Virginia Department of Historic Resources Virginia Department of Historic Resources
For additional information, read the Nomination Form PDF
VLR Listing Date 12/20/1977
NRHP Listing Date 03/26/1980
NRHP Reference Number 80004231
On a steep hillside looking over the countryside and mountains of western Wythe County, this early burying ground has a large collection of traditional German gravestones. Approximately fifty monuments date from the period 1800-1850 and are embellished, in most instances, with a single, high-relief motif–a heart, a cross, a six-pointed star, or some vegetal form–nearly always framed by a double band. Most of the inscriptions are in English, illustrating the acculturation of the German settlers. The use of these distinctly German-style gravestones halted in the 1850s; those erected from then on are indistinguishable from those in non-German cemeteries. The present twin-towered church, dating from 1913, is the third on the site.
Many properties listed in the registers are private dwellings and are not open to the public, however many are visible from the public right-of-way. Please be respectful of owner privacy.
Abbreviations:
VLR: Virginia Landmarks Register
NPS: National Park Service
NRHP: National Register of Historic Places
NHL: National Historic Landmark
Updated: October 7, 2021
