Old Chapel Hill Cemetery
Also known as: College Graveyard
Why it's listed
Founded in the late eighteenth century as a burying ground for the University of North Carolina and the village of Chapel Hill, the cemetery covers 6.98 acres east of the campus. The first recorded interment is George Clarke, a nineteen-year-old student from Bertie County who died on September 28, 1798. Burials are arranged in sections by race and date, with Section B serving as the slave cemetery and the first dated African-American interment there dating to 1853. The Dialectic and Philanthropic Society plots hold cast-iron fences in Gothic Revival style and several marble headstones, ledgers and obelisks carved by stonecutters including George Lauder of Fayetteville. Among those buried here are educators, physicians, engineers, writers and town figures, and the cemetery is regarded as holding one of the most distinguished groups of graves in North Carolina. Its monuments range from antebellum tomb-tables to later family memorials, and the grounds remain shaded by oaks, cedars and hickories.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the cemetery holds a distinguished collection of graves of people associated with the University and Chapel Hill, including educators, physicians, engineers and writers, as well as townspeople of local importance. Its nineteenth-century monuments, including ornate fences and marble and granite work by known stonecutters such as George Lauder and Maunder & Campbell of Raleigh, are cited as distinctive craftsmanship. The early graves of slaves and African-American townspeople in Section B are also noted.
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 94000570, listed June 3, 1994. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | Jct. of NC 54 and County Club Rd., NW corner, Chapel Hill |
|---|---|
| County | Orange County |
| Listed | June 3, 1994 |
| Reference number | 94000570 |
| Resource type | District |
| Period of significance | 1798-1944 |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Social History, Black, Other |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | The cemetery is described as now almost filled and was enlarged and maintained by the town of Chapel Hill; a new gazebo and lawn were recently added under a 1987 master plan. |
| Acreage | 7 |
| Coordinates | 35.91127, -79.04265 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
This is a historic district. Buildings within its boundary are either contributing (they add to the district's significance) or non-contributing. Owners of contributing income-producing buildings can claim the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit; homeowners should look at state credits. National Register districts impose no design review by themselves; a local historic district ordinance, if one exists, does (the difference explained).
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 94000570.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7083637
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.