The Old Burying Ground

Enshrouded in the shade created by a thicket of majestic hundred-year-old live oak trees, the Old Burying Ground is a fascinating place. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the cemetery was deeded to the town in 1731 by Nathaniel Taylor. The weathered tombstones chronicle the heritage of Beaufort and the surrounding coast with graves of soldiers from the Revolutionary War, the War of 1812, and the Civil War, star-crossed lovers, and famous privateers.

Walk along the sandy paths of one of the state’s oldest cemeteries, and feel the history each grave has to tell. Observe the graves that are facing east so that they would “be facing the sun when they arose on judgment morn”. Union soldiers, Confederate soldiers, freed blacks, and slaves all rest together in the Old Burying Ground. As early as the eighteenth century, coastal residents were laid to their final rest here in Beaufort. One of the tombs is inscribed with an epitaph that explains the hold Beaufort has over both its living and dead residents:

Behind these hallowed gates rest over 400 hundred residents who have helped in some small way to make Beaufort the town it is today. The earliest graves here would have been marked with cedar slabs or shells due to the lack of indigenous stone. The oldest legible date on a grave marker is 1756; however, many of the gravesites are much older. Many earlier graves were simply covered with cypress slabs, shells, or brick, which have vanished since then.

The Beaufort Historical Association provides a self-guided brochure, which highlights several of the notable gravesites within the Old Burying Ground. With over 200 stones pre-dating the Civil War, 45 from the Civil War period, and 150 from 1865-1890 and a few from the early 1900s the Old Burying Ground is a perfect way to spend your day in Beaufort. With its Resurrection ferns and wonderful old azaleas the grounds may also be enjoyed as a quiet refuge from the heat of the day as you wander among gravesites.

The Old Burying Ground has been listed in “Our State” Magazine as one of the top 52 sites to see in North Carolina and in the book entitled, 100 Most Romantic Places in North Carolina. It was also featured in Nicolas Spark’s book, A Walk to Remember, and is open daily from early morning until dusk as a quiet refuge and an amazing lesson of our past.

If time permits on your visit to Beaufort, be sure to take advantage of a guided tour through the Old Burying Ground. The staff and volunteers of the Beaufort Historic Site are available year-round for groups of 10 or more if arrangements are made in advance. Regularly scheduled tours are given June through September on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday each day at 2:30 pm. The cost is $8 for adults and $4 for children.