The Most Famous Graves From Different States

1. Tennessee - Elvis Presley

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Elvis Presley is buried at his colossal home Graceland in Memphis, Tennessee, and is one of the most visited grave sites in all of America. However, this isn't his first resting place - he was originally interred at Forest Hills Cemetery in the heart of Memphis, but it received so many visitors (and people tampering with the grave itself) that he was moved to the grounds of his former home.

2. Washington - Bruce Lee

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Bruce Lee was one of America's most well-known martial artists, with films like Fists of Fury now occupying a place in cinema history. Though he was born in San Francisco, he's buried in Lake View Cemetery in Seattle, alongside his son Brandon Lee, who died 20 years after his father.

3. Virginia - John F. Kennedy

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Arlington National Cemetery is one of the biggest cemeteries in the US and the most famous, as it's the resting place of military heroes, scientists, and Presidents. One of those in John F. Kennedy, whose grave is marked with an 'eternal flame'. A well-known story is that Kennedy visited Arlington not long before his death and admired this spot for its peacefulness.

4. Georgia - Martin Luther King Jr.

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One of the world's most famous figures, Reverend Martin Luther King Jr. is buried in a monumental grave alongside his wife, Coretta, in Atlanta, Georgia. The site was chosen for its proximity to the church where King was a pastor, as well as his boyhood home.

5. Massachusetts - Emily Dickinson

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Emily Dickinson lived her entire life in Amherst, Massachusetts, so it's only fitting that she's buried there. She lies in the family plot for the Dickinsons along with her father and was reportedly buried in a white coffin filled with vanilla-scented heliotrope and violets.

6. California - Marilyn Monroe

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Marilyn Monroe was a celebrity when she was alive, and continues to captivate fans even after her death. She's buried in Los Angeles, and thousands of fans come to her grave every year to leave flowers or even to plant a kiss on her crypt. So powerful is her resting place that Playboy creator Hugh Hefner even bought the crypt next to hers so he could be buried near her.

7. Illinois - Al Capone

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Al Capone was one of America's most famous gangsters, holding much of Chicago in his hands in the 1920s and controlling nightclubs and illegal liquor bars.  In 1931 he was sentenced to 11 years in jail - not for murder but income tax evasion. After he was released from prison, he moved to Florida, where he died in 1947.

8. Colorado - Buffalo Bill

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On the top of Lookout Mountain in Colorado is a museum dedicated to Buffalo Bill, the 19th-century soldier and showman. However, Buffalo Bill is also buried at the site overlooking the city of Denver, though there are some who believe that it's not actually Buffalo Bill's body that's buried there...

9. Maryland - Edgar Allan Poe

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Literature fans have been paying visits to the grave of poet and writer Edgar Allan Poe since his death in 1875. One of those was the infamous Poe Toaster, who would appear at his gravesite every year on the anniversary of his death, drink a glass of cognac, and leave three red roses. Today, still nobody knows who the mysterious toaster was.

10. New York - John Lennon

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John Lennon was assassinated in New York in 1980, and though you might think the British Beatle should be buried in Liverpool, his remains were actually buried in New York. Yoko Ono also spread his ashes in Central Park in New York City, a place that had become his home after leaving The Beatles.

11. Wyoming - Sacagawea

Image Source: yellowstonepark.comSacagawea is undoubtedly one of the most famous Native Americans in history, but a surprising amount of people still don't know who she is. Well, Sacajawea actually assisted Lewis and Clark with their famous expedition in 1804, ensuring they would reach the Pacific Ocean. After her death, she was buried in the spectacular environment of the Wind River Reservation in Wyoming.

12. Ohio - Orville and Wilbur Wright

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You might not know their first names, Orville and Wilbur, but you probably recognise the name the Wright Brothers. These two were air travel pioneers and invented the world's-first successful motor-powered airplane. The brothers are buried together in the same plot as their mother and sisters.

