Georgia Natural Wonder #268 - Oakland Cemetery - (Atlanta Remembered Part 3)

[Top Row Dawg]

Georgia Natural Wonder #268 - Oakland Cemetery (Part 3) - (Atlanta Remembered) 

Our third post on Oakland Cemetery as a Georgia Natural Wonder is because it is one of the largest cemetery green spaces in Atlanta, Georgia. Founded as Atlanta Cemetery in 1850 on six acres of land southeast of the city, it was renamed in 1872 to reflect the large number of oak and magnolia trees growing in the area. 

  
The Natural Wonder of this post.

Our TRD Scrolling Nugget comes from Bob Dylan. 



By that time, the city had grown and the cemetery had enlarged correspondingly to the current 48 acres. Since then, Atlanta has continued to expand so that the cemetery is now located in the center of the city. Oakland is an excellent example of a Victorian-style cemetery, and reflects the "garden cemetery" movement started and exemplified by Mount Auburn Cemetery in Massachusetts. 


Mt. Auburn, Boston. 

The original 6 acres of Oakland remains one of the oldest historical plots of land in Atlanta, most of the rest of the city having been burned in 1864. Because of its age and location, the cemetery directly reflects the history and changing culture of the City of Atlanta and the significant events it has seen. Names of Atlanta streets, buildings, parks, subdivisions, and more can be found within the cemetery gates. An estimated 70,000 people are interred at Oakland, and while the last plots were sold in 1884, there are still regular burials today. These are largely conducted on family-owned plots or areas owned by Atlanta (one of the most recent being former mayor Maynard Jackson, whose plot was contributed by the city).

 
27 Mayors in Oakland and Jackson said put me there too. One of the largest monuments.

Sections



Immediately upon entering the gates of Oakland is found the original 6 acres purchased for use as the Atlanta Cemetery in 1850. The gates and perimeter walls were not erected until 1896, the date engraved on the keystone of the gates' highest arch. 



After a short distance along a brick walkway, Oakland's first resident since its establishment can be found. Dr. James Nissen was a medical doctor visiting Atlanta who fell ill and died in 1850. Legend has it that Dr. Nissen shared a common fear of the day, being buried alive. Therefore, before his death he asked that his jugular vein be cut prior to his burial to ensure he did not wake up later under the ground. Being the oldest grave in Oakland since its designation as a city cemetery, Nissen's headstone is nearly completely worn away by the passage of time and the elements. The inscription is only known due to an extensive survey of Atlanta cemeteries performed in the 1930s by Franklin Garrett. 
 
Plaque helps decipher headstone. 

Back towards the main gates of Oakland on a plot donated by the City of Atlanta lies Martha Lumpkin Compton. The daughter of Governor Wilson Lumpkin, from 1843 until 1845 Atlanta was known as "Marthasville" in her honor.

 

Statue of Jasper Newton Smith atop his mausoleum. Also known as Monopoly Man. 



The first thing many people notice when entering the gates of Oakland is the mausoleum of Jasper Newton Smith, on which sits a striking life-size statue of Smith himself. Smith was a businessman and real estate investor who rose to prominence in post-war Reconstruction Era Atlanta. Smith was well known for refusing to wear a necktie due to a bad experience as a child. Therefore, one story describing the creation of his statue notes that when the artist sculpted him wearing a cravat, Smith refused to pay until the offending item had been chiseled off. Another story notes that Smith once travelled to the cemetery to personally remove a vine that had wrapped around the neck of the statue.

 

Farther into this section the Kontz Memorial and the Neal Monument, two sculptures showing vastly different styles of artistry, can be seen. The latter is an example of Neoclassical art and imagery, while the former is Oakland's only known example of Egyptian Revival. 

 

Also to be found in the original 6 acres is a small area of land marking the old Jewish section. 

 

This area was bought by the Hebrew Benevolent Congregation (which later bought more land in the expanded cemetery) and is the second oldest Jewish burial ground in the state of Georgia, preceded by a colonial Jewish cemetery in Savannah.

