- Joined
- Oct 4, 2013
- Location
- Cobb's Legion Country - Bowdon, Ga.
Every year for Easter my family goes to eat lunch at Mary Mac's in Atlanta then goes for a stroll through Oakland Cemetery. Oakland was founded in 1850 and became the official city cemetery, the original was near where Peachtree and W. Peachtree split in downtown. The graves there were moved to Oakland when it opened. Many of the founders of Atlanta are now in Oakland. During the war, the road the cemetery is on (Decatur St.) was called Fairground Street. Along the south of the road were open fields that became a series of tent hospitals. The hospitals were used fairly earlier and began being used in earnest after the fall of Chattanooga. It was a short distance from these cemeteries to Oakland, where many were buried. There are about 3,900 marked Confederates buried there from every state. In addition there are approximately 3000 unknowns buried in a green space with the Lion of Atlanta in the middle.
Oakland was used as city cemetery until 1884 when Westview (on the Ezra Church battlefield) opened along with Hollywood Cemetery to the northwest of town.
Oakland is the epitome of a Victorian cemetery. It was laid out and designed for picnics and strolling. Flowers, trees, bushes, fountains, and elaborate mausoleums and tombstones are abundant.
General Clement Evans
Oakland was used as city cemetery until 1884 when Westview (on the Ezra Church battlefield) opened along with Hollywood Cemetery to the northwest of town.
Oakland is the epitome of a Victorian cemetery. It was laid out and designed for picnics and strolling. Flowers, trees, bushes, fountains, and elaborate mausoleums and tombstones are abundant.
General Clement Evans