Step into history: Glenwood Cemetery digital walking tour will soon be available

Published on February 26, 2025

The public can soon take a digital walking tour of Huntsville’s oldest surviving African American cemetery and learn more about the notable people interred there.

Founded by the City in 1870, Glenwood Cemetery is located at 224 Blake Street NW. Since 1993, local historians such as Dr. Ollye Conley, volunteers and organizations have worked to gather data including biographical information, obituaries, photos and more on the deceased.

More recently, the Twickenham Town Chapter of the National Society Daughters of the American Revolution (NSDAR) began working to upload this information to an app for easy access by those interested in Glenwood’s history.

No burial records for Glenwood were kept until the 1950s, and there was no historical plot of the cemetery. Working with community volunteers, former Cemetery Director Joy McKee identified, located and cataloged all the graves in Glenwood, many of which were unmarked.

These efforts led to the cemetery’s listing in the Alabama’s Register of Historic Cemeteries and National Register of Historic Places in 2023.

“We are so appreciative of the hard work of so many to provide this window into the past lives of Huntsville’s African American community,” City Cemetery Director Tara Sloan said. “Glenwood is a special place, and this digital walking tour will offer the opportunity for people all over the country and world to learn more about its occupants.”

Later this year, a bronze QR code placed at the entrance to Glenwood will allow visitors to access the digital walking tour.

Visitors may also access the tour via The Clio, an educational website and mobile application that guides the public to thousands of historical and cultural sites throughout the U.S.

For more information on the City’s cemeteries, visit HuntsvilleAL.gov/cemetery.