Danville National Cemetery
Also known as: DHR File No. 108-57
Why it's listed
Danville National Cemetery occupies about 3.5 acres on Lee Street in Danville, Virginia, enclosed by a four-foot stone wall and entered through wrought iron gates. Established in 1866, it was first used to bury Union soldiers who died as prisoners of war in the Confederate prison, which was housed in seven tobacco warehouses nearby. Pneumonia, chronic diarrhea and a scurvy-like illness caused most of the deaths. Records show 1,170 known and 143 unknown Civil War burials, a total also inscribed on a cannon monument. Soldiers came from many state regiments and the U.S. Colored Troops. Four group graves in Section K hold American servicemen who died in 1944 and 1945 and were reburied from overseas in 1949. The grounds include a Colonial Revival-style brick and stucco lodge built in 1928, a 1934 garage and comfort station, a 1936 gasoline storage building and a 1949 compost pit. It was listed for its Civil War military significance.
Significance in brief: The cemetery is significant under Criterion A for its association with the Civil War. It holds the remains of Union prisoners of war who died in the Confederate prison in Danville's tobacco warehouses. It is part of the Civil War Era National Cemeteries multiple property group.
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 95000274, listed April 7, 1995. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 721 Lee St., Danville (Independent City) |
|---|---|
| County | Danville |
| Listed | April 7, 1995 |
| Reference number | 95000274 |
| Resource type | Site |
| Period of significance | 1866-1936 |
| Architectural style | Late 19th and 20th Century Revivals: Colonial Revival |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Military |
| Level of significance | National |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Still a cemetery; closed to new interments in 1970, though a small number of interments, such as reserved graves and cremated remains, still occur each year. |
| Acreage | 4 |
| Within district | Danville Tobacco Warehouse and Residential District |
| Coordinates | 36.58620, -79.38911 (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 95000274.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5221377
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.