13. South Carolina - Chadwick Boseman

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Black Panther actor Chadwick Boseman died in 2020, and his widow made sure no expense was spared with his funeral. She paid for a mausoleum crypt in South Carolina, where the actor grew up, as well as costs for his parents to be moved to the new family crypt. The Black Panther cast actually visited his grave before starting filming for the second Black Panther movie.

14. Texas - Buddy Holly

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Singer and songwriter Buddy Holly died in a plane crash aged just 22 in 1959; he and some of his musicians had chartered a small plane to travel between shows during a hectic tour. He was buried in Lubbock, where he grew up, with his grave using the original spelling of his second name.

15. Michigan - Rosa Parks

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Rosa Parks was made famous when she refused to give up her seat for a white person while travelling on a bus in Montgomery, Alabama, in 1955. This inspired many more people to boycott the buses in Montgomery because of their racist segregation laws. After her death, she was buried next to her husband and mother in a cemetery in Detroit.

16. Florida - Julia Child

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Yes - America's greatest TV chef is actually buried under the ocean! The Neptune Memorial Reef is the resting place of dozens of cremated remains, and Julia Child is one of the people who was buried in the beautiful reef in 2004. Her remains form part of the huge site which can hold over 125,000 remains.

17. Hawaii - James Cook

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This famous British sailor met his death in Kealakekua Bay in Hawaii. He was the first documented European to arrive here on his world travels, but his visit didn't go exactly to plan. After accusing the natives of robbery and attempting to take a chieftain hostage, a fight broke out, and Cook was stabbed. Today, you can hike to the spot of his death in this peaceful bay.

18. Montana - Evel Knievel

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Famous stunt performer Evel Knievel has found his last resting place in his hometown, Butte, Montana, near the graves of his grandparents. And if you were confused - no, Knievel didn't actually die while performing a stunt, but of pulmonary disease in 2007.

19. Arizona - Frank Lloyd Wright

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Frank Lloyd Wright's grave is as stylish as the buildings he designed while alive. However, the architect isn't actually buried in the plot pictured above in Wyoming. Actually, his widow had him exhumed, cremated, and his ashes are now mixed with hers in a plot in Arizona. However, we'd recommend seeing the beautiful site in Wyoming anyway!

20. New Jersey - Walt Whitman

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This is probably one of the most extravagant graves on this list, and it's easy to see why when you consider that the eccentric poet Walt Whitman actually designed his own grave himself! He's buried in a grand tomb in his home town of Camden, New Jersey, and visitors frequently leave pennies at the iron gate that seals the tomb as a memorial.

21. Vermont - Robert Frost

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Considering he wrote some of the most peaceful American poetry, Robert Frost might be a little disconcerted to know that he's buried not far from a large Civil War battle site. The churchyard itself, though, is a beautiful landscape of golden trees and quiet paths, and Frost is buried with his wife and his children.

22. Louisiana - Fats Domino

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Legendary musician Fats Domino died at home from natural causes aged 89 in 2017 and was later buried in his home state of Louisiana. If you're not sure who he is, Fats Domino popularised rock and roll music in the 1950s and 60s and was a huge influence on later legends like Elvis Presley and The Beatles.

23. Pennsylvania - Benjamin Franklin

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It's fitting that one of the Founding Fathers of the United States is buried in Philadelphia, where he lived and worked for many years. The Christ Church Burial Ground is also the final resting place of four other people who signed the original Declaration of Independence, and Franklin shares his grave with his wife.

24. Rhode Island - H. P. Lovecraft

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Howard Philips Lovecraft pioneered the art of horror and science fiction in American writing in the early twentieth century. He died of cancer in 1937 in his hometown of Providence, New Jersey, and 40 years later, fans joined together to get a new headstone for his grave with the inscription "I am Providence."

25. Minnesota - Prince

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When Prince died in 2016, it sent shockwaves around the music world. After his death, his ashes were placed in a custom, 3D-printed model of his home, Paisley Park. Today, people from all over the world congregate in Paisley Park in Minnesota to pay respects to the legendary artist.

