Virginia Department of Historic Resources Virginia Department of Historic Resources
For additional information, read the Nomination Form PDF
VLR Listing Date 03/14/2001
NRHP Listing Date 07/13/2001
NRHP Reference Number 01000694
Saint Mary’s Catholic Cemetery is a burial ground serving primarily the Catholic communities of Norfolk, Virginia Beach, and Chesapeake. Located adjacent to the Lafayette River and Virginia Zoological Park in Norfolk, the property was purchased in 1854 by Father Matthew O’Keefe, the founder and pastor of Saint Mary’s Catholic Church in downtown Norfolk. The cemetery centerpiece is a large bronze crucifix erected around 1922 in honor of Catholic servicemen who served in World War I. Sculpted by George A. Lober, it stands approximately 30 feet high. Saint Mary’s Catholic Cemetery is one of the oldest monument cemeteries in the area and is one of only eight Catholic cemeteries throughout Virginia.
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: May 10, 2022
