National Register of Historic Places

Oaklawn and St. Louis Cemeteries Historic District

Tampa, Hillsborough County, Florida
Listed
September 25, 2017
Type
District
Period
Listed
Ref No.
100001668

About this property

Oaklawn Cemetery is the first public burial ground in Tampa, Florida, United States. The location was deeded in the mid-19th century and was described as the final resting place for "White and Slave, Rich and Poor." Oaklawn Cemetery is located at the intersection of Morgan Street and Harrison Street in downtown Tampa, about two blocks South of I-275. It has approximately 1,700 graves. Oaklawn Cemetery includes a section for Catholic burials called St. Louis Catholic Cemetery. The two graveyards were added as a Historic District to the U.S. National Register of Historic Places on September 19, 2017. The Sexton House was used for equipment storage and maintenance activities. The cemetery was of the "Rural Cemetery" style. The First Mayor of the City of Tampa, Judge Joseph B. Lancaster, is buried at Oaklawn, as is the 6th mayor, James McKay Sr. Others include pirates, slaves, yellow fever epidemic victims and confederate soldiers. Notable areas and gravesites in the cemetery include the gravesites of Henry Laurens Mitchell, John T. Lesley Family, Samuel Friebele, Charlie Wall, the Hooker Family, James McKay Jr., James C. Field, Joseph B. Lancaster, the Krause Family, the Wall Family, mass graves, gravesite of James T. Magbee, the gravesites of William and Nancy Ashley, gravesites of John P. Wall, James Gettis, grave art, and the "Cradle Graves."

Location

606 E. Harriston St.
Tampa, Hillsborough County, Florida
27.95464, -82.45735

Categories

EXPLORATION/SETTLEMENTARCHITECTURECOMMUNITY PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENTART
Sources

Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).

Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

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Overview
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The Land
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Geology
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LiDAR Terrain
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Conflict & War
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The Civil War
The Civil War on this ground, 1861 to 1865: who held it, and the battles, camps and regiments nearby.
The Soldiers
The men who marched from here in the Civil War, named and traced where the record allows.
Native Heritage
The Native nations who held this land, mapped across time from before European contact to today.
Settlement
Who claimed and held this ground, from Indigenous homelands through the colonial powers to the United States.
The Community
How the town grew, who came, and what kind of place it became, traced through the census record.
Rivers & Rail
The rivers, canals and railroads that connected this place between 1830 and 1911.
Notable People
The people born, buried or genuinely tied to this exact place, with their stories.
Historical Maps
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Finds & Access
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Spotlight
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Points of Interest
The most significant historic sites and landmarks near the location, and why they matter.
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Nearby Historic Sites

North Franklin Street Historic District
Listed
0.2 mi
Perry Harvey Sr. Park Skateboard Bowl
Industrial
0.2 mi
St. Andrews Episcopal Church
Industrial
0.2 mi
Kress, S.H., and Co. Building
Industrial
0.3 mi
Meacham Elementary School
Industrial
0.3 mi

Nearby Battles

Battle of Tampa Bay (FL)
1863Civil War
0.3 mi

Questions about this property

When was Oaklawn and St. Louis Cemeteries Historic District listed on the National Register?

Oaklawn and St. Louis Cemeteries Historic District was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on September 25, 2017.

What type of historic resource is Oaklawn and St. Louis Cemeteries Historic District?

Oaklawn and St. Louis Cemeteries Historic District is classified as a district in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for Oaklawn and St. Louis Cemeteries Historic District?

The period of significance for Oaklawn and St. Louis Cemeteries Historic District is recorded as the listed era.

Can I research the history near Oaklawn and St. Louis Cemeteries Historic District?

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