Outside

The Old City Cemetery began in 1806 when Lynchburg founder John Lynch donated one acre of land for the purpose. A decade later, he added another acre to the site—and it is there, near the entrance, that the city’s founding fathers repose (though Lynch, ironically, is not among them—he is buried in Lynchburg’s Quaker cemetery). The Old City Cemetery is to a large extent a 19th-century place, although burials didn’t cease until 1965. Significantly, both blacks and whites are buried on the property, although mostly in separate sections. In fact, three-quarters of the graves are of African Americans, both slaves and free men. Many of the rest are veterans who represent service in every armed conflict from the American Revolution to the Vietnam War. A Confederate section is the resting place for more than 2,200 men from 14 states.

Over the decades, the cemetery suffered from a lack of maintenance. The grounds had become choked with honeysuckle and littered with junk and damaged gravestones. The overall neglect was not intentional; for a long time, there was only one groundskeeper for the whole 26-acre expanse.

But neglect is not a problem today. Thanks to private donations over the last 25 years and the steadfast efforts of volunteers, many of them from the surrounding neighborhood, the Old City Cemetery has undergone a full-flown restoration. It is now one of the most popular places in Lynchburg—a parklike destination that attracts not just families of the deceased but also locals and tourists with an interest in Lynchburg history. Depending on the season, one can see luxuriant spring flowers, Skyline Drive-worthy fall foliage or stark, wintry trees. Impressive collections of antique roses and daffodils attract crowds from early spring through Memorial Day. Graves of interesting or important people have interpretive signs for those on self-guided tours. And, uniquely, there is a collection of historic museums on the property. “I like to tell people, ‘If we can get you in the front gate, I guarantee you’ll come back,’” says director Bruce Christian. “There’s something in this place that’s going to speak to you.”