Robert Tyre "Bobby" Jones Jr.

 
Bobby Jones along with wife, Mary, and kids. 

Also resting in the original 6 acres is Robert Tyre "Bobby" Jones, an Atlanta-native amateur golfer known for first winning The Quadrilateral. (The 1930 British Open,US Open, British Amateur
and US Amateur)



His grave can always be found with golf balls and other paraphernalia relating to the sport. 

 

While walking throughout the original 6 acres, and indeed much of the entire cemetery, many visitors will notice a lack of ironwork which is uncommon to a cemetery from Oakland's era. This is due to the City of Atlanta's contribution of much of the original ironwork in Oakland to the U.S. government for use in producing arms during World War I. 

New Jewish section

Located relatively close to the old Jewish section contained in the original 6 acres, the plots designated as the "new" Jewish section were acquired by the Hebrew Benevolent Congregation in 1878 and 1892. The burial sites, and the headstones and monuments marking them, reflect the blending of the German-Jewish culture of which the Benevolent Congregation was primarily comprised, and the American culture that the community had adopted. In contrast to this cultural blending are the resting places of members of the Ahavath Achim Synagogue, to which the Benevolent Congregation sold some of the plots. Members of the Ahavath Achim Synagogue were mostly Eastern European Jewish immigrants who were much more Orthodox. Unlike the Benevolent Congregation, the Synagogue sought to preserve their traditional culture and to avoid cultural blending. This is evident in the grave sites of members of the Synagogue, which are identifiable by their use of the Hebrew language and engravings of traditional Jewish symbols. In more recent years, the new Jewish section fell victim to vandalism by two teenaged locals in 1982.

 
Headstones in the new Jewish section

Potter's Field

Potter's Field is a 7.5 acre area that is traditionally designated for burial of those without the means to purchase a plot of land. Beyond the outer wall bordering the field is the former Fulton Bag and Cotton Mill (since renovated into loft apartments) and Cabbagetown, both constructed by Jacob Elsas, who is buried in the new Jewish section. 

 

By 1884 all of the traditional plots at Oakland had been sold. This meant that peoples' only options for burial at Oakland were to either buy a plot from a private owner or be buried in Potter's Field, and records show that many people opted for the latter. 



Potter's Field makes a significant contribution to the number of residents at Oakland, as indicated by a 1978 archaeological survey conducted by Georgia State University that revealed the entire area to be occupied by an estimated 17,000 persons.

Black section

This section of the cemetery is a testament to the period of history during which segregation was at its height in the United States. 



The entire cemetery reflects the great cultural changes that occurred in Atlanta during its service; from the Jim Crow era exhibited by the segregated black section to the modern era that strives for social equality, as shown by the recent burial of Maynard Jackson on a plot in the original 6 acres of Oakland. 

 

One striking feature that visitors will notice is that the black section, similarly to the adjoining Potter's Field, lacks a great deal of headstones, monuments, and grave markers in general. This is because many grave markers here were made of wood and other biodegradable materials. These markers have succumbed to the passing of time and as a result have rendered a large portion of the grave sites in the black section unknown. 

 

Despite the social difficulties that had to be overcome by African-Americans living in the Southern states at the time, there are several outstanding black figures buried at Oakland who made significant contributions to the history of Atlanta. Some of these include Bishop Wesley John Gaines, A former slave of Robert Toombs (GNW #138 - Part 2) went on to greatness. 

  


Reverend Frank Quarles (an early benefactor of Morehouse College), 

 



Carrie Steele Logan, Founder oldest Black orphanage in America. Headstone reads "Mother of Orphans/She hath done what she could."

 



and Antoine Graves, the owner of the only mausoleum in the black section.

