About this property
The Contrabands and Freedmen Cemetery at 1001 S. Washington St. in Alexandria, Virginia was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on August 15, 2012. It was established in February 1864 by the Union military commander of the Alexandria District for use as a cemetery for the burial of African Americans who had escaped slavery, known as contrabands and freedmen. During early Reconstruction, it was operated by the Freedmen's Bureau. It was closed in late 1868, after Congress ended most operations of the Bureau. The last recorded burial was made in January 1869. The history of the site was rediscovered in the late 20th century, and archeological techniques were used to identify its boundaries and burials. The land was acquired by the city and the cemetery re-established as a memorial in 2014. Initially the Union Army buried soldiers of the United States Colored Troops here as well. But African American troops in Alexandria's hospitals "demanded that blacks be given the honor of burial in the Soldiers' Cemetery, now Alexandria National Cemetery." In January 1865, the soldiers' remains were moved to the military cemetery.
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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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Questions about this property
When was Contrabands and Freedmen Cemetery listed on the National Register?
Contrabands and Freedmen Cemetery was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on August 14, 2012.
What type of historic resource is Contrabands and Freedmen Cemetery?
Contrabands and Freedmen Cemetery is classified as a site in the National Register of Historic Places.
What is the period of significance for Contrabands and Freedmen Cemetery?
The period of significance for Contrabands and Freedmen Cemetery is recorded as the pre_contact era, specifically around 1001.
Can I research the history near Contrabands and Freedmen Cemetery?
Yes. Aubrey Research reports search National Register listings, battlefield records, land patents, and other primary historical sources within any radius of a US address. A report for an address near Contrabands and Freedmen Cemetery will include this listing and all other historical records in the area.
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