National Register of Historic Places

Old Tombstone

Roanoke, Roanoke County, Virginia
Listed
March 24, 1980
Type
Object
Period
Listed
Ref No.
80004222

About this property

Old Tombstone, also known as the Denton Monument, is a folk art tombstone listed on both the National Register of Historic Places and the Virginia Landmarks Register in the town of Hollins, Virginia, United States. Located in the Tombstone Cemetery, just east of Plantation Road (Virginia State Route 115), Old Tombstone is noted for its folk art elements as being unique to Southwest Virginia. Once loved, once valued, now avails me not; Though my relations have not me forgot . . . The monument was designed by Laurence Krone, a prolific Virginia-German carver. Its design featuring a carving of a child, although commonplace in New England during the period, is unique to Southwest Virginia. Krone met the Dentons after the family took him in after falling ill at the turn of the 19th century. Due to the generosity of the family, Krone carved the monument free of charge upon the death of Robert Denton. By 1967, the ornate lid that once covered the sandstone face and bust of the child was stolen. As a result of the theft, the Hollins Lions Club constructed a roof and chain-link cage around the monument to protect it from vandals. Due to its architectural significance the monument was named to the Virginia Landmarks Register in 1977 and to the National Register of Historic Places in 1980. The cemetery where it is located, Tombstone Cemetery, takes its name directly from that of Old Tombstone.

Location

Roanoke, Roanoke County, Virginia
37.34002, -79.94063

Categories

ART
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.

Unlimited access

Everything a full report reveals about Old Tombstone

This page lists Old Tombstone. A full Aubrey report for an address near it pulls together this listing alongside battlefield records, land patents, and every other historical record within a chosen radius:

Overview
An interactive map of the location with historic sites, battles and Native heritage plotted, and its full story era by era.
The Land
The historic sites and place names around the location, and how this land was settled and used.
Geology
The bedrock beneath the site, its age and rock type, reaching back millions of years.
LiDAR Terrain
Laser-scanned terrain that reveals earthworks and old features hidden in the landscape.
Conflict & War
The battles, raids and skirmishes fought near here, across every era of American conflict.
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
Historic maps of the location layered over how it looks today.
Finds & Access
Museum objects tied to the area, and the laws on searching, collecting and access here.
Literature
The old books, county histories and archives that mention this place, quoted with their sources.
Spotlight
A deep dive into the most remarkable, lesser-known history of the place, traced back to the record.
Points of Interest
The most significant historic sites and landmarks near the location, and why they matter.
Timeline
The whole story of the location told era by era, from first peoples to the present day.
First month just $5.99, then $11.99 a month. Unlimited locations, cancel anytime.

Every location is different. Not every section appears for every place, only what the historical record actually holds turns up in a report.

Start your Old Tombstone report
Or see a real report first

Nearby Historic Sites

Hollins College Quadrangle
Industrial
1 mi
Harshbarger House
Industrial
1.3 mi
Black Horse Tavern-Bellvue Hotel and Office
Early Republic
1.5 mi
Roanoke Downtown Historic District (Boundary Increase)
Listed
1.9 mi
Huntingdon
Industrial
2.2 mi

Questions about this property

When was Old Tombstone listed on the National Register?

Old Tombstone was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on March 24, 1980.

What type of historic resource is Old Tombstone?

Old Tombstone is classified as a object in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for Old Tombstone?

The period of significance for Old Tombstone is recorded as the listed era.

Can I research the history near Old Tombstone?

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 Old Tombstone will include this listing and all other historical records in the area.

More in Roanoke County

Historic places, battles, and census history across Roanoke County.

Explore RoanokeCounty ›

More historic places in Virginia

Browse all historic places in Virginia.

View Virginiahistoric sites ›

Conflict records

Explore 19,000+ military engagements across American history.

Browse US conflicts ›

Virginia history

Colonial settlement, territorial period, and statehood narrative.

Virginiahistory ›

Research the history near this site

An Aubrey US report for an address near Old Tombstone will include this listing alongside battlefield records and other historical sources within your chosen radius.

Research your locationView a free sample report