Oakdale Cemetery

History buffs and ghost story fans will love a stroll through Wilmington’s own Oakdale Cemetery. This prestigious cemetery, which dates back to the 1850s, is the final resting place of a number of notable residents, which range from Civil War era soldiers to local celebrities. Open to the public, visitors are free to admire the gravesites which feature lush landscaping, fine crafted monuments, and centuries of local stories.

The Oakdale Cemetery is a large site, and takes up a few city blocks on the northern outskirts of the Downtown Wilmington area. Established in 1850, the cemetery has a host of notable gravesites which includes veterans from multiple wars and all branches of service, politicians, congressmen, mayors, artists, architects, writers, merchants, explorers, and more. Stand-outs include the Confederate Mound, which is the resting place of 372 unknown Confederate soldiers, the Honorable Edward B. Dudley - North Carolina’s first governor elected by popular vote, and Henry Beacon, the architect of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington D.C. With gravesites that date back to 1855, visitors will be surrounded by history around every live-oak lined turn. Fascinating for self-guided explorers or local historical walking tour-goers, the Oakdale Cemetery is a unique look into Wilmington’s rich and legendary past.