26. Missouri - Jesse James

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From an iconic 20th-century artist to a 19th-century criminal - the outlaw Jesse James was notorious for his train robberies, and the story of his death has more dramatic twists. He's actually been buried three times in Missouri in two different places. His final burial occurred after he was exhumed and his DNA checked to make sure it was actually him!

27. Alabama - F. Scott Fitzgerald

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Though many would associate Great Gatsby author F. Scott Fitzgerald with New York, he is actually buried in suburban Maryland along with his wife, Zelda. After his death, Zelda knew that he would want to be buried with the rest of his family, and that was in the family plot in Rockville, Maryland.

28. Mississippi - B. B. King

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Musician B. B. King died in 2015, a few years after the opening of the B.B. King Museum and Delta Interpretive Center in his hometown of Indianola, Mississippi. Naturally, he was buried at the museum that celebrates his life and achievements, and his gravestone features an inscription from one of his songs.

29. Connecticut - Katharine Hepburn

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The iconic actress was born and raised in Connecticut, so despite her life in Hollywood, it makes sense that Katharine Hepburn was buried in Hartford, Connecticut, after her death in 2003. The world-renowned actress actually requested that there be no memorial service at her burial, though the lights of Broadway were dimmed in her honour.

30. Kentucky - Muhammad Ali

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When Muhammed Ali died in 2016, he left a legacy in sports and entertainment that surpassed many others. Arguably the greatest boxer of all time, Ali was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease in the later years of his life and died from complications from a respiratory illness in 2016. At his gravesite, there are two benches where visitors can sit and contemplate his incredible life.#

31. Alaska: Will Rogers

Image Source / WordPress.comThe Will Rogers Memorial in Alaska is honour of the actor and author who starred in Wild West shows and vaudeville acts around the world. He eventually made his way to Hollywood, where he starred in movies like Laughing Bill Hyde, They Had to See Paris and State Fair.

32. Virginia: George Washington

Image Source / WikipediaThe very first president of the United States is actually laid to rest in Virginia, near his home which lies by the Potomac River. Tourists can actually visit his home and also see his grave there, as well as visiting the room where the president died at the age of 67 years old.

33. Delaware: Robert Mitchum

Image Source / Steve Hoffman Music ForumsRobert Mitchum was an actor best known for playing the tough guy in noirs and Western movies, and with all that bad boy charm came memorable performances. His family had moved to Delaware when he was younger and his childhood would see him expelled from school and getting into a lot of trouble (method actor for future roles?).

34. Idaho: Ernest Hemingway

Image Source / Atlas ObscuraHemingway is not only a famous author, but a Nobel Prize and Pulitzer Prize winning author. One of the American novelist's most famous works has to be The Old Man and The Sea. As well as fiction writing, he also had a career as a journalist.

35. Indiana: James Dean

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Famous actor James Dean, who only appeared in a few movies and tragically died too young in a car crash, is buried in Memorial Park, Fairmount, Indiana. More than 2,000 fans attended his closed-casket funeral when he was buried in Fairmount, and you can find lipstick marks and flowers on his headstone.

36. Iowa: Herbert Clark Hoover

Image Source / Gravely SpeakingHerbert Clark Hoover was the 31st president of the United States. He was born in Iowa, and is now buried there, too. He originally became a self-made millionaire through working as a mining engineer in different countries, before he went on to take the presidency.

37. Kansas: Dwight David Eisenhower

Image Source / Virtual GlobetrottingAnd Hoover isn't the only former-president to have a famous grave in a US state. The 34th president of the United States, Dwight David Eisenhower, is buried in Kansas, and he had a successful military career before he even rose to presidency, during his work for the second World War.

