National Register of Historic Places

Behavior Cemetery

Hog Hammock, McIntosh County, Georgia
Listed
August 21, 1996
Type
Site
Period
Listed
Ref No.
96000915

About this property

Behavior Cemetery is a historic cemetery on Sapelo Island outside Hog Hammock, Georgia. The cemetery is located at the south end of Sapelo Island, 1.25 miles west of Hog Hammock, about 300 feet (91 m) off of Airport Road. The African-American cemetery is believed to date to before the American Civil War although the earliest marker is dated to the late 19th century. Originally the cemetery was associated with a former community named "Behavior" and of the people enslaved by Thomas Spalding. An example of African-American burial grounds, the cemetery's grave markers include short posts at either end of the graves with epitaphs on wooden boards nailed to the surrounding trees and personal items included with the deceased. More recent tombstones are cement, granite or metal. As of 2019, the cemetery is still in use and the only cemetery associated with the African American community on Sapelo Island. The age of the cemetery is unknown, but there was damage recorded from the October 2, 1898 hurricane. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places on August 22, 1996. In June 2010, professors and students from University of Tennessee at Chattanooga conducted a survey of the cemetery. Their work and excavations showed evidence of over 180 unmarked graves and at least two structures, one likely a cabin for the enslaved people. National Register of Historic Places listings in McIntosh County, Georgia Burial List, List of burials found at Behavior Cemetery

Location

Hog Hammock, McIntosh County, Georgia
31.42872, -81.28097

Categories

COMMUNITY PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENTBLACK
National Register nomination ›
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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The Land
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Geology
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The Civil War
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Native Heritage
The Native nations who held this land, mapped across time from before European contact to today.
Settlement
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The Community
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Nearby Historic Sites

Sapelo Island Lighthouse
Listed
0.6 mi
Hog Hammock Historic District
Listed
1.2 mi
First African Baptist Church at Raccoon Bluff
Industrial
3.9 mi
Ridge, The
Listed
7.4 mi
Fort King George
Colonial
9.1 mi

Questions about this property

When was Behavior Cemetery listed on the National Register?

Behavior Cemetery was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on August 21, 1996.

What type of historic resource is Behavior Cemetery?

Behavior Cemetery is classified as a site in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for Behavior Cemetery?

The period of significance for Behavior Cemetery is recorded as the listed era.

Can I research the history near Behavior Cemetery?

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