A haven of natural beauty, historical resonance, and urban energy, Sandy Springs is renowned for its harmonious contrasts. Though plenty populous and established in big business itself, the city is situated just far enough from the hustle and bustle of Georgia’s state capital, offering its residents the convenience of city life with the serenity of preserved woodlands and nature trails, the gift of museums and historic neighborhoods, and the call of adventure from the Chattahoochee River.
To put it simply, this little big town is the best of every world, making it the ideal home for a place like Arlington Memorial Park. Like a mirror of its surroundings, Arlington Memorial Park remains rooted in history while finding new ways to embrace modernity. Its presence in the heart of Sandy Springs is as natural as the bubbling brooklets from which the city gets its name and contributes to a landscape that celebrates tradition and progress in full.
Since its first burial in 1922, the park has become a cornerstone of the community. The final resting place for notable figures such as Harry “Skip” Caray Jr., the beloved announcer for the Atlanta Braves; Tom Lysiak, the Atlanta Flames hockey star who played for six seasons in the ’70s; and Millicent Jane Schneider, known in pop culture circles as the Telephone Lady for her voice recordings signaling wrong numbers, the park is a testament to enduring legacy.
Located along Mount Vernon Highway, the sprawling cemetery grounds stretch across 122 pristine acres of rolling hills, and it’s truly a sight to behold. Manicured lawns and gardens embrace sparkling lakes and fountain features, while thoughtfully shaded walking paths and sitting benches offer loved ones a peaceful ambiance and moments of comfort while paying their respects.
Chiseled stone sculptures and commemorative statues juxtapose the area’s delicate dogwoods and blooming wilderness gardens. Such opposition is often reflected throughout the park, such as with the site’s many patches of tender earth blanketing the graves beneath, while polished, unwavering niches within stone-built mausoleums reside nearby. Each resting place is different in construction yet united in purpose, cradling cherished souls with dignity.
This tradition of harmonious contrasts is nothing new to Arlington Memorial Park. Originally named Arlington Cemetery — not to be confused with the nation’s most hallowed ground in Virginia — the park has been providing a sacred place for loved ones to lay their departed for more than a century. A premier cemetery in the state of Georgia, the park is now a property of Dignity Memorial, part of Service Corporation International, and the most trusted resource in North America for funeral and memorialization services.
Because of this profound growth and recognition, the grounds have evolved over the decades to better service the population and communities they represent and support. From granite upright monuments and private family estates to placements in cremation niches and special burial services for veterans, there are numerous ways to honor loved ones at Arlington Memorial Park.
There are also sections throughout the park distinctive to faith, religion, and culture. As a nondenominational cemetery, the park embraces people from all walks of life, nurturing an inclusive environment as diverse as the blooms in its gardens.
In one cul-de-sac, Catholic priests and bishops rest atop a hill, with the garden of St. John Vianney nearby. In 2013, the park, in collaboration with the archdiocesan staff, expanded the Catholic section to include a curved columbarium with niches for priests and lay people. It now overlooks a grassy, tree-lined area, where space for traditional burial plots is guarded by a statue of St. John. In 2015, this part of the park was blessed by the archbishop.
In another prominent curvature, Beit Olam offers space for Unaffiliated, Reform, and Conservative Jewish burials, while Shalom serves as the Orthodox area. This part of the park also hosts the Arlington Hedge Estates, elegant two-plot burials with preinstalled bench and monument features, as well as the Menorah Garden, where visitors can place colorful rocks and stones on burials in remembrance, honoring an ancient Jewish tradition.
Nestled between the two is Baby Land, an area dedicated to infants. It’s here where the park in 2017 introduced the Georgia Angel of Hope, a three-stone memorial that honors babies who left the world too soon due to miscarriage, stillbirth, or infant death. A short walk south leads to the lush cremation garden. A botanical retreat outfitted with a winding walkway and soothing fountain, it’s just one of the park’s answers to the increasing popularity of cremations.
Another response to the growing demand for end-of-life alternatives is the park’s five on-site mausoleums. The newest, Legacy Chapel, opened in August 2024. It marked the first mausoleum for the park in 30 years and the first of its kind in the U.S. Like the park it calls home, it’s impossible not to note the balance of contrasts that define the new chapel space.
Spanning 59,000 square feet and two levels, the memorial structure harbors 1,900 niches and 800 crypts, with thoughtful details, including glass-front illuminated panels for viewing urns or keepsakes and double-size resting options for family members to spend eternity together. On the exterior, a wraparound porch sets the mood to Southern charm, while inside, porcelain flooring, granite walls, and chandelier-adorned ceilings elicit formalities.
Contemporary and sleek, the mausoleum certainly stands out, but it also fits right in with the rest of the features and elements of Arlington Memorial Park. The traditional burials, the estate arches, the columbarium, the Menorah Garden, the legacies of those who have come before us — they all work to blend past and present seamlessly, as one does in life, creating perfect harmony now and for the next hundred years.
