The Richmond Haunts Blog: Spooky Tales from Near and Far

The Iron Dog - Guardian of a Little Girl

March 31st, 2024

Richmond's Hollywood Cemetery stands as one of the most prominent cemeteries in all of the United States. Its stunning landscape and thousands of gorgeous monuments make it a wonderful place to go for a walk and a solomn place of reflection and mourning. It is the final resting place for former presidents James Monroe and John Tyler; the only President of the Confederate States, Jefferson Davis; famed Richmond industrialist Lewis Ginter; Pulitzer Prize winning author Ellen Glasgow; and countless others of Richmond's past (including our legendary Richmond Vampire).

Amongst the monuments stands an iron oddity, a life-size Newfoundland dog which has faithfully stood watch over the grave of a little girl, believed to be named Bernardin Rees, for over 150 years. The Iron Dog of Hollywood Cemetery once stood guard outside a store on Broad Street, and though it is inanimate and cold to the touch, this iron dog had a friend in that of Bernardin. She would stop by every day to pet the dog and talk to it, loving it like any other furry companion.

One day however, Bernardin didn’t come to visit her iron friend, and she never would again. She had passed away in an epidemic in 1862 before she could reach the age of 3. The illness at fault isn’t known, as there were many deadly ailments in that era that could tragically send a young one to an early grave. What we do know is that Bernardin was lovingly laid to rest at Hollywood Cemetery.

As for the Iron Dog, there are a few different versions of how it came to Hollywood Cemetery to accompany its young friend.

1. The dog was moved to Hollywood to prevent it from being melted down for armaments during the Civil War. The idea was that no one would destroy a cemetery monument to cast weaponry, and it at least held true on this occasion.

2. The Iron Dog’s owner gave it to the family, recognizing how much the statue meant to Bernardin.

3. Bernardin's family purchased the Iron Dog and placed it there as a memorial themselves.

Of these three theories, the first is by far the most popular and is well-founded in historical fact. During the Civil War, the Confederate government was confiscating cast iron from many families, and in many places even church bells were not spared.

Our tale might be little more than a historical oddity if it ended there, but of course it does not. You see, just as Bernardin loved and cared for the Iron Dog when she was alive, there are those who believe that the Iron Dog looks after Bernardin in death. Stories abound of people who have heard barking and growls from what seems to be the statue as they approach Bernadine’s grave. Many people also swear that they have seen the statue move, finding that the dog is facing them as they walk past it one way and facing them again as they walk back in the opposite direction.

If you want to chance a visit to Bernardin and Iron Dog, you can find them near the intersection of Western Avenue and Cedar Avenue, not too far from the entrance of Hollywood Cemetery. It’s considered respectful and appropriate to bring a tiny gift for Bernardin, whether it be coins, a small trinket, or flowers. Make sure you let Iron Dog know that they're a "good dog" too!