Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Loading...
Top Destinations
Latest Places
Most Popular Places Random Place Lists Itineraries
Add a Place
Download the App
Top Destinations
View All Destinations »

Countries

  • Australia
  • Canada
  • China
  • France
  • Germany
  • India
  • Italy
  • Japan

Cities

  • Amsterdam
  • Barcelona
  • Beijing
  • Berlin
  • Boston
  • Budapest
  • Chicago
  • London
  • Los Angeles
  • Mexico City
  • Montreal
  • Moscow
  • New Orleans
  • New York City
  • Paris
  • Philadelphia
  • Rome
  • San Francisco
  • Seattle
  • Stockholm
  • Tokyo
  • Toronto
  • Vienna
  • Washington, D.C.
Latest Places
View All Places »
Shadow Room
The Museum of Lost Tales
Sherlock Holmes Statue
Sherlock Holmes Statue
South Pole Growth Chamber
Pasties are an Upper Michigan tradition dating back to mining days.
Lehto’s Pasties
Latest Places to Eat & Drink
View All Places to Eat »
Pasties are an Upper Michigan tradition dating back to mining days.
Lehto’s Pasties
Stock up on picnic supplies with a side of history.
Horton Bay General Store
Take some of Michigan’s produce home with you.
American Spoon
The local catch is delicious fried as well.
Terry's of Charlevoix
Carlson’s Fishery is a Great Lakes institution.
Carlson’s Fishery
Recent Stories
All Stories Video Podcast
Most Recent Stories
View All Stories »
Here’s which treats you can safely lug home without risking a fine.
Dear Atlas: What International Food Can I Legally Bring Into the U.S.?
Cely’s map is not only accurate, but captures the unique characteristics of Congaree’s trees and waterways.
How One Biologist Drew a Hyper-Accurate, Ranger-Approved Map of Congaree National Park
Though they’re protected inside the park, wolves can be killed when they cross its borders.
Wolves Have a Bad Reputation. One Yellowstone Naturalist Is Trying to Fix It.
The community board at Rex’s Dino Store advertises all kinds of NYC-specific dino services.
We Visited the Dino Bodega in (Jurassic) Park Slope

No search results found for
“”

Make sure words are spelled correctly.

Try searching for a travel destination.

Places near me Random place

Popular Destinations

  • Paris
  • London
  • New York
  • Berlin
  • Rome
  • Los Angeles
Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Sign In Join
Places near me Random place
All the United States Missouri Columbia Thomas Jefferson’s Original Tombstone

Thomas Jefferson’s Original Tombstone

The obelisk meant to mark the founding father's grave at Monticello is actually on the University of Missouri campus.

Columbia, Missouri

Added By
Meg Neal
Email
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list
CAPTION
Tombstone of Thomas Jefferson at the University of Missouri.   Grey Wanderer
Thomas Jefferson tombstone at University of Missouri, 1940.   The State Historical Society of Missouri
Cozying up with Tom  
Replica of Thomas Jefferson’s tombstone at his estate in Monticello.   Tony Rice
  Collector of Experiences / Atlas Obscura User
  Collector of Experiences / Atlas Obscura User
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list

About

Thomas Jefferson had very specific instructions for the obelisk that would mark his grave upon his death. He stipulated it should be made of coarse stone and inscribed with his proudest accomplishments ("Here was buried Thomas Jefferson, Author of the Declaration of American Independence, of the Statute of Virginia for religious freedom & Father of the University of Virginia," notably omitting serving as president of the United States). He did not specify where the tombstone should be located in perpetuity, however, and perhaps he should have.

The granite obelisk was supposed to mark the founding father’s grave at Monticello, his Virginia estate, but today it instead resides on the campus of the University of Missouri, where it is locally famous but otherwise largely unknown.

The grave marker and accompanying marble epitaph were originally erected at Monticello, seven years after Jefferson's death in 1826. But in 1883, Jefferson’s descendants donated the tombstone (which at this point was in desperate need of repair thanks to visitors’ proclivity for chipping off parts of it for souvenirs) to the university in Columbia, Missouri. 

To this day the reason for the choice is not entirely clear, but it’s not entirely random either. Missouri was the first university founded within the territory acquired in the Louisiana Purchase during Jefferson's tenure as president. The school's design was even inspired by the founding father's plans for the University of Virginia, of which he was so proud.

