Jackson Street Cemetery
Also known as: Old Athens Cemetery
Why it's listed
Jackson Street Cemetery, also called Old Athens Cemetery, occupies about two and a half acres of sloping hillside on the University of Georgia campus in Athens. Around 1810 the university's trustees informally gave the land to the city for use as a public burial ground. It served as the main cemetery for the city's white residents until Oconee Hill Cemetery opened in 1855, though burials continued into the 1890s. It holds 135 known burials, plus many unassociated stones and fragments. Graves include farmers, professionals, students, faculty and soldiers of the Revolutionary and Civil wars. The site is notable for early 19th-century markers, including box tombs, ledgers, obelisks and headstones signed by carvers from Augusta, Charleston and Savannah, along with Victorian cast-iron plot fencing. Ground-penetrating radar surveys beginning in 2007 located many unmarked graves and show the site's continuing research value. It was listed for its role in Athens' early growth, its funerary art and its archaeological potential.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues it is significant under three criteria. It documents the early development of Athens next to the university and its role as the city's first public cemetery. It holds a notable collection of early 19th-century grave markers, box tombs and ornamental cast-iron fencing. It has also yielded, and may still yield, archaeological information about unmarked burials.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 09000779, listed October 2, 2009. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | S. Jackson St., University of Georgia campus, Athens |
|---|---|
| County | Clarke County |
| Listed | October 2, 2009 |
| Reference number | 09000779 |
| Resource type | Site |
| Period of significance | c.1810-1959 |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Historic - Aboriginal, Art, Community Planning and Development |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Still functionally listed as a cemetery. Many markers and box tombs need repair or stabilization after years of neglect, erosion and vandalism, and the university has done preservation work since 2004. |
| Acreage | 2.5 |
| Coordinates | 33.95443, -83.37249 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
Sites (archaeological sites, battlefields, landscapes) are often listed with a restricted address to protect them from looting or disturbance. Listing is honorary for private owners; federal undertakings on or near the site go through Section 106 review, and state laws may protect burials and artefacts regardless of listing.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 09000779.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q6117403
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.