National Register of Historic Places

Magnolia Cemetery

Charleston, Charleston County, South Carolina
Listed
March 23, 1978
Type
District
Period
Listed
Ref No.
78002502

About this property

Magnolia Cemetery is a historic rural cemetery in Charleston, South Carolina. The first board for the cemetery was assembled in 1849. Edward C. Jones served as the architect. It was dedicated in 1850; Charles Fraser delivered the dedication address. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places as a Historic District in 1978. The location of the cemetery had previously been a plantation known as Magnolia Umbra, the house of which was described as a newly built house with five rooms in 1820. The cemetery was constructed during 1850, on plans laid out by Edward C. Jones, and included a Gothic chapel also designed by Jones which no longer exists. The chapel, which was located near the central lake, remained under construction until early 1851. Both the chapel and the porter's lodge sustained very heavy damage during the cemetery's occupation by federal forces during the Civil War. The porter's lodge at the entrance was demolished in 1868, but the chapel continued to be used until at least 1876. According to a 1909 newspaper account, "There is a rule in Charleston that colored people shall not be allowed to parade through Magnolia cemetery, the principal burying place of the white citizens," and this exclusion policy was enforced regardless of social status, such as in the case of Dr. Crum being prohibited from driving through the cemetery.

Location

Charleston, Charleston County, South Carolina
32.81966, -79.94167

Categories

LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTUREARTARCHITECTURESOCIAL HISTORY
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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Conflict & War
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The Civil War
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The Soldiers
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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

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1.1 mi
Sixth Naval District Training Aids Library
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Enston, William, Home
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Florence Crittenton Home
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Questions about this property

When was Magnolia Cemetery listed on the National Register?

Magnolia Cemetery was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on March 23, 1978.

What type of historic resource is Magnolia Cemetery?

Magnolia Cemetery is classified as a district in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for Magnolia Cemetery?

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

Can I research the history near Magnolia Cemetery?

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