Oakdale Cemetery (Hendersonville, North Carolina) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Oakdale Cemetery
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 Location in North Carolina
Location in the United States
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| Location | N. & S. sides of 6th Ave., W., W. of Valley St., Hendersonville, North Carolina |
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| Area | 22 acres (8.9 ha) |
| Built | 1885 |
| Built by | White, W. T.; Maunder and Campbell |
| Architectural style | Late Victorian, Neoclassical |
| NRHP reference No. | 13001158 |
| Added to NRHP | February 5, 2014 |
Oakdale Cemetery is a special place in Hendersonville, North Carolina. It's a historic cemetery, which is a burial ground, and also a historic district. This means it's an important area with buildings and features that tell a story about the past.
The cemetery first opened in 1885. Since then, about 5,400 people have been buried there. It has different sections, including original areas for white and African American communities from 1885. There's even a section for the Agudas Israel Synagogue, which is Hendersonville's only Jewish group.
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Exploring Oakdale Cemetery's History
Oakdale Cemetery has grown over the years with new parts added until the 1950s. It's not just a place for burials; it also has several interesting old structures. These buildings and features are called "contributing resources" because they add to the cemetery's historical importance.
Notable Structures and Features
- Octagonal Pavilion: This unique eight-sided building dates back to the early 1900s. It's made of wood and adds to the cemetery's charm.
- Brick Mausoleum: You can find a rectangular brick mausoleum from the 20th century. A mausoleum is a building where people are buried above ground. This one has a flat roof and special terra cotta decorations.
- Neoclassical Mausoleum: A larger concrete mausoleum was built in 1951. It's designed in the Neoclassical style, which means it looks like ancient Greek or Roman buildings.
- Maintenance Building: There's also a building from the 1950s used for keeping the cemetery tidy.
The Angel Statue and Thomas Wolfe
One of the most famous features at Oakdale Cemetery is an Italian marble angel statue. This beautiful statue was so inspiring that it became a key part of Thomas Wolfe's first novel, Look Homeward, Angel. Wolfe was a famous American writer, and his book, published in 1929, helped make this angel well-known.
National Recognition
Because of its rich history and important features, Oakdale Cemetery was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2014. This is a list of places across the United States that are considered worthy of preservation because of their historical significance.