 

Bell Tower

 

Bell Tower Building

Before the Bell Tower was constructed in 1899, a farmhouse owned by James E. Williams, who would later be mayor of Atlanta, stood in the spot. From this location, General John B. Hood directed Confederate forces in the Battle of Atlanta on July 22, 1864. (GNW # 268 Part 1) The Bell Tower building as it stands today was originally the sexton's office and living quarters. Atop the tower is a bell that was formerly used to signal for workers to gather at that location, and for funerals. The basement was used as a vault for storing coffins awaiting burial. In 1998 the Bell Tower building saw extensive restoration and now serves as the offices of the Historic Oakland Foundation as well as the cemetery's visitor center.

 

Monuments and mausolea

As with most cemeteries of comparable size and age, Oakland contains numerous monuments and mausolea that are often outstanding examples of art and symbolism, or are of great historical significance. 



  

 

Near the Bell Tower lies a monument dedicated by the City of Atlanta to its first mayor, Moses Formwalt, who was also the youngest Atlanta mayor at 28 years old.

 

Painting of Atlanta's first mayoral election Jan 29, 1848 at Thomas Kile's grocery store. It was the only polling place and was located at present-day Five Points in downtown. 



Sitting atop a hill near the original 6 acres is the Austell Mausoleum, likely the most elaborate in Oakland. The mausoleum was constructed by Alfred Austell, a Brigadier General in the Civil War, he lost his prewar fortune, but he became one of the founders of Atlanta National Bank. The city of Austell in Cobb County is named after him. The Austell Mausoleum was designed in the Gothic Revival style. It cost around $90,000 to build in the 1880s, and is estimated to cost over $3 million to replace by today's standards. 

  

E.W. Marsh owned Lithia Springs and the Sweetwater Hotel. (GNW #174)

 



Margaret Mitchell

Another notable Marsh on the original 6 acres is the rose-adorned site of the Marsh family, on which Margaret Mitchell Marsh, author of Gone with the Wind, rests. 

 

Margaret Mitchell (1900–1949) was an American author known for her Pulitzer Prize-winning novel, "Gone with the Wind," which was published in 1936 and became a bestseller, selling millions of copies. The novel was adapted into a hugely successful 1939 film and remains influential. 

  
 
Mitchell, who grew up in Atlanta, Georgia, died tragically after being hit by a taxi in 1949 and is buried in Oakland Cemetery. 



Everybody always leaves a penny on her tomb. 

  

Near the Marsh grave is a gas lamp that was one of the original 50 installed by the Atlanta Gas Light company in 1856. The lamp, which bears scars from the shelling of Atlanta in 1864, was donated to the cemetery by Franklin Miller Garrett. The keen observer might notice that the plaque that describes the gas lamp's history incorrectly dates the lamp to 1850.

Kenny Rogers 

One of the newer graves is unfortunately for singer, songwriter, musician, actor, record producer, Kenny Rogers.

 

Rogers died March 20, 2020, in his Sandy Springs home, and many thought he would be buried nearby there. However, Sam Reed, sexton at historic Oakland Cemetery, said Rogers' family bought a plot there for the singer.

  
Will the Circle be Unbroken. Everybody leaves a Poker Chip for the Gambler. 

Since Oakland is not and was never a perpetual care cemetery, maintenance of grave sites was the responsibility of the families of the interred. Of course, time sees the movement of families and the general disconnection with ancestors as generations pass. Because of this, many grave sites have fallen into disrepair from neglect and sometimes vandalism. 



Therefore, shortly after Oakland was added to the National Register of Historic Places on April 28, 1976, the Historic Oakland Foundation was established. The Foundation has overseen the restoration and upkeep of many grave sites, monuments, mausolea, and buildings that had been affected by the ravages of time. Their activity, which is supported by donations, grants, and special events, continues today as they maintain and restore the cemetery as well as provide guided tours of the grounds. 

Notable burials

We have already covered a lot about the Civil War era burials and some others in this post.

27 former Atlanta mayors, including:

Ivan Allen, Jr.

 

Samuel Alan Massell Jr., Last white Mayor of Atlanta, first Jewish Mayor.

  

My mom's cousin, Sandra Gordy, ended up marrying widower Sam Massell a few years ago. She had worked him for years as a secretary. 



