- Decatur Cemetery
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Decatur Cemetery
Location: 229 Bell St., Decatur, Georgia Coordinates: 33°46′56″N 84°17′32″W / 33.78222°N 84.29222°WCoordinates: 33°46′56″N 84°17′32″W / 33.78222°N 84.29222°W Area: 58 acres (23 ha) Built: 1826[citation needed] Architect: Scott, Robert et al.; Pauley, W.C. Governing body: Local NRHP Reference#: 97000459[1] Added to NRHP: May 23, 1997 The Decatur Cemetery is a historic graveyard within the City of Decatur, Georgia.
Contents
History
The Decatur Cemetery is the oldest burial ground in the Metro Atlanta Area, and is believed to have been used even before Decatur's 1823 incorporation. In 1852, an act by the local legislature created “Commissioners for the Decatur Burial Ground.” Numerous Civil War veterans were buried in the Decatur Cemetery, mostly in the 8-acre (3.2 ha) region now referred to as, "The Old Cemetery". The Cemetery's "Well House" was built in 1881.
The Cemetery Today
The Decatur Cemetery has expanded to 38 acres (15 ha) and contains well over 20,000 graves. A special section exists for cremated burials, and the Cemetery contains a pond stocked with fish. Canada Geese frequent the Cemetery during various parts of the year, and group of Mallard ducks live there year round. The Cemetery is bordered by a several acre forest, which borders the Glennwood Estates (Decatur) neighborhood.
Notable Graves
- Col. Milton A Candler (1837–1909); local legislator and congressman
- Dr Thomas Holly Chivers (1806–1858); Doctor and Poet
- Mary A.H. Gay (1828–1918); Author of Life in Dixie During the War
- Charles Murphey (1799–18610); local legislator, congressman, and a delegate to the Georgia Secession Convention.
- Col. George Washington Scott (1829–1903); founder of Agnes Scott College
- Benjamin F. Swanton (1807–1890); builder of the historic Swanton House
References
- ^ "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. 2009-03-13. http://nrhp.focus.nps.gov/natreg/docs/All_Data.html.
U.S. National Register of Historic Places Topics Lists by states Alabama • Alaska • Arizona • Arkansas • California • Colorado • Connecticut • Delaware • Florida • Georgia • Hawaii • Idaho • Illinois • Indiana • Iowa • Kansas • Kentucky • Louisiana • Maine • Maryland • Massachusetts • Michigan • Minnesota • Mississippi • Missouri • Montana • Nebraska • Nevada • New Hampshire • New Jersey • New Mexico • New York • North Carolina • North Dakota • Ohio • Oklahoma • Oregon • Pennsylvania • Rhode Island • South Carolina • South Dakota • Tennessee • Texas • Utah • Vermont • Virginia • Washington • West Virginia • Wisconsin • WyomingLists by territories Lists by associated states Other 
Category:National Register of Historic Places • 
Portal:National Register of Historic PlacesCategories:- Historic districts in Georgia (U.S. state)
- Cemeteries in Atlanta, Georgia
- Atlanta metropolitan area
- Confederate States of America memorials and cemeteries
- Cemeteries on the National Register of Historic Places in Georgia (U.S. state)
- Protected areas of DeKalb County, Georgia
- Georgia (U.S. state) Registered Historic Place stubs
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