Sparta Cemetery
Approximate location: the National Park Service places this pin arbitrarily within the property, not at a surveyed point (stated accuracy ±12 m).
Why it's listed
Sparta Cemetery is a 9.76-acre burial ground just north of downtown Sparta, in Hancock County, Georgia. Founded in 1805, the year the town was incorporated, it began on land owned by the Methodist Church and became the town cemetery, now owned by the City of Sparta. It was set aside for white residents; African-Americans were buried in church-associated cemeteries. The grounds follow a loose grid of about 750 lots, shaded by mature hardwoods and cedars, and hold markers from the early 1800s to the present. Truncated columns, obelisks, a draped urn and at least ten ornamental iron fences reflect 19th-century funerary art, including work by stonecutter Theodore Markwalter. The cemetery contains the graves of Revolutionary War veterans, about 30 Confederate soldiers, and prominent figures such as Epps Brown, David Dickson, William Terrell and Bishop George Foster Pierce. It was listed for its art, its role in town development and its landscape character, with a 1805-1951 period of significance.
Significance in brief: The nomination finds it significant for its funerary monuments and ornamental iron fencing (art), for its tie to the early planning and growth of Sparta (community planning), and as a good example of an early 19th-century small-town Georgia cemetery (landscape architecture). It also holds the graves of notable figures including Epps Brown, David Dickson, William Terrell and Bishop George Foster Pierce.
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 01000647, listed June 22, 2001. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | N of jct. of Hamilton and Boland Sts., Sparta |
|---|---|
| County | Hancock County |
| Listed | June 22, 2001 |
| Reference number | 01000647 |
| Resource type | Site |
| Period of significance | 1805-1951 |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Agriculture, Community Planning and Development, Landscape Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Still a functioning city-owned cemetery in use for burials; some markers are in poor condition. |
| Acreage | 9.8 |
| Within district | Sparta Historic District |
| Coordinates | 33.27884, -82.97387 (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 01000647.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikidata Q117683080
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.