American Lives

This introduction to Oakland Cemetery covers the spacious grounds of the cemetery which lies at the heart of the modern city of Atlanta, Georgia, USA.

When the initial 2.43 hectare site (six acres) was first laid out in 1850 the city was on its western flank. That city has expanded greatly to surround it on all sides now. Today it encompasses a total of 19.4 hectares (forty-eight acres), and is the final resting place for seventy thousand Atlantans. It is named for the many oak trees within its boundaries, with the grounds being maintained today by the Historic Oakland Foundation in partnership with the City of Atlanta.

Main Credits

Written, filmed, and presented by historian Laurie Stevens

Video post-production by Kessler Associates

Sound effects and background audio enhancements provided by Timbre via Freesound

Other Sources

Atlanta History Center

City of Atlanta

Historic Oakland Foundation

Bibliography / Further Reading

Davis, Ren & Davis, Helen - Atlanta's Oakland Cemetery: An Illustrated History and Guide (introduction by Timothy J Crimmins, University of Georgia Press, 2012)

McDonald, Janice - Residents of Oakland Cemetery (Arcadia Publishing Library Editions, 2019)

Taliaferro, Tevi - Historic Oakland Cemetery (Images of America) (Arcadia Publishing, 2001)

FOLLOWING PAGES:
Motor Hotel Postcards of Atlanta
Alcatraz Prison (Pts 1 & 2)
Berlin Wall Fragment
Slavia

RULERS OF NORTH AMERICA:
United States of America
Confederate States of America

EXTERNAL LINKS:
Historic Oakland Foundation
City of Atlanta
Atlanta History Center
Kessler Associates (Post-Production)
Freesound

RELATED LINKS:
The History Files

SPECIAL INDEX:

Native Americans A detailed set of features & king lists focussing on these complex peoples.

Images and text copyright © Laurie Stevens except where stated. An original feature for the History Files: American Lives.