Oak Hill Cemetery

Oak Hill Cemetery is a historic cemetery located in the Georgetown neighborhood of Washington, D.C., near the Potomac River and Rock Creek Park. It was founded in 1848 by William Wilson Corcoran, a wealthy banker and philanthropist, who also founded the Corcoran Gallery of Art and was a trustee of the Smithsonian Institution. The cemetery is the final resting place of many notable figures, including Ulysses S. Grant's secretary, John Aaron Rawlins, and Alexander Robey Shepherd, the governor of the District of Columbia during the Reconstruction Era. The cemetery is also near the Dumbarton Oaks estate, which was once the home of Robert Woods Bliss and Mildred Barnes Bliss, founders of the Dumbarton Oaks Research Library and Collection.

● History

The history of Oak Hill Cemetery dates back to the mid-19th century, when William Wilson Corcoran purchased a 15-acre estate in Georgetown and began developing it into a cemetery. The cemetery was designed by Frederick Law Olmsted, who also designed Central Park in New York City and the United States Capitol grounds. During the American Civil War, the cemetery was used as a temporary burial ground for Union Army soldiers, including those who died at the Battle of Fort Stevens and the Battle of Monocacy. The cemetery is also the final resting place of Salmon P. Chase, the Chief Justice of the United States during the Reconstruction Era, and William Tecumseh Sherman's brother, John Sherman, who was a United States Senator from Ohio.

● Geography

Oak Hill Cemetery is located in the Georgetown neighborhood of Washington, D.C., near the Potomac River and Rock Creek Park. The cemetery is situated on a hill overlooking the Potomac River and offers stunning views of the Washington Monument and the United States Capitol building. The cemetery is also near the Dumbarton Oaks estate, which was once the home of Robert Woods Bliss and Mildred Barnes Bliss, founders of the Dumbarton Oaks Research Library and Collection. The cemetery is surrounded by other historic neighborhoods, including Foggy Bottom and Burleith, and is near the Georgetown University campus.

● Notable_interments

Oak Hill Cemetery is the final resting place of many notable figures, including Ulysses S. Grant's secretary, John Aaron Rawlins, and Alexander Robey Shepherd, the governor of the District of Columbia during the Reconstruction Era. The cemetery is also the final resting place of Salmon P. Chase, the Chief Justice of the United States during the Reconstruction Era, and William Tecumseh Sherman's brother, John Sherman, who was a United States Senator from Ohio. Other notable interments include Henry Adams, the grandson of John Quincy Adams and the author of The Education of Henry Adams, and Clover Adams, his wife, who was a photographer and a member of the Salon des Refusés. The cemetery is also the final resting place of William Wilson Corcoran himself, as well as Martin Van Buren's son, John Van Buren, and James Buchanan's niece, Harriet Lane Johnston.

● Architecture

The architecture of Oak Hill Cemetery is notable for its historic mausoleums and monuments, including the Corcoran Mausoleum, which was designed by James Renwick Jr., the architect of St. Patrick's Cathedral in New York City. The cemetery also features a number of historic gates and fences, including the Main Gate, which was designed by Richard Morris Hunt, the architect of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City. The cemetery's landscape architecture was designed by Frederick Law Olmsted, who also designed Central Park in New York City and the United States Capitol grounds. The cemetery is also home to a number of notable sculptures, including works by Augustus Saint-Gaudens and Daniel Chester French.

● Points_of_interest

Oak Hill Cemetery is a popular tourist destination, with a number of points of interest, including the Corcoran Mausoleum and the Main Gate. The cemetery is also home to a number of historic trees, including a number of oak trees that date back to the 19th century. The cemetery offers stunning views of the Potomac River and the Washington Monument, and is a popular spot for photography and picnicking. The cemetery is also near a number of other historic sites, including the Dumbarton Oaks estate and the Georgetown University campus. Visitors to the cemetery can also see the graves of a number of notable figures, including Henry Adams and Clover Adams, and can take a self-guided tour of the cemetery using a map provided by the Oak Hill Cemetery administration. Category:Cemeteries in Washington, D.C.