Sunset Hill Cemetery

Notable burials

• Colonel William S. West, 1849‐1914. Builder of The Crescent and United States Senator. Section B204, Block L‐2, Lot 243.
• Hobart Baird Edwards, Sr. 1897‐1959. WWI veteran, Pro‐tem of Georgia Senate, Mayor of Valdosta, Recorders Court Judge.
• James O’Rourke, 1848‐1902. Circus employee and elephant trainer from New Orleans who was killed by his female elephant, Gypsy. While on route to Valdosta, Gypsy became extremely agitated. At a train stop six miles away from Valdosta, O’Rourke tried to calm the animal, but the elephant went wild, crushed O’Rourke, and escaped the train. The elephant was chased over downtown streets, and out to Cherry Creek, where it was eventually killed and buried. O’Rourke's grave features a small obelisk. Section C402, Block 5, Lot 12.

  History