Sunset Hill Cemetery

Sunset Hill Cemetery, located northwest of the intersection of North Oak Street and West Mary Street, is the oldest cemetery in Valdosta.[2]

Sunset Hill Cemetery
Front entrance of Sunset Hill Cemetery
Location110 N Oak St, Valdosta, Georgia
Coordinates30°50′31″N 83°17′16″W
Area66 acres (27 ha)
Built1861
Architectural styleRenaissance, Classical Revival
NRHP reference No.04000957[1]
Added to NRHPSeptember 10, 2004

Notable burials

These are some of the notable people interred in the cemetery:[2]

  • Hobart Baird Edwards, Sr. 1897‐1959. WWI veteran, Pro‐tem of Georgia Senate, Mayor of Valdosta, Recorders Court Judge. [3]
  • James O’Rourke, 1848‐1902. Circus employee and elephant trainer from New Orleans who was killed by his female elephant, Gypsy. While on route to Valdosta, Gypsy became extremely agitated. At a train stop six miles away from Valdosta, O’Rourke tried to calm the animal, but the elephant went wild, crushed O’Rourke, and escaped the train. The elephant was chased over downtown streets, and out to Cherry Creek, where it was eventually killed and buried. O’Rourke's grave features a small obelisk. Section C402, Block 5, Lot 12.[4]

History

The cemetery was established in 1861 when former local postmaster Charles Ogden Force donated 30 acres (12 ha) to the city for this purpose. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places on September 10, 2004.[1][2]

See also

References


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