38. Maine: Rudy Vallee

Image Source / PinterestRudy Vallee was a famous singer as well as actor. He changed his name to Rudy - born as Hubert - in honour of the saxophonist, Rudy Wiedoeft. Before his musical career, he actually wanted to be a soldier, but after being discharged, he joined a band to entertain the troops instead!

39. Nebraska: Crazy Horse

Image Source / WikipediaYou may recognise the name Crazy Horse as belonging to the famous Oglala Sioux Indian War Leader. He was a warrior of legend who led fighters against American settlers. His fame came from not only his battle prowess, but his preserve the traditional ways of his people.

40. Nevada: Tony Curtis

Image Source / Las Vegas Review - JournalActing legend and leading man Tony Curtis was a Hollywood heartthrob who starred alongside stars such as Marilyn Monroe in Some Like It Hot. Originally brought up in poverty, he found a talent for acting and was discovered by a Hollywood talent scout after appearing in stage productions in New York.

41. New Hampshire: Alan Bartlett Shepard Jr.

Image Source / Wikimedia CommonsAlan Bartlett Shepard Jr. was a famous American astronaut, whose grave lies in the state of New Hampshire. He was ranked as the oldest man to have actually walked on the moon. He was actually born in New Hampshire, too, before he went on to attend Naval Academy.

42. New Mexico: Billy the Kid

Image Source / Fort Sumner NMBilly the Kid is a name that most people know, on account of the legendary gunslinger and outlaw from the Old West. Following his crimes, he was eventually killed by Sheriff Pat Garrett and is buried in Fort Sumner in New Mexico. His legend says he was responsible for the deaths of 21 men.

43. North Carolina: Andy Griffith

Image Source / Find a Grave Andy Griffith was an actor who was perhaps best known for his role on The Andy Griffith show where he played Sheriff Andy Taylor back in the 1960s. Another famous role of his was in the 1980s show Matlock, where he played the title character Ben Matlock.

44. North Dakota: Sitting Bull

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Another famous Sioux Indian name you may recognise, Sitting Bull was only 14 years old when he proved himself on the battle field and was given the name Sitting Bull by his father in honour of his victory. He became the chief of the Strong Hearts warrior society after killing the chief of the Crows in 1856.

45. Oklahoma: Geronimo

Image Source / TheClioNative American Indian Geronimo was a spiritual Indian leader who gained his name after the Mexicans gave it to him following a fight. Geronimo was responsible for raiding in Mexico and the United States, and was wanted by the government, actually managed to avoid capture for many years.

46. Oregon: Virgil Walter Earp

Image Source / PinterestLawman Virgil Walter Earp was also brother of Wyatt Earp, who was a lawman and gambler that took part in the famous shoot out at the O.K. Corral, of which Virgil led the lawmen shooting against the outlaws. Later in his life, Virgil travelled through states before dying of pneumonia.

47. Virginia: Tomb of the Unknown Soldier

Image Source / WikipediaIn the Arlington National Cemetery lies the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, a monument that stands in memory of an unknown soldier, as well as in the memory of all who fight and die in war. It's a tomb that is well respected, and well guarded.

48. Arkansas: Glen Campbell

Image Source / Find a GraveGlen Campbell was a famous singer, songwriter and musician, and alongside his music career he was also an actor and TV host. You might recognise the name from one of his songs, Rhinestone Cowboy! He formed his own music group, the Western Wranglers, before going on solo as a guitarist with his first hit Gentle on My Mind.

49. Illinois: Abraham Lincoln

Image Source / Mental FlossEx-president of the United States, Abraham Lincoln, is laid to rest with a very impressive tomb in Springfield, Illinois. Before it reached its burial place, Lincoln's body was actually taken by train through many of the US states so that people could see it.

50. Maryland: Edgar Allan Poe

Image Source / Atlas ObscuraThe writer whose stories were fixated on the death and the macabre is laid to rest in Baltimore, Maryland. The gravesite received mysterious attention from a person dubbed as the Poe Toaster, who would visit the grave every year and raise a toast to the writer.