Top 08 Oldest Cemeteries in the United States

Top 08 Oldest Cemeteries in the United States

A cemetery is a place where the remains of dead people are buried. Old cemeteries are great resources for study the history of a city or area. Old cemeteries are a sign of historic events, lifestyles, religions, and genealogy. So in this article, we are going to give you some details about the top 08 oldest cemeteries in the USA.

Those top 08 cemeteries are:

Myles Standish Burial Ground
North Burial Ground
Old North Cemetery
American Cemetery
Genevieve Memorial Cemetery
Saint Louis Cemetery
Greenlawn Cemetery
Calvary Cemetery

Let’s get a piece of knowledge about each cemetery in detail.

01.Myles Standish Burial Ground(1638)

Myles Standish Burial Ground also known as Old Burying Ground which is situated in Duxbury, Massachusetts is the oldest cemetery in the USA.

The Burying Ground was located next to Duxbury's First Meeting House. The marker on the former location of the meeting house was placed by the Town of Duxbury in 1937 — The Burying Ground was located next to Duxbury’s First Meeting House. The marker on the former location of the meeting house was placed by the Town of Duxbury in 1937

Credit: Wikipedia

This cemetery is the born yard of some well-known Pilgrims who arrived on the Mayflower in 1620, as well as Myles Standish. 1638-1789 is the time range that this cemetery mostly used. After that, it was abandoned. But in 1887 it was reclaimed by Duxbury Rural Society.

Standish gravesite at Myles Standish Burial Ground

Credit: Wikipedia

Nowadays this cemetery has become a landmark and historical interest area. The graveyard is now owned to the Town of Duxbury.

Myles Standish's skull discovered in the Standish gravesite at Myles Standish Burial Ground during an investigation of the grave — Myles Standish’s skull discovered in the Standish gravesite at Myles Standish Burial Ground during an investigation of the grave

Credit: Wikipedia

02.North Burial Ground (1700)

Early 1900s postcard of North Burial Ground

Credit: Wikipedia

This is the first public cemetery in Providence. It has 110- acres in Providence. (Providence is the capital of Rhode Island and one of the oldest cities in the USA)

North Burial Ground accepts 220-225 burials per year. There were only up to two burials per year until 1736. By the mid of the 1800s, this graveyard generally became a public cemetery which everyone can be refined outdoor reaction.

This cemetery is historically more important because this has the burials of many Rhode Island residents including Congress members, governors, soldiers, emancipated slaves, millionaires, and literary figures.

Daniel Abbott, Phillip Allen, Zachariah Allen, Chad Brown, Tristam Burgess, Jonathan Chase, Charles Dow, Fred Correy, James Fenner, Arthur Fenner are some examples of that.

James Fenner governor's medallion — James Fenner governor’s medallion

Credit: Wikipedia

Nowadays this cemetery has become the most important economic and educational icon of the city of Providence.

Flags fly over the graves of veterans at the North Burial Ground

Credit: Wikipedia

3.Old North Cemetery (1730)

Credit: Wikipedia

This cemetery is located in North state street in Concord, New Hampshire. It was established in 1730 and is known as the oldest cemetery in that city.

When study about this cemetery one of the most important things about this cemetery is the fourteenth president of the USA, Franklin Pierce, and his wife Jane, two of his three sons are buried in this cemetery.

The eastern portion of the cemetery was laid out in 1730. The first burial occurred in 1736. This cemetery has more historically important burials including President Franklin such as Governors David L. Morril and Matthew Harvey, Lewis Downing, founder of the Abbot-Downing Company and creator of the Concord coach.

This place now has become a very important historical place reserved for tourism.

04.American Cemetery(1737)

This cemetery is one of the cornerstones of the Natchitoches Community. This was established around 1737. This graveyard is a place filled with wildlife and trees that are historically important.

Credit: Scenic USA

This cemetery is very important because all the residents were buried in this graveyard nonetheless of race or class. People believe that St. Denis the town’s Founder was buried in this graveyard. But anyone could not be able to find any facts regarding his monuments because all of the monuments that made before 1797 have vanished.

Now it has become a historical tourism site.

05.Ste. Genevieve Memorial Cemetery (1787)

This graveyard is located in Ste. Genevieve, Missouri. This cemetery was opened in 1787 and this old cemetery is divided into three sections. One section for Catholic burials, one for Lutherans, and the other section for Protestants.

Credit: Wikipedia

More than 50 Native Americans were buried in this cemetery. Not only Americans but also African Americans, slave and free. This place also provides the final resting place for more notables such as Lewis F. Linn, Felix Odile, Pratte-Valle, and many other Missouri pioneers.

Ste. Genevieve Cemetery, Fifth Street, Sainte Genevieve, Ste. Genevieve County, MO

Credit: Library Of Congress

Ste. Genevieve Memorial Cemetery has over 5000 burials. Though this place was closed in 1881, some additional burials occurred through 1894.

06.Saint Louis Cemetery (1789)

Credit: Wikipedia

This cemetery was established in 1789. St. Peter cemetery was replaced by this cemetery after the redesign of the city due to the fire.

This cemetery provide the final resting place for many famous people. Some of them are Etienne de Bore, Homer Plessy, Ernest N. “Dutch” Morial, Alexander Dimitry, Andrea Dimitry, Bernad de Marigny, Faubourg Marigny, Mandeville, and etc.

Nowadays families who own tombs can apply for a pass to visit this cemetery.

Credit: Wikipedia

07.Greenlawn Cemetery(1821)

Credit: Greenlawn Cemetery

This was established in 1821. Greenlawn Cemetery was located in Indianapolis, Indiana. This is the final resting place for over 1100 Holster pioneers, 1200 Union soldiers, and 1600 Confederate prisoners of war.

The soldiers who died in the American Civil war were buried in this cemetery. The graveyard was closed to new burials in 1890 because of its deficiencies. In 1899 relocating of Greenlawn started but at that time most of the graves had been robbed and some bodies being stolen for examinations in area medical schools.

08.Calvary Cemetery(1848)

Credit: Wikipedia

This place is in New York City, USA, and was established in 1848. This cemetery has owned 365 acres. Calvary cemetery has four sections. The oldest section is the First Calvary which is also known as Old Calvary. The other three sections are called the new Calvary.

Credit: Wikipedia

This graveyard has so many different types of notable burials such as Entertainers, Law of Enforcement Professionals, Military Figures, Organized Crime Figures, Politicians, Sportspeople, Writers, and others.

Nancy Carroll, Dom Deluise, Texas Guinan, James Hayden, Nita Naldi, are some examples of entertainers who are buried here.

Irma Lozada, Joseph Petrosino, Mary A. Sullivan were law enforcement professionals, Edward Brown, Thomas Burke, Richard Byrnes, Dennis Conlan, John Donnelly, Patrick H. Doody were Military figures, Vito Bonventre, Anthony Carfano, Joseph Lanza were organized crime figures, Carmine De Sapio, John Fox, Hugh J. Grant, Martin J. Kennedy were Politicians who buried in this cemetery.