Cedar Grove Cemetery
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Why it's listed
Cedar Grove Cemetery has been New Bern's principal burial ground since about 1802. Christ Church acquired the original land in 1800, probably prompted by the yellow fever epidemics of 1798-99, and transferred it to the town in 1853-54. The grounds follow a Victorian park-like plan and now cover several city blocks, reaching their present configuration by 1920. A wall of coquina, a local shell-rock called marl, encloses the older sections. Its triple-arch entrance, known as the Weeping Arch, drips water after rain because the stone is porous. Inside are walled and raised family plots, brick and stucco vaults, fine cast-iron fences and gates, and a Confederate memorial. Buried here are William Gaston, painter William Williams, Moses Griffin, John Stanly and poet Mary Bayard Clark. The 1922 fire destroyed many of the cedars for which the cemetery is named, though several survive. The nomination values it for its landscape, funerary art and its record of local history.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the cemetery mirrors nearly two centuries of New Bern and North Carolina history and contains the graves of the city's prominent citizens. It was planned and landscaped in the Victorian picturesque manner. It is also valued for its funerary art, cast-iron work and the unusual coquina wall with its triple-arch 'Weeping Arch' gateway.
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 72000936, listed December 5, 1972. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | Bounded by Queen, George, Cypress, Howard, and Metcalf Sts., New Bern |
|---|---|
| County | Craven County |
| Listed | December 5, 1972 |
| Reference number | 72000936 |
| Resource type | Structure |
| Architectural style | Victorian cemetery, landscaped in the picturesque manner |
| Areas of significance | Landscape Architecture, Art |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Listed as in good condition, unaltered, on its original site, occupied and publicly accessible; New Bernians still bury their dead in family plots there. |
| Acreage | 12.5 |
| Coordinates | 35.11488, -77.04427 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
For a publicly owned building or structure, listing mainly matters when federal funds, permits or licences are involved: projects then go through Section 106 review so effects on the property are considered. Listing also strengthens applications for preservation grants and, for leased income-producing uses, can enable the federal rehabilitation tax credit.
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 72000936.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q18148262
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.