And I was visiting Bobby Jones grave nearby with some folks I was showing around, and I noticed Sam's grave and that Sandra had her name on it already. I had to call her and tease her how she already had grave in Oakland. 


Here she took me and my sisters and Brother In Law to the club section at Turner Field for a Braves game years ago. First Lady of Buckhead, Sandra Gordy Massell. 

Jonathan Norcross, The City of Norcross in Gwinnett County is named after him.

 

Samuel Bacon Spencer

 

There is a Samuel Spencer Memorial at the Atlanta History Center sculpted by David Chester French.



James G. Woodward, 36th, 39th and 43rd Mayor of Atlanta.

 

6 former Georgia governors, already posted about two. The other four are:

Joseph Mackey Brown, Son of Governor Joe Brown. (GNW #268 Part 2)

 

William J. Northen 

  

John Marshall Slaton 

 

Hoke Smith 

 

Other burials

Edwin Percival Ansley, Ansley Park is named after him

 

Orelia Key Bell, poet

 

Franklin Miller Garrett, Atlanta historian who surveyed cemeteries. He was dubbed "Atlanta's Official Historian"

 

Garrett is right by the guard house on the left just inside the arch entrance.



Julia Collier Harris, 1926 Pulitzer Prize Journalist Daughter In Law of Joel Chandler Harris

 

Joel Hurt, founder of Inman Park and Druid Hills, two of Atlanta's first planned subdivisions

 

Samuel M. Inman, Inman Park is named after him 

  

Dr. Joseph Jacobs, Owner Jacobs Pharmacy where Coke first served

 

Eugene Muse Mitchell, lawyer and president of the Atlanta Board of Education

 

Maybelle Stephens Mitchell, suffragist and activist. Mother of Margaret Mitchell

 

Ira Yale Sage (1848–1908), Colonel, railroad builder, civil engineer, entrepreneur

 

Andrew Steiner, Atlanta architect and Holocaust survivor who saved as many as 7,000 Slovakian Jews as part of the Europa Plan

 

Annie Fitzgerald Stephens, landowner and businesswoman, maternal grandmother of Margaret Mitchell. Some historians, literary critics, and film critics, consider her to be the inspiration behind the fictional character Scarlett O'Hara

 
Can't find image of Annie, but this is an image of her daughter Maybelle Stephens Mitchell, holding Margaret Mitchell. 

Edward Arista Vincent, architect of Atlanta's first passenger depot and publisher of the first official map of the city


Last train to evacuate Atlanta at Vincent's Depot.


Atlanta Map but no images found of Edward and no grave as he was interred in the Potters Field for the Indigent.

Benjamin Franklin White, singing master, and compiler of the shape note tunebook known as The Sacred Harp

 

Martha Loftin Wilson, missionary worker, journal editor, heroine of the American Civil War

 

William Ambrose Wright, Confederate lieutenant and son of Confederate Army Major General Ambrose Ransom "Rans" Wright. Became Georgia state comptroller for fifty years, as well as insurance commissioner.

 

 
Buried in the General's Corner of Oakland Cemetery, can see General Gordon grave in background.

Fictional portrayals

In Margaret Mitchell's 1936 novel, Gone With The Wind, Oakland Cemetery is mentioned as the final resting place of Scarlett O'Hara's first husband, Charles Hamilton, 

 

and as the burial place of many Confederate soldiers who died during the Civil War.

 

2008 tornado

On March 14, 2008, Oakland Cemetery sustained significant damage when a tornado tore through downtown Atlanta. 



The City Sexton, Sam Reed, estimated that 50 to 60 trees were toppled and many more significantly damaged. 

  

Dozens of headstones and obelisks were also destroyed. 

   

It was the first tornado to hit the downtown area since weather record keeping began in the 1880s. It looks pretty good now 18 years later. 

We move on from Oakland cemetery after three post. Lot of information, lot of beauty, a true Victorian Garden among the concrete jungle of downtown Atlanta. Our GNW Gals today model the Oakland Cemetery.