Oak Hill Cemetery
Why it's listed
Oak Hill Cemetery occupies 62 acres on a hill just north of downtown Newnan, Georgia. It started in 1828 as private burial grounds belonging to local churches and individuals, and the city bought it in 1833, laying out a grid of sections much like the downtown streets. Later additions came in 1840, 1950, 1977 and 2000. Roughly 6,000 known burials include prominent families, two Georgia governors, William Yates Atkinson and Ellis Gibbs Arnall, and a section of 270 Confederate soldiers, many of whom died in Newnan hospitals or at the Battle of Brown's Mill. The grounds hold obelisks, angels, urns, cast-iron family plot fences, and the Cole family marble mausoleum, made from Italian and Pickens County marble and Elbert County granite. Cedars and oaks, many planted in the 1940s, shade the grounds. The cemetery was listed for its funerary art and for its link to the town's early growth, and it is still in use today.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues it is a good example of a 19th-century cemetery in continuous use since 1828, with decorative funerary monuments, statuary and ornamental fencing (Criterion C, art). It is also tied to Newnan's early planning and development (Criterion A), since the town set aside a community cemetery early on. Many civic leaders, two Georgia governors and 270 Confederate soldiers are buried there.
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 11001054, listed January 27, 2012. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 96 Jefferson St., Newnan |
|---|---|
| County | Coweta County |
| Listed | January 27, 2012 |
| Reference number | 11001054 |
| Resource type | Site |
| Period of significance | 1828-1961 |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Art, Community Planning and Development |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Remains in active use as a cemetery; it retains a high degree of integrity, though some markers are in poor condition. |
| Acreage | 62 |
| Coordinates | 33.38587, -84.79832 (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 11001054.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.