Symbols and Stories” tour. Authors Ron Smith and Mary O. Boyle of “Atlanta Beer: A Heady History of Brewing in the Hub of the South” will be onsite during the tours. Be sure to purchase a copy in our museum shop then have then sign it for you! At the end – your tour receipt is redeemable for $5 off at Six Feet Under in Grant Park. No beer will be served during the tour, but that receipt will get you a brew or appetizer. Get your tickets at OaklandCemetery.com. It’s $10 for adults, and $5 for students & seniors. Ya hear that college kids? For those of y’all above 21, that’s a free tour of Oakland Cemetery and a beer!
Now here are a few of our favorite photos of Atlanta’s Historic Oakland Cemetery

The beginning of our tour at Oakland Cemetery

Margaret Mitchell Marsh’s Grave in Historic Oakland Cemetery

The Grave of Bobby Jones – legendary golfer. Leave a golf ball for a blessing.

The Jewish family graves in Oakland Cemetery.

Ollivette Eugenia Smith Allison – a true lady
Of all the magnificent headstones and mausoleums we saw that day, there was a simple one that left me in awe. The prayer on the grave of Ollivette Eugenia Smith Allison. She was called the “Great Mother” for her work at the Carrie Steele-Pitts Home – and she loved elephants. Her grave is a mother elephant, with her trunk draped across a young elephant.
The prayer from Miss Ollivette is one that might be the ultimate prayer of thankfulness and gratitude…even from beyond the grave.
O God, I thank Thee for food, clothing, shelter, love, and understanding. For friends who are necessary for me to grow, to be a strong and respectable person. Grant me self-control, self-respect, and peace within. Amen.
“The two most important things that anyone can give a child are time and love. I’m never too busy to talk with a child. If I see a child who’s stressed, someone who’s having a bad day, I’ll go and spend time with them right away. If a child comes into my office while I am on the phone, I’ll hold her hand until I am finished talking and then I’ll give her a hug and ask her how she is.”
Amen indeed. For the living, keep up with Oakland on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
Ms. Allison (the lady with the Elephant headstone) was also the sweetest person I have ever known. She did not need the spotlight and in a world where everyone wants to show off that is really saying something about her character. Our dear family friend grew up as one of the girls in Carrie Steele-Pitts, and her laugh was the giggle of a young lady. She loved those kids. She never let anyone call it an orphanage. She called it a home for children and would remind us that all the children there had parents and her ultimate goal was to reunite them. She would really laugh and giggle if she knew she was well known for her elephant tombstone. She was a devoted member of the African-American Delta Sigma Theta Sorority and their symbol was the elephant. Thus the collection of elephant related paraphernalia (always with the trunk pointing up for luck!) and it is very appropriate that it is holding a child in its arms. It so reflects her love for both the animal and all the children she helped. A wonderful example of how one person can touch the lives of many!
This is such an interesting place to visit! I think the elephant is so interesting. I’ve been a few times and never saw it.