Quaker Meadows Cemetery
Why it's listed
Quaker Meadows Cemetery sits on a wooded hill overlooking the Quaker Meadows valley, next to the Morganton city limits. Burials began in 1767 with David McDowell, grandson of Joseph McDowell, the first permanent white settler in the area, and continued until about 1879. Around sixty graves are identified, most still marked by stones. The cemetery served prominent families tied to the McDowells, including the Tates, Erwins, Greenlees and Flemings, and holds the graves of Revolutionary War figures such as Charles and Joseph McDowell. It is described as the earliest identified above-ground resource of settlement in western North Carolina. The gravestones add to its importance, with winged death figures, weeping willows, closing curtains and severed blossoms, and craftsmanship finer than the remote frontier setting would suggest. The graves lie in three long rows with scattered clusters. A restoration in 1979-80 repaired the stones and added a brick and iron fence, walk and parking area, which lie outside the listed boundary.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues it is the earliest identified above-ground resource tied to white settlement in western North Carolina, and it holds the grave of pioneer settler Joseph McDowell. Its gravestones also show notable funerary art, unusually sophisticated for a frontier area. It qualifies under Criteria A and C, with a cemetery exception.
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 87001922, listed November 9, 1987. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | Off NC 126, Morganton |
|---|---|
| County | Burke County |
| Listed | November 9, 1987 |
| Reference number | 87001922 |
| Resource type | Site |
| Period of significance | ca. 1767-ca. 1879 |
| Architectural style | Funerary sculpture (gravestone art) |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Art, Exploration/Settlement |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Restored in 1979-80, with stones repaired and reset in their original locations; condition listed as good and maintained by a nonprofit cemetery organization. |
| Acreage | 0.8 |
| Coordinates | 35.75184, -81.72140 (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 87001922.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q18157075
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.