Greenlawn Memorial Park (Newport News, Virginia) facts for kids
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Greenlawn Cemetery
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Camp Butler POW monument at Greenlawn Cemetery
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 Location in Virginia
Location in the United States
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| Location | 2700 Parish Ave., Newport News, Virginia |
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| Area | 50 acres (20 ha) |
| Built | 1900 |
| Built by | Lawson and Newton; Couper, O.D., Ennis |
| NRHP reference No. | 99000139 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
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| Added to NRHP | February 5, 1999 |
Greenlawn Memorial Park, also known as Greenlawn Cemetery, is a historic burial ground in Newport News, Virginia. It is located at 2700 Parish Avenue. This cemetery covers about 50 acres (20 hectares). It is found where two natural streams, Mill Dam Creek and Salters Creek, meet. Greenlawn Memorial Park has been open since 1888. It serves the communities of Newport News and Hampton, Virginia. About 20,000 people are buried here. Greenlawn Memorial Park is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. This means it is a special place recognized for its history.
Contents
Greenlawn Cemetery: A Historic Place
Greenlawn Cemetery was created by the Newport News Cemetery Company. This company began its work on February 14, 1888. A group of people worked together to start it. They were given permission to invite others to join them.
A Look Back in Time
The cemetery office building is a special part of the site. It was built in 1936. This building is a type of house known as a Sears Catalog Home. These homes were sold through catalogs and built from kits.
The POW Monument
At the center of Greenlawn Cemetery, there is a tall stone monument. This monument is an obelisk, which is a tall, four-sided pillar. It stands 25 feet (7.6 meters) high. It was put up in 1900. This monument marks a mass grave. It holds the remains of 163 Confederate soldiers. These soldiers were prisoners of war (POWs). They died in a nearby POW camp in Newport News. This happened between April 27, 1865, and July 5, 1865.
The 163 Confederate soldiers were re-buried here in 1900. At the bottom of the monument, there is a large granite stone. This stone lists the names of each soldier. It also shows their military rank, their home state, and their army unit. Soldiers from 13 different southern states are remembered here.
Important People Buried Here
Many notable people are buried at Greenlawn Cemetery. These are individuals who made important contributions.
- Schuyler Otis Bland (1872–1950): He was a U.S. Congressman from Virginia. A Congressman is a person who represents their state in the United States government. He served from 1918 until 1950.
- Robert Walker Perkins (1859–1919): He was a member of the Virginia House of Delegates. This is a group of elected officials who make laws for the state of Virginia. He served from 1894 to 1896.
- Nathaniel Jarrett Webb (1891–1943): He also served in the Virginia House of Delegates. He was a member from 1936 to 1939.
- One grave belongs to a British soldier from World War I. This soldier was a Surgeon in the Royal Army Veterinary Corps. This grave is cared for by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission. This group looks after the graves of soldiers from the Commonwealth countries.
