Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Loading...
Loading...
Loading...
Loading...

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 Michigan United Memorial Gardens
AO Edited

United Memorial Gardens

In addition to the usual gravestones, this Michigan cemetery features a birdhouse mausoleum and an Ark of the Covenant replica.

Plymouth, Michigan

Added By
apbreuhan
Email
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list
CAPTION
From the “Facts of Life” section   apbreuhan / Atlas Obscura User
Tall Jesus knocks on the United Nations building   apbreuhan / Atlas Obscura User
Birdhouse Mausoleum   apbreuhan / Atlas Obscura User
“The Eyes of Christ”   apbreuhan / Atlas Obscura User
Statue of Cecelia Crocker, the only survivor of the Flight 255 crash   apbreuhan / Atlas Obscura User
“Michigan is God’s creation”   apbreuhan / Atlas Obscura User
Golden Lampstand and Table of Showbread   apbreuhan / Atlas Obscura User
Ark of the Covenant   apbreuhan / Atlas Obscura User
Tabernacle replica   apbreuhan / Atlas Obscura User
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list

About

Though it might look like an ordinary cemetery at first glance, when you walk through the grounds of United Memorial Gardens in Plymouth, Michigan, you'll notice quirky landmarks like a birdhouse mausoleum and a life-sized replica of the Biblical tabernacle.

The cemetery was first opened in 1929, but Ed Wensley's management in the 1950s gave the grounds a special character. Wensley offered hayrides through the grounds and let people rent paddle boats for the artificial lake in the back. He also populated the burial ground with unique structures and monuments.

The tabernacle was built in 1985, and according to Wensley, was the first to-scale replica in the world. The tabernacle was a movable dwelling-place/sanctuary used by the Israelites in the Book of Exodus. Look inside the windows of the United Memorial Gardens tabernacle, and you'll see replicas of the Ark of the Covenant, the golden lampstand, and more.

Other monuments include "the Wonders of Michigan," a series of marble pedestals boasting of Michigan tourist attractions arranged in the shape of the Lower Peninsula; the Facts of Life," where Wensley rhythmically cautions against un-Christian behavior like drug use, premarital intercourse, and non-heterosexual relationships; a statue memorializing Cecelia, the only survivor of a Detroit airplane crash; and a birdhouse mausoleum for our avian pets.

Declining health forced Wensley to sell the graveyard in 1996. While new management put an end to the hayrides and paddle-boats, the unique structures and monuments remain, and United Memorial Gardens still invites visitors to admire the grounds.

Related Tags

Gravestones Graveyards Cemeteries

Community Contributors

Added By

apbreuhan

Published

May 20, 2022

Edit this listing

Make an Edit
Add Photos
Sources
  • https://www.roadsideamerica.com/story/21285
  • https://www.roadsideamerica.com/story/21285
United Memorial Gardens
4800 Curtis Rd
Plymouth, Michigan, 48170
United States
42.344886, -83.605089
Visit Website
Get Directions

Nearby Places

Matthaei Botanical Gardens

Ann Arbor, Michigan

miles away

Food Gatherers' Giant Carrots

Ann Arbor, Michigan

miles away

Wave Field

Ann Arbor, Michigan

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Michigan

Michigan

United States

Places 268
Stories 28

Nearby Places

Matthaei Botanical Gardens

Ann Arbor, Michigan

miles away

Food Gatherers' Giant Carrots

Ann Arbor, Michigan

miles away

Wave Field

Ann Arbor, Michigan

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Michigan

Michigan

United States

Places 268
Stories 28

Related Places

  • “ANDREAS MORGENRØDT – Time Traveller – 1996–2064”

    Copenhagen, Denmark

    The Time Traveler's Grave

    Hidden in plain sight, a gravestone seemingly inscribed from the future stands among the cemetery’s historic tombs.

  • Westminster, Vermont

    Grave of William French

    This man's death led (indirectly) to Vermont's independence in 1777.

  • Enter through the gate to Kilmuir Cemetery.

    Isle of Skye, Scotland

    Kilmuir Cemetery

    An unpaid bill, a stolen stone, and a famous fashion designer rest peacefully alongside a heroine of Highlands history.

  • Three concrete slabs with small, destroyed remains of headstones sit behind a V-shaped tree opening.

    Taos, New Mexico

    The Three Brujas

    Three witches are said to be buried beneath these unmarked concrete graves.

  • Here lie the World’s Heaviest Twins.

    Hendersonville, North Carolina

    Grave of World’s Largest Twins

    Below this enormous headstone lie Billy and Benny McCrary, better known as the "McGuire Twins."

  • Gravestone of a pirate

    Lincolnton, North Carolina

    Pirate Jean Lafitte’s Grave

    Visit the secret grave of a legendary privateer who faked his own death.

  • Framingham, Massachusetts

    Graves of John Cloyce & Abraham Rice

    In 1777, two men were killed after being struck by lightning at the same time.

  • The famous recipe.

    Cascade, Iowa

    The Menster Christmas Cookie Gravestone

    A mother’s sweet tradition lives on with this unique memorial.

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.