Related Tags

Universities Tombs Gravestones Thomas Jefferson Founding Fathers Graves

Know Before You Go

The tombstone can be found in front of the Residence on Francis Quadrangle, while the marble epitaph is on display at Jesse Hall. A replica of the obelisk was erected at Jefferson's grave at Monticello.

Community Contributors

Added By

Meg

Edited By

Mark Mones, handstowork, Collector of Experiences, artstuffbylori

  • Mark Mones
  • handstowork
  • Collector of Experiences
  • artstuffbylori

Published

May 8, 2018

Edit this listing

Make an Edit
Add Photos
Sources
  • https://www.monticello.org/site/research-and-collections/jeffersons-gravestone
  • https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smithsonian-institution/from-virginia-to-missouri-to-the-smithsonian-jeffersons-tombstone-has-a-long-story-18782980/
  • https://www.columbiamissourian.com/news/local/thomas-jefferson-s-original-epitaph-rededicated-at-mu/article_c47b6bc6-6ece-11e5-bfa1-037d20041dd6.html
  • https://www.monticello.org/site/research-and-collections/jeffersons-gravestone
Thomas Jefferson’s Original Tombstone
501 S 9th St
Columbia, Missouri
United States
38.946132, -92.327881
Get Directions

Nearby Places

University of Missouri Columns

Columbia, Missouri

miles away

Neff Hall Chinese Stone Lions

Columbia, Missouri

miles away

Blind Boone House

Columbia, Missouri

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Columbia

Columbia

Missouri

Places 8

Nearby Places

University of Missouri Columns

Columbia, Missouri

miles away

Neff Hall Chinese Stone Lions

Columbia, Missouri

miles away

Blind Boone House

Columbia, Missouri

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Columbia

Columbia

Missouri

Places 8

Related Places

  • The tombstone on the wall

    Panaji, India

    Dona Paula's Tombstone

    Legends of adultery, love affairs, and charity swirl around this mysterious 17th-century Portuguese woman.

  • Two stone tombs on a raised stone platform

    New Delhi, India

    Razia Sultan Tomb

    Delhi's only female ruler is buried in this neglected, forgotten tomb.

  • David and Mabel’s graves visible on the right side of the cemetary path.

    Amherst, Massachusetts

    Graves of David and Mabel Todd

    One was an astronomer who spent his life chasing solar eclipses, the other helped make Emily Dickinson famous.

  • The altar inside the Church of San Domenico Maggiore.

    Naples, Italy

    Tomb of the First Bishop of New York

    Richard Luke Concanen never set foot on American soil.

  • Aguascalientes, Mexico

    Los Ángeles and La Cruz Graveyards

    Legends, sculptures, and unique tombs can be seen lurking in these connected cemeteries.

  • Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

    Grave of Thomas Wiltberger Evans

    The corporeal remains of Napoleon III's dentist rest under this 15-story obelisk.

  • Grave of Anders Celsius.

    Uppsala, Sweden

    Tomb of Anders Celsius

    A small church in Uppsala hides the grave of a renowned 18th-century astronomer.

  • Cambridge, England

    Ascension Parish Burial Ground

    The graveyard with the highest IQ in Britain.

Aerial image of Vietnam, displaying the picturesque rice terraces, characterized by their layered, verdant fields.
Atlas Obscura Membership

Become an Atlas Obscura Member


Join our community of curious explorers.

Become a Member

Get Our Email Newsletter

Follow Us

Facebook YouTube TikTok Instagram Pinterest RSS Feed

Get the app

Download the App
Download on the Apple App Store Get it on Google Play
  • All Places
  • Latest Places
  • Most Popular
  • Places to Eat
  • Random
  • Nearby
  • Add a Place
  • Stories
  • Food & Drink
  • Itineraries
  • Lists
  • Video
  • Podcast
  • Newsletters
  • All Trips
  • Family Trip
  • Food & Drink
  • History & Culture
  • Wildlife & Nature
  • FAQ
  • Membership
  • Feedback & Ideas
  • Community Guidelines
  • Product Blog
  • Unique Gifts
  • Work With Us
  • About
  • FAQ
  • Advertise With Us
  • Advertising Guidelines
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
  • Terms of Use
Atlas Obscura

© 2025 Atlas Obscura. All Rights Reserved.