Waggoner Graveyard
Also known as: Dv-169
Why it's listed
On a hilltop overlooking a tributary of Brushy Creek, this small family graveyard sits on the old Daniel Waggoner farm near Midway Church in northern Davidson County. A fence of granite posts, about 40 feet on each side, encloses it. The posts once held a railing and were put up by William L. Wagner around 1900. The site is heavily overgrown, with roughly fifteen visible gravestones and possibly more hidden. The earliest marker dates to 1820, and burials continued into the early twentieth century. Most of the pre-1850 stones were made locally, many by the Swisegood School or imitators, in decorated soapstone with folk symbols of resurrection and eternity. They reflect the folk art of the Anglo-German farming community. The stone of Lucinda Waggnor, dated 1840-1842, is the only one in the county with a carved human face, on its center finial. The graveyard is the only pre-Civil War family graveyard found in north Davidson County during the survey.
Significance in brief: The graveyard holds a collection of locally made folk gravestones, mostly soapstone, attributed to the Swisegood School or imitators. One stone, for Lucinda Waggnor (1840-1842), has the only anthropomorphic decoration recorded in the county, a small face carved on its center finial. It is the only remaining pre-Civil War family graveyard found in north Davidson County during the survey.
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 84002158, listed July 10, 1984. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | SR 1814, Welcome |
|---|---|
| County | Davidson County |
| Listed | July 10, 1984 |
| Reference number | 84002158 |
| Resource type | Site |
| Period of significance | 1800-1899 |
| Architect / builder | Stonecutters unknown; Swisegood School or imitators; granite-post fence erected by William L. Wagner about 1900 |
| Architectural style | Folk gravestone art ('Pierced Style' gravestone) |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Art |
| Level of significance | National |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | The graveyard is very overgrown and described as deteriorated, with about fifteen visible gravestones; others may be hidden. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 35.92254, -80.19584 (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 84002158.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q18394317
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.