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Tour Michael Jackson Cemetery, The Day After He Died [Video]

June 28, 2009 By Gus in Miami: Travel NewsMiami: Things to Do  | 7 Comments

Above: Watch a narrated tour video of the Michael Jackson cemetery, filmed the day after he died.

Last week, if you were a Miami tour guide and someone asked you to take them to see the Michael Jackson cemetery, only one place would come to mind - the Coconut Grove Bahamian Cemetery - which locals know as the place where Michael Jackson filmed his “Thriller” music video.

Now, Miami Tour Company does not claim this is the cemetery where the big dance number was filmed, that was shot inside an old meatpacking plant in East LA, but the director’s second unit crew did shoot some B-roll footage here.

The cemetery is one of the secret spots we visit on our award winning City Tour. We get there by driving the back way down Loquat Avenue, where all the hippies used to live in Coconut Grove.

From the tour:

If you look out the window, you’ll notice an unusual graveyard you may have actually seen somewhere before.  This is the Coconut Grove Bahamian cemetery, also known as Charlotte Jane Memorial Park.  It was first used as a final resting place in 1906, when Bahamian immigrants moved a former cemetery here from another location.  It employs the above-ground burial style used in the Bahamas. Since the cemetery is located at sea level, any flooding would cause the caskets to float around. Keeping the departed about a foot apart from each other in above-ground stone caskets can assure they stay in place.  And if you feel it has a spooky aura, you’re not alone.  In 1983, pop star Michael Jackson chose this as the filming location for his famous music video “Thriller”!

Rest in peace, Michael.

Your music will live forever.

And the Coconut Grove Bahamian Cemetery will always be a special place we can visit to remember you.

Would Anyone Like To Visit The Cemetery?

If you are traveling with people who do not speak English, Miami Tour Company offers City Tours narrated in 5 languages: English, Spanish, French, Italian, and German.

Let us show you around!

If you’d rather drive yourself, the cemetery is located at 3575 South Douglas Road Miami, FL 33231.

Related Categories: Tours Miami: Travel News, Miami: Things to Do,

Gus Moore heads up Miami Beach 411 as site administrator. You can reach him at 1-305-754-2206.

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7 Comments on

"Tour Michael Jackson Cemetery, The Day After He Died [Video]"

Jess says:

Oh wow, I didn’t know that!!!
OK…It’s time to take the tour grin

Posted on 06/28/2009 at 9:47 AM

Gus says:

Awesome! When do you want to go?

The cemetery is a very interesting place, but there are at least another hundred interesting spots we talk about on the tour.

If you’re wondering what’s up with the news crews at the end of the video, I filmed it the day after Michael Jackson died. We stopped the bus and a few of our passengers were interviewed on TV.

It was a very exciting day!

Please invite everyone at the office for a free tour, whenever they want to go.

Posted on 06/28/2009 at 10:10 AM

Jess says:

I definitely will, there are some huge MJ fans here.

Thanks Gus! I am really looking forward to going on the tour!

Posted on 06/29/2009 at 10:02 AM

scoop says:

It’s not true. Watch The Making of Thriller. The whole thing was filmed on a Soundstage.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gh61_v8pYnI

Posted on 06/29/2009 at 11:06 PM

Gus says:

Scoop, like I said in the second paragraph of the post, we don’t claim the big dance number was filmed in the cemetery, but some of the background shots where shot here. The location also inspired many of the storyboard drawings for the cemetery they built on the soundstage.

Channel 10 interviewed a local historian who was here the night filming took place. Would you like to see her interview?

Posted on 06/30/2009 at 5:31 AM

Mario says:

If there’s a free tour, let me know. Good to know that the cemetery contributed to pop culture in such a way.

Posted on 06/30/2009 at 5:07 PM

Gus says:

Mario it’s always free for you and your friends!

There’s been some talk as to weather or not the cemetery was part of the production.

I can assure you it was.

So can WPLG Channel 10:

- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M02e4ldwqM8

- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sD0i7iDCAbw

And WGEN Channel 8 (En Español):

- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3aV_xjoa9pE

You got the scoop here first.

Posted on 06/30/2009 at 5:47 PM

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