Holy Rood Cemetery

Originally known as the Upper Graveyard, Holy Rood Cemetery was established by Holy Trinity Catholic Church in 1832. In 1853, the cemetery was expanded, and in the years following the Civil War improvements were made. A house was added for the sexton, along with a vault, a new gate, a stone retaining wall, and an entrance along High Street, now Wisconsin Avenue. In 1866, the cemetery's name was changed to Holy Rood, taken from the Scottish haly ruid meaning Holy Cross. The cemetery was active until the end of the 20th century and contains approximately 7,000 graves. It is the oldest burial ground of free and enslaved Africans in the city. Of historic interest is the grave of Joseph Neitt (1753-1834), a veteran of the American Revolutionary War. His plot is located along the fence at the western edge of the cemetery. Georgetown University currently owns Holy Rood Cemetery.

Washington, District of Columbia · United States