Oakland Cemetery

Oakland Cemetery is Atlanta, Georgia's oldest and largest cemetery as well as its fourth largest green space (behind Freedom, Piedmont and Grant Parks). Founded as "Atlanta Cemetery" in 1850 on six acres (2.4 hectares) of land southeast of the city, Oakland was renamed in 1872 to reflect the large number of oak and magnolia trees growing in the area. By that time, the city had grown and the cemetery had enlarged correspondingly to the current 88 acres (35.6 hectares). Since then, Atlanta has continued to expand, so that Oakland 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.

References

• Garrett, Franklin Miller (1954). Atlanta and Environs: A Chronicle of Its People and Events. New York, Lewis Historical Publishing Co.
• Henson, Tevi Taliaferro. Carrie Steele Logan. Retrieved 2005-03-04 from http://www.georgiaencyclopedia.org/
• Historic Oakland Foundation. Historic Oakland Cemetery. Retrieved 2005-03-04 from http://oaklandcemetery.com/AboutOakland.htm