Old Tombstone
Also known as: Denton Monument
Why it's listed
Set on a ridge northeast of Roanoke, the Old Tombstone is a four-foot monolithic freestone grave marker carved as a coffin. It commemorates nine-year-old Robert Denton, who died in 1805, and shows the head and torso of a child within an open coffin. Its surfaces carry a family register of the Denton children and a poem repeated in German, English, and Latin, along with tulips, hearts, a moon and stars, and a rising sun symbolizing resurrection. The stone is signed by Laurence Krone, a stone mason regarded as one of the most skilled Virginia German carvers and the only one known by name. The depiction of a corpse in its coffin is unique in Virginia, so far as is known, though similar images appeared in New England. The monument is valued as funerary folk art that reflects a moment when western Virginia's ethnic traditions were merging into a national culture. Vandalism has led to its enclosure in a protective cage.
Significance in brief: The nomination presents it as an important example of funerary art from western Virginia in the early nineteenth century and a masterwork of Laurence Krone, the only known Virginia German carver identified by name. Its open coffin with a child's likeness is unique in Virginia so far as is known. It combines German folk motifs with trilingual sentimental poetry, reflecting a period when ethnic traditions were blending into a national culture.
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 80004222, listed March 25, 1980. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | N of Roanoke, Roanoke |
|---|---|
| County | Roanoke (city and county) |
| Listed | March 25, 1980 |
| Reference number | 80004222 |
| Resource type | Object |
| Period of significance | ca. 1805 |
| Architect / builder | Laurence Krone, 'Stone Mason' |
| Areas of significance | Art |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Condition is listed as good and unaltered on its original site; the monument is enclosed in a sheet-metal-roofed, chain-link cage because of vandalism, and its original lid has been stolen. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Within district | Roanoke Downtown Historic District (Boundary Increase) |
| Coordinates | 37.34002, -79.94063 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
National Register listing is honorary: it recognises significance and does not restrict what a private owner may do without federal money or permits. It unlocks the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit for income-producing buildings, state credits in many states, and Section 106 review when federal agencies are involved. See what listing means in practice.
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 80004222.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7085236
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.