– Click/Watch 100-second video by Mehran Moin
Oakland Cemetery, Atlanta’s oldest cemetery, reflects many of Atlanta’s significant cultural events from the Civil War to the height of segregation. The Victorian-style cemetery was founded in 1850 originally as Atlanta Graveyard until 1872 when it was renamed to reflect the surrounding oak trees.
The cemetery is divided into a variety of sections, including almost 7,000 Confederate soldiers, a black section that serves as a reminder of Atlanta’s segregation and a Jewish section.
Among the 70,000 interments, some notable burials include six former Georgia governors, 25 former Atlanta mayors (most recently Maynard Jackson), Margaret Mitchell and famous golfer Bobby Jones.
–Mark C. McDonald, Georgia Trust