Bellefontaine Cemetery and Arboretum (4947 West Florissant, 314-381-0750) is holding trolley tours on select Saturdays running through Black History Month.
Bellefontaine is the oldest garden cemetery west of the Mississippi and its history predates the Civil War. The tour covers three of the fourteen miles of roadway within the unsegregated cemetery and notes the final resting places of people who lived free and people who were enslaved.
“We have a very rich African-American history in St. Louis,” says Dan Fuller, master guide and Bellefontaine Cemetery and Arboretum volunteer coordinator, “Unfortunately, I don’t think it’s expressed enough.”
Not only is it a cemetery, the beautiful grounds of Bellefountaine are also a class two arboretum on the Morton Society scale. While learning about the rich history at Bellefontaine, nature-loving visitors can admire the 9,000 trees on the grounds that represent 500 different species.
Two of the trees might stand out a bit more than the rest and that is not without reason. Bellefontaine is the home to two state champion trees: Both the largest Shingle Oak and Red Mulberry tree in Missouri can be found at Bellefontaine.
Fuller says the snow on the trees is a spectacular sight to see. If weather permits there is the opportunity to disembark the trolley to go graveside and hear stories about the people buried there. The trolley itself is climate controlled, although it is advised to wear weather-appropriate clothing.
“This is an opportunity to learn about some very important and dynamic people who were with us prior to the civil war up to contemporary times,” says Fuller.
African American History Trolley tours are going on February 5 and February 26, starting at 10:00 am or 1:30 pm. Tickets are required with a suggested donation of $5. Reserve a spot on BellefontaineCemetery.org.
Search
Bellefontaine Cemetery Honors St. Louis Black History With Trolley Tours
All material © 2025 Riverfront Times, St. Louis, MO. All rights reserved.
