Oak Hill Cemetery

This enchanting cemetery now tops my list as most favorite (shortly followed by the cemetery in the Presidio in San Francisco, Glenmore cemetery in Park City, UT and Arlington)! I am a fan of beautiful and sacred places and I find myself drawn to cemeteries whenever I travel. This beautiful setting, it’s rich history and stunning visual drama make this one one to not miss.
I found myself more and more in awe with each turn. The trees, the hills, and the original building on site are together perfection. There is a beautiful reverence here like all cemeteries. Nature and God are both the keepers of history on this sacred ground.
Cemetery fans will not be disappointed. It was magical at dusk tonight so much so that I have to go back and see it again in the morning.

I find myself saying this a lot about cemeterys in DC, but this is a beautiful place. I am not morbid and generally not a fan of the cemetery experience but the city (metro area) does have a lot of beautiful ones (obvious Arlington cemetery, as well as Soldiers Home, Rock Creek and Congressional cemetery). Again, this is as nice as a cemetery could possibly be. I have walked by it a dozen times and run by a few more times and always wondered about the grounds. They have always had a mysterious vibe to them and, finally, walking around inside today, I got that feeling. Almost no one was there during the hour I walked around even though this is right in Gtown, not too far from some lovely gardens and it was a gorgeous sunny day. One of the workers there was very nice and I had a chat with him about the Renwick chapel, DC in general, etc. Nice guy! If you think this is a nice place now, seems they are putting lots of money into it. Only downside is, some sidewalks are in bad shape (watch your step) but again, should be fixed at some point in the future.

What a beautiful historic cemetery that offers now longer hours and is now open daily. I decided to come here on a wet, autumn day with my friend who enjoys history just as much as I do. It was a bit gloomy out, but that didn’t take away from the experience of exploring the realms of Oak Hill Cemetery.
We showed up around 2 p.m. where we retrieved a map of the cemetery to view some of the more notable burials. This is a very hilly cemetery right north of Georgetown in the middle of DC. You would not think you were in the middle of the city considering how quiet it was.
There are so many passed congressmen and senators here. So many ones that helped build up DC and lay the basic foundation of our government. That can be debated if that is a good or a bad thing, but still it would never hurt to come and pay tribute to those who lay to rest here.
I really enjoyed seeing the Van Ness mausoleum and reading about it. The elaborate mausoleum speaks volumes just by site of it. The history behind the Van Ness family really played a critical role in DC and worth looking up when you have the opportunity.

All that live must die, passing through nature to eternity.
–William Shakespeare
For those who’ve passed and for those just passing through, this garden-​style cemetery is a peaceful resting place for all who visit and in whatever capacity that they arrive.
Had I not been driving along Rock Creek Parkway the day before my visit, I would have continued to be oblivious to the existence of Oak Hill Cemetery. From the Parkway, you can see Gothic-​style mausoleums tucked into the Georgetown hillside. My curiosity was piqued and with a little research I was able to return the following day.
Crumbling tomb stones from the 1800s, decorative crypts, monuments and statues are surrounded by a tranquil (!) Rock Creek forrestry in a cemetery that somehow is segregated from the crazy commotion of the city that surrounds it.
The cemetery was founded by W.W. Corcoran and contains several monuments and interments that date back to the Civil War. Inside you’ll find a chapel that was designed by architect, James Renwick, Jr. (St. Paul’s Cathedral, Smithsonian Building) which adds to the rich history of this 15-​acre property.
Verdict: A quiet retreat for those looking to pay their respects to the deceased or for those interested in a botanical jaunt with historical highlights. Come to the chapel to pray and head over to Georgetown to play. This would be a great outing for those clear sky and low humidity days followed by a little Sauvignon Blanc down the hill.

Not many cemeteries in DC offer celebrity sightings — living celebrities, that is. But you could have caught Daniel Day-​Lewis in here a few weeks back, looking around as part of his research for the new Lincoln movie.
Why? Fact: When Lincoln’s son Willie died in the White House, he was buried here, though he was later disinterred to be reburied with his father in Illinois. Slightly more gross fact: Lincoln was so distraught at Willie’s death that he had him exhumed from his Oak Hill crypt twice so he could look at Willie’s face one more time. If you’re a Lincoln buff, going here will let you stand in Lincoln’s shoes at the darkest hour of his life (and there was lots of competition).
There are plenty of dead notables in here, too, including Katharine Graham and a hundred and sixty years’ worth of DC’s Georgetown elites. It’s also a drop-​dead gorgeous, wooded place. Hours are a little restrictive, but I’m glad it’s at least open to the public.

Beautiful, majestic stonework. Winding, quiet paths. Earthy, wet, natural smells. Flora and fauna — thriving. Headstones — centuries old and days new. Cool, tree-​filtered, sunlight.
Also, there is a metric crap-​ton of chipmunks. Weeeeeeee!
This is a great spot for a lazy Sunday stroll. Please be respectful — your noise, your activities, and your impact on the cemetery & its guests.

I love cemeteries. Maybe it is the great Smiths song — «Cemetary Gates» that mentions Keats and Yates, maybe it is the stories of a good friend who used to drink, do class B drugs and play hide and seek in Manchester’s great Southern Cemetery. Maybe it is the space, peace, contemplation and time for reflection they offer.
This cemetery offers all of the above. A short walk from the rigors of Georgetown you have an oasis of calm and history, some beautiful headstones and the tombs of the formerly great and good. It’s the cemetery you can see when you speed down Rock Creek parkway to get into the city. I was expecting a historical place, but there are also memorials to the more recently deceased.
It is gorgeous, it is well maintained, do yourself a favour and take a short walk out of the city and a long look back in time.

This is a 19^th century garden park cemetery that really took my breath away. I’m not a big «cemetery» person (I don’t even watch horror films) so when I found out I was living close-​ish to one I wasn’t really excited. What a mistake! This place is so historic and beautiful. On the website it states that «Maintenance of the natural garden is the Cemetery’s greatest tenet.» Go… and you’ll see what an amazing job they’ve done.

Majestic headstones.
Well-​tended, peaceful landscape.
Go and contemplate.