Woodlawn Cemetery
Why it's listed
Woodlawn Cemetery sits on a shaded, grassy knoll along East Main Street in Carbondale, Illinois. Incorporated by a special act of the state legislature in 1854, it was the only cemetery within the city limits and holds more than twenty Civil War soldiers. Two brick columns with ornamental ironwork mark the entrance, and a walkway loops through the grounds. On April 29, 1866, three local veterans led a gathering of more than 200 veterans and about 4,000 residents to clean and decorate soldiers' graves. Gen. John A. Logan, a Jackson County native, addressed the crowd. Ceremonies returned in 1867, 1868 and 1869. In May 1868 Logan, now commander of the Grand Army of the Republic, issued General Order No. 11, calling for annual grave decoration on May 30. The cemetery is recognized for its connection to this early Memorial Day observance and to Logan's role in making it a national tradition.
Significance in brief: The cemetery is tied to one of the first community-wide Memorial Day observances in America, held on April 29, 1866, and planned by Civil War veterans. It is also linked to Gen. John A. Logan, who spoke there and later, as head of the Grand Army of the Republic, issued General Order No. 11 establishing a national May 30 observance. The nomination cites social/humanitarian and military significance.
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 85003219, listed December 19, 1985. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 405 E. Main St., Carbondale |
|---|---|
| County | Jackson County |
| Listed | December 19, 1985 |
| Reference number | 85003219 |
| Resource type | Site |
| Period of significance | 1866-1869 |
| Areas of significance | Social History |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Listed in excellent condition, unaltered, on its original site, and occupied; used as a cemetery. |
| Acreage | 2.6 |
| Coordinates | 37.72713, -89.21075 (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 85003219.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q15713025
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.