Friendship Cemetery, located just south of Columbus, serves as a historical burial ground for 16,000 individuals. Many of the people buried here played important roles in the culture and history of Columbus. Cemetery visitors can observe burial plots of veterans from notable military conflicts like the American Revolution and the Vietnam War, as well as the plots of important figures in the founding of Columbus.

Sitting on a bluff overlooking the Tombigbee River, this 65-acre site was founded by the Independent Order of Odd Fellows in 1859. The cemetery was later deeded over to the City of Columbus in 1957, and was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1980. Local students help bring the history of Friendship Cemetery to life as they take part in “Tales from the Crypt,” an annual dramatization in which students greet visitors in the personality and dress of citizens buried in the cemetery.