City Cemetery (1798)
This was another chance encounter, as I was previously under the impression that Oakwood and the Raleigh National Cemetery were the oldest ones in town.
City Cemetery is the oldest cemetery in Raleigh. It was established by an Act of the North Carolina General Assembly in 1798. It began as a four acre tract: two acres for burial of local residents, one acre for visitors, and one acre for blacks. Land was added in the 1840’s establishing its current boundary which encompasses more than 7 acres. Actual records of the cemetery were destroyed by fire in the 1890’s and again in the early 1930’s. The only existing records are those made by past Superintendents. The City Cemetery is surrounded by an iron fence that once was located at the State Capitol.
City Of Raleigh, Cemetery Study
Perhaps the most famous person buried here is Joel Lane, best known for his direct part in the decision to locate the state capital in Wake County and for donating 1,000 acres of his property which would later become the city as we know it today. Lane Street was named in his honor.
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06/02/2008
Your shots of City Cemetery @ night are quite atmospheric, John. >>You’ve really captured the mystery of that place. I first discovered it back in the mid ’60s when I attended junior high @ the Hugh Morson school nearby (http://goodnightraleigh.com/2008/05/death-of-high-school.html)
A couple of school chums and I would take the bus downtown on Saturdays on exploratory forays, and City Cemetery was one of our haunts (sorry..I couldn’t resist the pun!) Anyway, we’d go there and explore and recite E.A. Poe…We though that was quite exotic! Your photos capture how it looked then in the imagination of a 13 year old…
ps–Since you’ve done Federal Cemetery (aka National) Cemetery you ought to try the Confederate Cemetery (1867) in Oakwood …Lots of photo ops there, but you may need to make some kind of arrangement to get in there @ night, as the gates are locked after 6 pm. Here’s a web site with some photos: http://www.civilwaralbum.com/misc2/oakwoodcem1.htm
Also try Mt Hope Cemetery, the City-owned African American Cemetery est 1872. It’s located on Fayetteville St (road) just south of the Washington School, and accessible @ all hours. It’s not exactly Down downtown but close enough! Here’s some info and pix: http://cemeterycensus.com/nc/wake/cem230a.htm
10/13/2009
Grew up living in front of Mt Hope! I was so scared of that cemetery when we moved there(I was six). My mother still lives there and I look back on exploring that cemetery as one of the pleasures of my childhood. Great place to let your dog run free!